Moderate instability was in place across much of northern Indiana as a cold front swept through the area. Upper level energy moved into the region, helping initiate convection north of a decaying mesoscale convective system across central and southern Illinois.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS IWX wrote it up.
Moderate instability was in place across much of northern Indiana as a cold front swept through the area. Upper level energy moved into the region, helping initiate convection north of a decaying mesoscale convective system across central and southern Illinois. Shear was marginal but sufficient to help organize some of the convection with the strongest cells producing narrow areas of wind damage or borderline severe hail.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Northern Indiana wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 27, 10:21 AM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 1121 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 420 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 A WEAK COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON CAUSING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA TONIGHT PROVIDING FAIR WEATHER. HIGHS TODAY WILL BE IN THE UPPER 70S AND LOWER 80S... WITH LOWS TONIGHT IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 50S. && .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1121 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 LITTLE CHANGE NEEDED TO THE FORECAST GOING INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS AS CHANCES FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS/ISOLATED STORMS INCREASE WITH REMNANT MCV TRACKING EAST INTO CENTRAL IN...AND PRIMARY MID LEVEL TROUGH AXIS AND ASSOCIATED SFC FRONT PROPAGATION EAST INTO THE LOWER GREAT LAKES. THIS FORCING COMBINED WITH MODEST SFC BASED DESTABILIZATION, STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES, AND JUST ENOUGH UNIDIRECTIONAL FLOW (EFFECTIVE SHEAR VALUES 30-35 KTS) MAY BE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT AN ISOLATED STRONG-SEVERE STORM (DAMAGING WINDS) ALONG/EAST OF INTERSTATE 69 MID-LATE AFTERNOON. LACKING MID-LEVEL LAPSE RATES AND MARGINAL SHEAR SHOULD LIMIT ORGANIZATION/UPDRAFTS AND KEEP THIS AN ISOLATED WIND THREAT AT BEST. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 420 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 SHRTWV AND ASSOCIATED CDFNT OVER THE UPR MS VALLEY THIS MORNING EXPECTED TO MOVE E-NE ACROSS OUR CWA THIS AFTN. DIURNAL HEATING SHOULD RESULT IN AROUND 1000J/KG CAPE WHILE STILL RESPECTABLE 30-40KT UNIDIRECTIONAL DEEP LAYER SHEAR REMAINS OVER THE AREA AHEAD OF THE UPR LEVEL TROF SUGGESTING SOME POTENTIAL FOR SVR STORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS THE SE PORTION OF CWA WHERE LATER FROPA SHOULD ALLOW FOR BETTER INSTABILITY. HIGH RES CONVECTIVE ALLOWING MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT SUGGESTING TSTMS WILL IMPACT SE 1/2 OF AREA THIS AFTN SO BUMPED UP POPS IN THIS AREA TO LIKELY RANGE. RATHER STRONG GRADIENT/MIXING AHEAD OF THE FRONT SHOULD RESULT IN BREEZY/WARM CONDITIONS ONCE AGAIN WITH HIGH TEMPS RANGING FROM THE U70S NW TO THE L80S SE. SFC HIGH EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT AS THE FRONT SINKS S-SE TO SRN IN/OH. LIGHT WINDS AND CLEARING SKIES SHOULD PROVIDE GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING ALLOWING TEMPS TO FALL INTO THE M-U50S. SOME POTENTIAL FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT BUT HELD OFF ADDING TO FCST TO SEE HOW SGFNT THE DRYING IS BEHIND THE FRONT THIS AFTN. && .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 420 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 THE MAIN CHALLENGES THIS PERIOD CONCERN THE EVOLUTION AND PHASING OF A NORTHERN STREAM SYSTEM DROPPING SOUTH OUT OF CANADA AND A SOUTHERN STREAM WAVE EJECTING EAST ACROSS THE CONUS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. FOR THIS PACKAGE...FAVORED THE ECMWF. THE ECMWF CONTINUES TO HAVE A BETTER OVERALL HANDLE WITH THIS SYSTEM WHICH IS REFLECTED IN BETTER RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY THAN THE GFS. ALSO...THE UPSTREAM AIRMASS HAS BEEN VERY EFFICIENT IN PRODUCING SHOWERS AND STORMS. THERMAL AND WIND PROFILES SUPPORT ONLY A MARGINAL SEVERE STORM THREAT...BUT GIVEN THE HISTORY OF THIS AIRMASS AND THE LIKELY HYDROLOGIC RECYCLING UPSTREAM...HAVE RAISED RAIN CHANCES FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES SHOULD RISE CLOSE TO 1.75. CAPE VALUES SHOULD REMAIN AROUND OR UNDER 1000 J/KG...SO LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS LIKELY. AFTER SATURDAY NIGHT...REMOVED ALL RAIN CHANCES EXCEPT FOR A LOW CHANCE FOR A LINGERING SHOWER OVER SOUTHEAST AREAS SUNDAY. TEMPERATURES SHOULD BE VERY WARM THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WITH HIGHS FROM 82F TO 86F. