Name: Winter Weather in Ohio, January 12, 2016
Start: 2016-01-12T00:00
End: 2016-01-12T14:00
Location: Ohio

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS IWX wrote it up.

Snow with an Alberta Clipper transitioned to lake effect snow showers during the day on January 12th. Snow accumulations, falling temperatures, and blowing snow from gusty winds created hazardous travel conditions.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jan 11, 6:21 PM EST, 5 hours 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 11, 6:21 PM EST, 5 hours 39 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
621 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

.SYNOPSIS...
ISSUED AT 316 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING A CHANCE FOR SNOW TO THE NORTHERN
PART OF THE REGION INTO THE EARLY EVENING AND TO THE ENTIRE REGION
TONIGHT. LAKE EFFECT SNOW WILL FOLLOW ON TUESDAY AS THE LOW
CONTINUES TO PULL AWAY TO THE NORTHEAST. SNOWFALL AMOUNTS THROUGH
TUESDAY COULD RANGE FROM AROUND 2 INCHES IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF
THE REGION TO AROUND 8 INCHES IN SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN. THE
WIND WILL ALSO INCREASE TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY CREATING BLOWING AND
DRIFTING OF THE SNOW. THIS WILL ALSO CREATE WINDCHILL VALUES OF
ZERO TO FIVE BELOW ZERO ON TUESDAY.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY)
ISSUED AT 316 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

CLIPPER SYSTEM TO BRING SNOW, BLOWING SNOW, AND DIFFICULT TRAVEL TO
THE ENTIRE AREA TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY...

GOOD CYCLONIC CURVATURE WITH A STRONG MID-UPPER LEVEL JET DROPPING
INTO THE NORTH-CENTRAL US WILL AID IN FORCING AN AMPLIFYING
SHORTWAVE OF NORTHWEST CANADA ORIGINS SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE LOWER
GREAT LAKES BY LATER TONIGHT...WITH THE ~150 METER HEIGHT FALL
CENTROID AND SFC REFLECTION TRACK INTO SOUTHERN LOWER MI BY 09-12Z
TUESDAY. THIS IS TANDEM WITH A WEAK LEAD/LOWER AMPLITUDE SHORTWAVE
ALREADY GENERATING AN AREA OF LIGHT SNOW INTO WESTERN ZONES IN 850
MB WARM ADVECTION/ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE PORTION OF SYSTEM TO FOCUS
WIDESPREAD LIGHT SNOW INTO THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA THIS EVENING
INTO THE EARLY OVERNIGHT PERIOD. 15-20:1 SNOW RATIOS EXPECTED DURING
THIS TIME GIVEN EXCELLENT ALIGNMENT OF OMEGA AND SATURATION WITHIN A
RELATIVELY DEEP DGZ (5-7 KFT) SHOULD SUPPORT A QUICK INCH OR SO
(HIGHER AMOUNTS NORTH OF THE US 24 CORRIDOR) IN ADVANCE/ALONG THIS
DEVELOPING WARM FRONT.

SNOW PATTERN WILL LIKELY TURN MORE SQUALLY IN NATURE LATER TONIGHT
ALONG THE TRAILING ARCTIC COLD FRONT AS DEEP LAYER UPWARD QG FORCING
OVERSPREADS AND LAPSE RATES STEEPENING ON THE LEADING EDGE OF DRIER
AIR ALOFT. WINDS WILL ALSO PICK UP WHICH WILL LEAD TO REDUCED (< 1/2
MILE) VISIBILITIES AND BLOWING SNOW TOWARD DAYBREAK TUESDAY.
DEEP SATURATION/ASCENT THROUGH A COLD LOWER 15 KFT SHOULD SUPPORT
DECENT FLAKE SIZE AND ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS OVERNIGHT INTO EARLY
TUESDAY.

