Rain changed to snow on the afternoon of April 20th and continued into the evening before shifting off to the east late evening and overnight. Storm total accumulations ranged from 2 to 5 inches across northeast Indiana, south central Lower Michigan, and northwest Ohio.
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.
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.
Rain changed to snow on the afternoon of April 20th and continued into the evening before shifting off to the east late evening and overnight. Storm total accumulations ranged from 2 to 5 inches across northeast Indiana, south central Lower Michigan, and northwest Ohio. Several slide-offs were reported along with some instances or large tree branches downed due to the weight of the snow.
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 Apr 20, 12:21 PM EST, 2 hours 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
121 PM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021
.SYNOPSIS...
Issued at 120 PM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021
A band of snow will pivot east through the area this afternoon
through early Wednesday morning. Rain will mix in to start this
afternoon along and south of US 24. Snowfall totals of 2 to 5
inches will be possible along and east of Interstate 69, with
lesser amounts west. Temperatures well down into the 20s are
expected tonight and Wednesday night which may cause significant
damage to unprotected crops and other plants. Dry and trending
warmer then into Thursday and Friday.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(Today through Wednesday Night)
Issued at 358 AM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021
A strong cold front had moved well south of the forecast area with
a secondary front moving south across far southern Lower Michigan
into northern Illinois. Temperatures were holding near 37 over
most areas as bands of rain assisted by upper level jet dynamics
continued over the area. Colder air will continue to spread south
and will change the rain over to snow, especially starting this
afternoon from northwest to southeast as diabatic cooling
increases. Surface temperatures in the heavier bands were only 34
at Warsaw and Rochester (sensor 2 degree warm bias). Dual pol
radar CC values indicated snow was likely mixed at these sites but
not being reported. Favorable upper level support will continue
as a wave develops along the front to the south. Overall, models
have come into better agreement with the handling of the low and
associated precipitation. Profiles starting this afternoon should
be cold enough to support all snow. Isentropic lift per 295K
surface indicated a snow burst for late today/early tonight.
Travel issues are likely as surface temperatures fall below
freezing. After coordination with surrounding offices, have issued
a winter weather advisory for areas main near and east of
Interstate 69 where 2 to 5 inches of snow is expected. In addition
to the snow, have continued the freeze warning as temperatures
tonight and Wednesday night fall to near 25.
&&
.LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday)
Issued at 358 AM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021
Temperatures will recover to near normal Friday, and then above
normal by early next week. There is a chance for showers with a
fast moving system early this weekend; otherwise, should be dry.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Wednesday Afternoon)
Issued at 120 PM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021
Snow with LIFR/IFR visibilities at KSBN should gradually improve
with time this afternoon as the main frontogenetic circulation
and pivot point set up just south and east of the terminal by
this evening. This feature does settle in at KFWA through this
evening with a rain/snow mix transitioning to all snow late
afternoon through early Wednesday AM. Times of LIFR visibilities
and several inches of slushy snow accumulation appear likely at
KFWA during this time. VFR/dry otherwise later tonight into
Wednesday morning at each terminal.
&&
.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EDT
Wednesday for INZ007>009-017-018-024>027-032>034.
Freeze Warning from 10 PM EDT /9 PM CDT/ this evening to 8 AM
EDT /7 AM CDT/ Thursday for INZ003>009-012>018-020-022>027-
032>034.
MI...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EDT
Wednesday for MIZ081.
Freeze Warning from 10 PM this evening to 8 AM EDT Thursday for
MIZ077>081.
OH...Winter Weather Advisory from 7 PM this evening to 7 AM EDT
Wednesday for OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025.
Freeze Warning from 10 PM this evening to 8 AM EDT Thursday for
OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025.
LM...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...Steinwedel
SHORT TERM...Skipper
LONG TERM...Skipper
AVIATION...Steinwedel
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www.youtube.com/NWSNorthernIndianaHazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Northern Indiana 354 PM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021 INZ003>006-012>016-020-022-023-MIZ077>080-212000- La Porte-St. Joseph IN-Elkhart-Lagrange-Starke-Pulaski-Marshall- Fulton IN-Kosciusko-White-Cass IN-Miami-Berrien-Cass MI- St. Joseph MI-Branch- 354 PM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021 /254 PM CDT Tue Apr 20 2021/ ...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EDT /9 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT /7 AM CDT/ THURSDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Freeze Warning. In addition to the freeze warning, snow will taper off from northwest to southeast this evening. Accumulations will be light and mainly on grassy and elevated surfaces. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Freeze Warning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. INZ007>009-017-018-024>027-032>034-MIZ081-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016- 024-025-212000- Steuben-Noble-De Kalb-Whitley-Allen IN-Wabash-Huntington-Wells-Adams- Grant-Blackford-Jay-Hillsdale-Williams-Fulton OH-Defiance-Henry- Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH- 354 PM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... ...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 8 AM EDT THURSDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana, southwest Michigan and northwest Ohio. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Winter Weather Advisory. Freeze Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Winter Weather Advisory. Freeze Warning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. LMZ043-046-212000- New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI- 354 PM EDT Tue Apr 20 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the nearshore waters of southeastern Lake Michigan. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 4 inches across the county. |Numerous slide-offs were reported across the region with some instances of large trees downed due to the weight of the snow.
Storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 3 to 5 inches across the county with localized amounts between 5 and 6 inches. Numerous slide-offs were reported across the region with some instances of large trees downed due to the weight of the snow.
Storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 5 inches across the county. |Numerous slide-offs were reported across the region with some instances of large trees downed due to the weight of the snow.
Storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 5 inches across the county. |Numerous slide-offs were reported across the region with some instances of large trees downed due to the weight of the snow.
Storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 5 inches across the county. |Numerous slide-offs were reported across the region with some instances of large trees downed due to the weight of the snow.
Storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 5 inches across the county. |Numerous slide-offs were reported across the region with some instances of large trees downed due to the weight of the snow.
Storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 5 inches across the county. |Numerous slide-offs were reported across the region with some instances of large trees downed due to the weight of the snow.
Storm total snowfall accumulations ranged from 2 to 5 inches across the county. |Numerous slide-offs were reported across the region with some instances of large trees downed due to the weight of the snow.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, April 2021
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: 946795, 946796, 946798, 946799, 946800, 946801, 946802, 946803.