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 644 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 WK CDFNT OVER NW IL THIS MORNING EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST ACROSS NRN INDIANA TODAY WITH FROPA AT SBN AROUND 16Z AND AROUND 20Z AT FWA. DIURNAL HEATING SHOULD LEAD TO SCT TSRA FORMING IN VCNTY OF THE FRONT WITH GREATER COVERAGE NE INDIANA WHERE MORE INSTABILITY SHOULD BE IN PLACE BY FROPA. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A TEMPO MVFR GROUP IN TSRA AT FWA THIS AFTN... VFR CONDITIONS FCST THROUGH THIS EVE. SOME BR MAY FORM OVERNIGHT AS A SFC HIGH MOVES ACROSS THE AREA PROVIDING LIGHT WINDS AND GOOD RADIATIONAL COOLING. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...NONE. && UPDATE...STEINWEDEL SYNOPSIS...JT SHORT TERM...JT LONG TERM...SKIPPER AVIATION...JT VISIT US AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/IWX (ALL LOWER CASE) FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK...TWITTER...AND YOUTUBE AT: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA WWW.TWITTER.COM/NWSIWX WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/NWSNORTHERNINDIANA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 451 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ077>081-OHZ001-002-004-005- 015-016-024-025-280900- LA PORTE-ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-NOBLE-DE KALB-STARKE- PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN- MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-GRANT-BLACKFORD-JAY-BERRIEN- CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE- HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...SOUTH BEND... MISHAWAKA...ELKHART...GOSHEN...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...ANGOLA... KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...AUBURN...GARRETT...KNOX...NORTH JUDSON... WINAMAC...FRANCESVILLE...PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...ROCHESTER...WARSAW... WINONA LAKE...COLUMBIA CITY...SOUTH WHITLEY...FORT WAYNE... MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON...LOGANSPORT...PERU...WABASH... NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR... BERNE...MARION...HARTFORD CITY...MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...NILES... BENTON HARBOR...ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS... STURGIS...THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE...BRYAN...WAUSEON... ARCHBOLD...DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...OTTAWA... PANDORA...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA 451 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 /351 AM CDT WED MAY 27 2015/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO... NORTHERN INDIANA AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED... ESPECIALLY ACROSS EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE AREA TODAY. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS THIS AFTERNOON... MAINLY EAST OF A HILLSDALE MICHIGAN TO MARION INDIANA LINE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE. HIGH WAVES MAY CAUSE DANGEROUS SWIMMING CONDITIONS AT LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX LMZ043-046-280900- NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI- 451 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. HIGH WAVES RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT ARE ALSO POSSIBLE SATURDAY. && STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1112 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0420 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 ENE BRICE 40.43N 84.84W
05/26/2015 JAY IN EMERGENCY MNGR
A FEW TREES DOWN NEAR STATE ROAD 26 BETWEEN 700 E AND
800 E. ROOF PANELS OF BARN ALSO DAMAGED.
&&
NDMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1132 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0530 PM TSTM WND DMG LEIPSIC 41.10N 83.98W
05/26/2015 PUTNAM OH EMERGENCY MNGR
PORTION OF METAL ROOF REMOVED FROM A BUILDING IN TOWN.