ATTENTION ON TUESDAY WILL TURN TO THE LAKE RESPONSE IN STRONG WNW
FLOW AS DELTA T/S PLUMMET INTO THE 20S. SETUP INITIALLY IN FAVORED
WNW FLOW SNOW BELTS LOOKS QUITE IMPRESSIVE WITH PRIME OMEGA AND
SATURATION WITH RESPECT TO ICE PEGGED NICELY WITHIN AN UNSTABLE DGZ
AND POTENTIAL SEEDING/LIFT ABOVE FROM THE MAIN UPPER PV ANOMALY
THROUGH AT LEAST LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON. COULD EASILY SEE SOME
IMPRESSIVE SNOWFALL RATES/AMOUNTS MAINLY NORTH OF ROUTE 6 IN
IN/MI...ALTHOUGH HOPEFUL STRONG WINDS/SOME SHEARING IN CONVECTIVE
LAYER/AND LIMITED WNW FETCH OFF LAKE MI (MULTI BAND) KEEPS ACTIVITY
MORE CELLULAR WHICH SHOULD KEEP SNOW AMOUNTS FROM GETTING OUT OF
HAND.

INVERSION HEIGHTS LOWER TO NEAR 4000 FT TUESDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING AS
FIGHT WITH INCOMING DRY ARCTIC AIR BEGINS TO TAKE ITS TOLL.
HOWEVER...MOIST/SHALLOW CONVECTIVE LAYER STILL LOOKS TO RESIDE
NICELY IN THE DGZ WHICH IN TANDEM WITH FAVORABLE AFTN DIURNAL
COMPONENT SHOULD SUPPORT SOME HEALTHIER MULTI BANDS ACROSS NORTHERN
ZONES THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE EFFECT SNOW
BELTS (SOUTH OF US 30 IN INDIANA...NW OHIO) WILL SEE SCATTERED
FLURRIES/SNOW SHOWERS THAT COULD BE HEAVIER AT TIMES (MINOR
ADDITIONAL ACCUMS). REGARDLESS...GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE
AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW AND DIFFICULT TRAVEL IN OPEN/RURAL AREAS INTO
TUESDAY.

OVERALL SUMMARY/IMPACTS...STILL EXPECT AREAS OUTSIDE OF THE LAKE
EFFECT BELTS TO RECEIVE 1-3 INCHES OF TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS.
REDUCED VISIBILITIES FROM SNOW/BLOWING SNOW WILL LIKELY CREATE
DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY. HEAVIER AMOUNTS
AND WIDESPREAD BLOWING SNOW STILL ANTICIPATED ACROSS FAR NORTHERN
INDIANA AND SOUTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN.

&&

.LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 316 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

SFC LOW EXPECTED TO BE LOCATED OVER SE ONTARIO TUE EVE MOVG QUICKLY
EAST OVERNIGHT ALLOWING TRAILING SFC RIDGE TO BUILD INTO OUR AREA.
VERY COLD AIRMASS WILL CONT TO CAUSE SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW BUT WITH
SLOWLY BACKING WNW FLOW AND LOW INVERSION/DGZ... EXPECT LITTLE
ADDITIONAL ACCUM. WITH SKIES CLEARING OVERNIGHT SOUTH OF THE LAKE
PLUME... AND PRESUMABLY SOME FRESH SNOW COVER FROM TONIGHT'S
SYSTEM... LOWERED MINS A BIT... IN THE ZERO TO +5 RANGE ACROSS
MOST OF THE CWA.

ANOTHER SHRTWV WILL MOVE SE ACROSS THE MIDWEST WED/WED NGT. RATHER
STRONG LOW LEVEL WAA/ISENT LIFT IN ADVANCE OF THIS SYSTEM SHOULD
ONCE AGAIN PROVIDE SUFFICIENT LIFT FOR A PERIOD OF SNOW... BUT
EXPECT A QUICK SHOT WITH ACCUMS GENERALLY AN INCH OR LESS AND NO
LAKE EFFECT FOLLOWING IT AS RIDGING ALOFT BUILDS IN FROM THE
PLAINS IN ITS WAKE.

