A frontal boundary, combined with a series of outflow boundaries, provided the necessary lift in an unstable and sheared environment to allow for strong to locally severe thunderstorms.
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.
A frontal boundary, combined with a series of outflow boundaries, provided the necessary lift in an unstable and sheared environment to allow for strong to locally severe thunderstorms.
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 Sep 13, 2:21 PM EST, 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Northern Indiana 321 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 311 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 Showers and thunderstorms will continue until around 9pm with damaging wind and heavy rain the main threats, but hail cannot be ruled out of any storm. It'll be cooler tonight and Saturday with temperatures tonight dropping back into the 50s and then rising into the mid 70s to low 80s. Another chance for showers and perhaps a thunderstorm exists Sunday as a front drops into the area from the north. && .SHORT TERM...(This Evening through Saturday) Issued at 311 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 Low level moisture in the form of light fog and a stratus deck to start the day was able to be eroded, but surface dew points were able to be realized around 70F just ahead of the front. 1500 to 2500 J/kg SBCAPE has been able to move in and an 850 mb jet progged between 30 and 35 is expected to pass through this evening allowing gusty winds and around 25 to 30 kts of shear for thunderstorms to work with. There is some looping to the lower portion of the hodograph, but it seems to be on the low end to get rotating cells. Soundings indicate low level moisture will be prevalent and low level lapse rates will be able to surpass 8 C/km. PWATs will be able to rise above 1.75 inch allowing any thunderstorms that do form to produce heavy rain and it appears to be a wet microburst type setup again with close to 900 J/kg of DCAPE. With mid level lapse rates only just over 6 C/km think the hail threat is lower than the wind threat because of how moist the profile looks. The cold front pushes through during the evening hours tonight allowing cooler and drier air to come through for Saturday with highs expected to rise into the mid 70s to the low 80s and sunny skies. && .LONG TERM...(Saturday Night through Friday) Issued at 311 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 Behind Saturday's nicer day, another weaker theta-e return moves in on Sunday. It is interesting to see that the ECMWF is a little bit later with the moisture return bring it into the area and stalling it across the area as opposed to pushing the moisture return through fairly quickly like on the GFS with a backdoor front type signal. Generally, these backdoor front type scenarios offer lacking support for thunderstorms as easterly winds generally eat the instability across the region. So, depending on the timing of the frontal passage with the front pushing through a theta-e surge, thunderstorms may initially be possible but as the front stalls across the area, would lean more towards shower coverage and a shrinking threat from thunderstorms. Heading towards Tuesday, a cyclonic wave break occurring over the West Coast of the CONUS will drive a large ridge over the center of the CONUS, all the while, allowing blocking to develop in the Atlantic Ocean on the downslope side of the building ridge. This allows high pressure to settle over the Northeast and affect us with cooler and drier air on its western periphery. This is as a result of those aforementioned easterly winds keeping us cooler on Tuesday and Wednesday and, depending on the timing of the next moisture surge, Thursday than what would normally be expected within a ridge of that magnitude. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Saturday Afternoon) Issued at 1145 AM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 Main TAF focus will be KFWA where convection is expected to develop near the site and move east. Confidence on impacts to the site remain low, warranting no more than the VCTS for the moment. If anything occurs, it should only be for a 30 to maybe 60 minute period. Winds will eventually shift to the west behind the front with VFR conditions prevailing. Threat for convection is almost zero at KSBN with any potential being right at the start of the period. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...NONE. MI...NONE. OH...NONE. LM...Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM EDT this evening for LMZ043-046. && SYNOPSIS...Roller SHORT TERM...Roller LONG TERM...Roller AVIATION...Fisher Visit us at www.weather.gov/iwx 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 517 AM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 INZ003-012-013-020-MIZ077-140930- La Porte-Starke-Pulaski-White-Berrien- 517 AM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 /417 AM CDT Fri Sep 13 2019/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are expected later this morning through early afternoon. A few storms may produce gusty winds to 40 mph and brief heavy rain. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. An isolated thunderstorm is possible Saturday night into Sunday across far northwest Indiana and southwest Lower Michigan. Severe weather is not expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. INZ004>006-008-014>017-022>027-032>034-MIZ078-079-140930- St. Joseph IN-Elkhart-Lagrange-Noble-Marshall-Fulton IN-Kosciusko- Whitley-Cass IN-Miami-Wabash-Huntington-Wells-Adams-Grant-Blackford- Jay-Cass MI-St. Joseph MI- 517 AM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are expected from late this morning through the mid to late afternoon. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible with isolated damaging winds and brief heavy rainfall as the main threats. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon. INZ007-009-018-MIZ080-081-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025-140930- Steuben-De Kalb-Allen IN-Branch-Hillsdale-Williams-Fulton OH- Defiance-Henry-Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH- 517 AM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana, southwest Michigan and northwest Ohio. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are expected this afternoon into early evening. Some of the storms this afternoon into early evening could be strong to severe with the primary threats of isolated to scattered damaging wind gusts and brief heavy rain. Isolated large hail is also possible, but appears to be a secondary threat. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon. LMZ043-046-140930- New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI- 517 AM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for The Nearshore Waters of Southeastern Lake Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Scattered thunderstorms are expected this morning. There is a potential that a few of the storms may produce wind gusts in excess 30 knots and pose locally hazardous conditions for small craft. Hazardous conditions for small craft are expected this afternoon into this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. An isolated thunderstorm is possible late Saturday night into Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
1205 PM EDT FRI SEP 13 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0438 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 WSW NORTH MANCHESTER 41.00N 85.80W
09/12/2019 WABASH IN PUBLIC
PHOTOS SUBMITTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA OF TREE
SNAPPED AT BASE AND CORN BLOW DOWN ON STATE
ROAD 114 WEST OF NORTH MANCHESTER. TIME
ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
&&
CMSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
305 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019
INZ018-131930-
Allen-
305 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ALLEN COUNTY...