&&
NDMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 1147 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 INZ013-020-022-271615- CASS IN-PULASKI IN-WHITE IN- 1147 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD NORTHEASTERN WHITE... NORTHWESTERN CASS...SOUTHEASTERN PULASKI AND EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN FULTON COUNTIES... AT 1144 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MONON...OR 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF MONTICELLO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE... ROYAL CENTER... BUFFALO AND SITKA... LAKESIDE... HEADLEE...BELL CENTER AND PULASKI... THORNHOPE...STAR CITY AND LAWTON... GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. LAT...LON 4107 8652 4082 8644 4073 8693 4086 8698 TIME...MOT...LOC 1548Z 247DEG 37KT 4082 8685
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1158 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SE LEIPSIC 41.08N 83.96W
05/26/2015 PUTNAM OH EMERGENCY MNGR
10 TO 12 INCH TREE LIMBS DOWN.
&&
NDMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA 1223 PM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 INZ006>009-013-015>018-020-022>027-032>034-MIZ080-081-OHZ001-002- 004-005-015-016-024-025-271745- LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-NOBLE-DE KALB-PULASKI-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO- WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS- ADAMS-GRANT-BLACKFORD-JAY-BRANCH-HILLSDALE-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH- DEFIANCE-HENRY-PAULDING-PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...SHIPSHEWANA... ANGOLA...FREMONT...KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...ALBION...AUBURN... GARRETT...WINAMAC...FRANCESVILLE...MEDARYVILLE...ROCHESTER... AKRON...WARSAW...WINONA LAKE...SYRACUSE...MENTONE... COLUMBIA CITY...TRI-LAKES...SOUTH WHITLEY...FORT WAYNE... NEW HAVEN...MONTICELLO...BROOKSTON...MONON...LOGANSPORT... ROYAL CENTER...PERU...GRISSOM AFB...MEXICO...WABASH... NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...ROANOKE...BLUFFTON...OSSIAN... DECATUR...BERNE...MARION...GAS CITY...UPLAND...HARTFORD CITY... MONTPELIER...PORTLAND...DUNKIRK...COLDWATER...BRONSON... HILLSDALE...LITCHFIELD...JONESVILLE...BRYAN...WAUSEON... ARCHBOLD...FAYETTE...SWANTON...DEFIANCE...SHERWOOD...HICKSVILLE... NAPOLEON...DESHLER...LIBERTY CENTER...PAULDING...ANTWERP... MELROSE...OTTAWA...PANDORA...KALIDA...FORT JENNINGS...VAN WERT... DELPHOS...OHIO CITY...LIMA...SPENCERVILLE 1223 PM EDT WED MAY 27 2015 ...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING WITH GUSTY WINDS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON... SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS NORTHEAST INDIANA AND NORTHWEST OHIO THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. THE STRONGER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...SMALL HAIL...AND BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH STRONG GUSTY WINDS AS THE MAIN THREAT. ANYONE WITH OUTDOOR PLANS THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER.
The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 58 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:47 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported hail along US 31 between Rochester and Deedsville, causing traffic to come to a halt for a a period.
The public reported a one to two foot diameter tree snapped and fell onto a house. No fatalities or injuries were reported.
Emergency management officials reported trees and power lines down in Auburn.
A trained spotter reported a one to two foot diameter tree branch as well as a sign were blown down near the intersection of County Road 15 and Highway 8.
Emergency management officials reported a empty semi trailer was blown off the road by high winds on Interstate 69, near mile marker 334. The driver sustained minor injuries.
Emergency management officials reported a empty semi trailer was blown off the road by high winds on Interstate 69, near mile marker 334. The driver sustained minor injuries.
Emergency management officials reported a tree and power line down across the road at Division Road and County Road 200 West.
Emergency management officials reported trees and power lines down on the east side of town.
A trained spotter reported at least one four to five inch diameter tree limb down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, May 2015
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 581273, 581274, 581278, 581279, 581281, 581282, 581283, 581284, 581286.