SHRTWV OVER THE ERN PAC TODAY IS EXPECTED TO PROGRESS EAST INTO THE
PLAINS ON THU WITH RESULTANT SFC CYCLOGENESIS AND A RETURN TO
SOUTHERLY FLOW AND WARMER TEMPS ACROSS OUR AREA. THIS LOW EXPECTED
TO MOVE EAST ACROSS THE MIDWEST FRIDAY CAUSING RAIN IN OUR AREA
CHANGING TO SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT AS COLDER AIR MOVES IN ON THE BACKSIDE
OF THE LOW. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS DIFFER ON HOW LONG THIS SYSTEM WILL
LINGER OVER THE ERN GRTLKS WITH GFS CONSIDERABLY SLOWER TO MOVE IT
OUT THAN THE ECMWF/GEM. IN EITHER CASE COLD CYCLONIC FLOW SHOULD AT
LEAST KEEP SCT SNOW SHOWERS IN THE AREA OVER THE WEEKEND WITH SOME
LAKE EFFECT AND BLO NORMAL TEMPS PERSISTING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY EVENING)
ISSUED AT 621 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

SNOW SHIELD RAPIDLY AHD OF SALTY CLIPPER DROPPING THROUGH CNTRL
MN ATTM AND XPC RAPIDLY DETERIORATING CONDS THIS EVENING AT THE
TERMINALS. FUEL ALT CONDS ASSURED W/TEMPO IFR/LIFR RESTRICTIONS AT
TIMES...ESP THIS EVENING AND AGAIN TUE AM INVOF KSBN AS LAKE
EFFECT TAKES OFF BEHIND ARCTIC FNT. GRADIENT WINDS WILL ESCALATE
QUICKLY OVERNIGHT IN ASSOCD/W APCH AND PASSAGE OF ARCTIC FNT W/SFC
GUSTS TO 30KTS.

&&

.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR INZ004>007.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL NOON EST /11 AM CST/ TUESDAY FOR
     INZ003-008-009-012-014>018-022>027-032>034.

MI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ080-081.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR MIZ077>079.

OH...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON EST
     TUESDAY FOR OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025.

LM...GALE WATCH FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING FOR
     LMZ043-046.

&&

SYNOPSIS...LOTHAMER
SHORT TERM...STEINWEDEL
LONG TERM...JT
AVIATION...T

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, Jan 11, 3:59 PM EST, 8 hours 1 minute before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
359 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

INZ004>007-MIZ077>081-122100-
ST. JOSEPH IN-ELKHART-LAGRANGE-STEUBEN-BERRIEN-CASS MI-ST. JOSEPH MI-
BRANCH-HILLSDALE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOUTH BEND...MISHAWAKA...ELKHART...
GOSHEN...LAGRANGE...TOPEKA...ANGOLA...NILES...BENTON HARBOR...
ST. JOSEPH...BUCHANAN...DOWAGIAC...CASSOPOLIS...STURGIS...
THREE RIVERS...COLDWATER...HILLSDALE
359 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA
AND SOUTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT WITH
ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...
PLEASE SEE THE WINTER STORM WATCH PRODUCT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 4 INCHES OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW ARE EXPECTED
TUESDAY ALONG WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW MAKING TRAVEL
HAZARDOUS. IN ADDITION...WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO
BE NEAR ZERO TUESDAY AND THEN FALL TO AROUND 10 BELOW ZERO TUESDAY
NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE ENCOURAGED TONIGHT AND TUESDAY.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX

INZ003-008-009-012>018-020-022>027-032>034-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-
016-024-025-122100-
LA PORTE-NOBLE-DE KALB-STARKE-PULASKI-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-
WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-WHITE-CASS IN-MIAMI-WABASH-HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-
GRANT-BLACKFORD-JAY-WILLIAMS-FULTON OH-DEFIANCE-HENRY-PAULDING-
PUTNAM-VAN WERT-ALLEN OH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MICHIGAN CITY...LA PORTE...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...BRYAN...
WAUSEON...ARCHBOLD...DEFIANCE...NAPOLEON...PAULDING...ANTWERP...
OTTAWA...PANDORA...VAN WERT...DELPHOS...LIMA
359 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016 /259 PM CST MON JAN 11 2016/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST OHIO AND
NORTHERN INDIANA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY THIS EVENING WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF
1 TO 3 INCHES BY LATE TONIGHT. INCREASING WINDS TONIGHT WILL
CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

SNOW SHOWERS AND AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW MAY CREATE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL
INTO TUESDAY.