At 304 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located 7 miles southwest of
Fort Wayne, moving northeast at 40 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Fort Wayne, New Haven, Aboite, Leo-cedarville, Zanesville, Nine Mile,
Yoder, Tillman, Rolling Hills, Hessen Cassel, Zulu and Maples.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 469 between mile markers 0 and 30.
Interstate 69 in Indiana between mile markers 294 and 306, and
between mile markers 311 and 316.
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for
northeastern Indiana.
LAT...LON 4094 8534 4100 8533 4123 8505 4103 8485
4092 8516 4092 8533
TIME...MOT...LOC 1904Z 239DEG 35KT 4100 8523
HAIL...0.50IN
WIND...50MPH
BrownSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
307 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019
INZ009-018-OHZ001-004-131930-
Allen-De Kalb-Defiance-Williams-
307 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN ALLEN...
SOUTHEASTERN DE KALB...NORTHWESTERN DEFIANCE AND SOUTHWESTERN
WILLIAMS COUNTIES...
At 306 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Grabill, or 10
miles north of New Haven, moving northeast at 45 mph.
Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Bryan, Hicksville, Edgerton, Grabill, St. Joe, Edgerton In Williams
County, Leo-cedarville, Concord, Farmer, Newville, Ney, Williams
Center, Harlan, Melbern, Spencerville In Dekalb County, Cuba, Saint
Joe and Mark Center.
This includes Interstate 69 in Indiana near mile marker 320.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 4125 8472 4125 8480 4123 8480 4116 8501
4124 8510 4156 8464 4134 8444
TIME...MOT...LOC 1906Z 234DEG 39KT 4122 8501
HAIL...0.50IN
WIND...50MPH
FISHERSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
330 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019
INZ009-OHZ001-004-132000-
De Kalb-Defiance-Williams-
330 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN DE KALB...
NORTHWESTERN DEFIANCE AND WESTERN WILLIAMS COUNTIES...
At 327 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Butler, moving
northeast at 40 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail are possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Montpelier including the Williams County Fair, Butler, Edgerton,
Edon, Holiday City, West Jefferson, Newville, Blakeslee, Artic,
Hallock and Melbern.
This includes Interstate 80 in Ohio between mile markers 4 and 13.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 4157 8447 4131 8486 4135 8495 4153 8482
4153 8481 4155 8481 4169 8470
TIME...MOT...LOC 1927Z 221DEG 36KT 4140 8483
HAIL...0.25IN
WIND...40MPH
FISHERSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Northern Indiana 344 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 OHZ002-005-132015- Henry-Fulton- 344 PM EDT Fri Sep 13 2019 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHEASTERN HENRY AND SOUTHEASTERN FULTON COUNTIES... At 344 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Napoleon, moving northeast at 50 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Napoleon, Wauseon, Swanton, Delta, Liberty Center, Colton, Brailey and Gerald. This includes Interstate 80 in Ohio between mile markers 43 and 48. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 4139 8417 4149 8423 4165 8388 4144 8388 TIME...MOT...LOC 1944Z 246DEG 42KT 4147 8410 HAIL...0.25IN WIND...40MPH FISHER
The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:45 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency management officials reported a empty grain silo was tossed near the intersection of State Route 15 and Mulligans Bluff road.
A trained spotter reported a few power poles were leaning on State Route 49, north of Payne.
Emergency management officials reported a 30 foot by 70 foot wooden barn was destroyed on State Route 118 south of Ohio City.
Emergency management officials reported 10 to 12 inch diameter tree limbs down.
Large tree limbs were blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, September 2019
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: 852140, 852141, 852142, 852143, 852144.