BLUSTERY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY WITH WIND CHILL
TEMPERATURES FALLING BELOW ZERO DURING THE DAY. WIND CHILL
TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE BETWEEN 5 BELOW ZERO AND 15 BELOW
ZERO TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE ENCOURAGED TONIGHT AND TUESDAY.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX

LMZ043-046-122100-
NEW BUFFALO MI TO ST JOSEPH MI-MICHIGAN CITY IN TO NEW BUFFALO MI-
359 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF
SOUTHEASTERN LAKE MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

GALES UP TO 40 KNOTS WILL BE POSSIBLE BY LATE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS TO SMALL CRAFT WILL LIKELY PERSIST THROUGH
MUCH OF THIS WEEK. GALE FORCE WINDS ACCOMPANIED BY FREEZING SPRAY
ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY.

&&

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES...OR
CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/IWX/?N=MARINE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 11, 11:26 PM EST, 34 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1126 PM EST MON JAN 11 2016

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1124 PM     SNOW             2 SW MILLBURG           42.10N  86.37W
01/11/2016  M3.3 INCH        BERRIEN            MI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SNOWFALL SINCE MIDNIGHT

&&

SKIPPER

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Weather, Allen

When: January 12, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Allen forecast zone
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 40.772, -84.106 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of slide-offs and accidents, along with school delays, were common on January 12th due to snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulations across the country generally ranged between 2 and 3 inches. The accumulating snow combined with temperatures falling into the teens and reduced visibilities created difficult driving conditions.

Winter Weather, Van Wert

When: January 12, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Van Wert forecast zone
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 40.855, -84.586 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of slide-offs and accidents, along with school delays, were common on January 12th due to snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulations across the country generally ranged between 2 and 3 inches. The accumulating snow combined with temperatures falling into the teens and reduced visibilities created difficult driving conditions.

Winter Weather, Putnam

When: January 12, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Putnam forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.022, -84.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of slide-offs and accidents, along with school delays, were common on January 12th due to snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulations across the country generally ranged between 2 and 3 inches. The accumulating snow combined with temperatures falling into the teens and reduced visibilities created difficult driving conditions.

Winter Weather, Paulding

When: January 12, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Paulding forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.117, -84.580 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of slide-offs and accidents, along with school delays, were common on January 12th due to snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulations across the country generally ranged between 2 and 3 inches. The accumulating snow combined with temperatures falling into the teens and reduced visibilities created difficult driving conditions.

Winter Weather, Henry

When: January 12, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Henry forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.334, -84.068 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of slide-offs and accidents, along with school delays, were common on January 12th due to snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulations across the country generally ranged between 2 and 3 inches. The accumulating snow combined with temperatures falling into the teens and reduced visibilities created difficult driving conditions.

Winter Weather, Defiance

When: January 12, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Defiance forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.324, -84.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of slide-offs and accidents, along with school delays, were common on January 12th due to snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulations across the country generally ranged between 2 and 3 inches. The accumulating snow combined with temperatures falling into the teens and reduced visibilities created difficult driving conditions.

Winter Weather, Williams

When: January 12, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Williams forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.560, -84.588 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of slide-offs and accidents, along with school delays, were common on January 12th due to snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulations across the country generally ranged between 2 and 4 inches. The accumulating snow combined with temperatures falling into the teens and reduced visibilities created difficult driving conditions.

Winter Weather, Fulton

When: January 12, 12:00 AM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Fulton forecast zone
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.602, -84.130 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of slide-offs and accidents, along with school delays, were common on January 12th due to snow and blowing snow. Snow accumulations across the country generally ranged between 2 and 4 inches. The accumulating snow combined with temperatures falling into the teens and reduced visibilities created difficult driving conditions.

What these are

Winter Weather: Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Ohio in 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in Ohio, January 2016

Sources

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: 607834, 607835, 607836, 607837, 607838, 607839, 607841, 607842.