Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, July 20, 2023

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, July 20, 2023
Start: 2023-07-20T14:04
End: 2023-07-20T17:04
Location: Indiana

July 20, 2023 · NWS IWX · 33 events in 5 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $73,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 33

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.

On the morning of July 20th, a warm front moved north through the forecast area, followed by a cold front in the late afternoon. Scattered supercells developed ahead of the cold front near the Indiana-Michigan Stateline. These thunderstorms dropped large hail (up to 2.5 in diameter) between South Bend, IN and Elkhart, IN. As the storms organized and moved southeastward, they produced a widespread swath of wind damage (including numerous downed, uprooted, or snapped trees) in Fort Wayne, IN and into Van Wert, OH.

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 Jul 20, 12:38 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 12:38 PM EST, 1 hour 26 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 3:49 AM EST, 10 hours 15 minutes before

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The radar

The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 56 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:06 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 hail, 13 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:04 PM EST to 2:05 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, 1.48 mi SSE of Maple Lane
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.680, -86.220

Golf ball size hail reported at the intersection of Ironwood and Mckinley.

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:05 PM EST to 2:06 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, 1.24 mi NE of South Bend
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.680, -86.230

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:10 PM EST to 2:11 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, Mishawaka
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.670, -86.170

Hail reported ranging from quarters to golf balls.

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:11 PM EST to 2:12 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, 1.24 mi NW of South Bend
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.680, -86.270

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:14 PM EST to 2:15 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, 1.24 mi NE of South Bend
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.680, -86.230

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:15 PM EST to 2:16 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, Mishawaka
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.670, -86.170

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:18 PM EST to 2:19 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, Mishawaka
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.670, -86.170

A two inch hail stone was measured near Marion High School.

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:20 PM EST to 2:21 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, 0.52 mi W of Glenwood
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.670, -86.080

Hail, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:30 PM EST to 2:31 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 0.69 mi N of Jamestown
Measured: 2 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.640, -86.020

Hail, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:30 PM EST to 2:31 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 0.69 mi N of Elkhart
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.690, -85.970

Hail, St. Joseph

When: July 20, 2:30 PM EST to 2:31 PM EST
Where: St. Joseph County, Mishawaka
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.670, -86.170

Photo on Facebook shows several 2 inch hailstones.

Hail, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:32 PM EST to 2:33 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 2.18 mi WSW of Elkhart
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.670, -86.010

Hail, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:38 PM EST to 2:39 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 0.86 mi NE of Elkhart Midway Arpt
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.630, -85.910

Thunderstorm Wind, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:45 PM EST to 2:46 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 0.52 mi W of Goshen
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.580, -85.840

A tree was down on south 7th street.

Thunderstorm Wind, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:45 PM EST to 2:46 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 0.69 mi N of Millersburg
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.530, -85.700

A barn roof sustained wind damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:46 PM EST to 2:47 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 1.55 mi W of Goshen
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $9,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.580, -85.860

Photo on Twitter shows a very large tree down on power lines and a downed power pole.

Hail, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:48 PM EST to 2:49 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 0.52 mi W of Goshen
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.580, -85.840

Hail, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:50 PM EST to 2:51 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 0.69 mi S of Dunlap
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.640, -85.920

Hail, Elkhart

When: July 20, 2:52 PM EST to 2:53 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 1.55 mi E of Goshen
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.580, -85.800

Hail, Elkhart

When: July 20, 3:12 PM EST to 3:13 PM EST
Where: Elkhart County, 0.69 mi N of Millersburg
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.530, -85.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Noble

When: July 20, 3:18 PM EST to 3:19 PM EST
Where: Noble County, 1.24 mi WSW of Ligonier
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.460, -85.600

Tree down in Ligonier.

Hail, Noble

When: July 20, 3:20 PM EST to 3:21 PM EST
Where: Noble County, 1.24 mi WSW of Ligonier
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.460, -85.600

Hail, Kosciusko

When: July 20, 3:21 PM EST to 3:22 PM EST
Where: Kosciusko County, 0.86 mi NE of Oswego
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 41.330, -85.770

Hail, Kosciusko

When: July 20, 3:30 PM EST to 3:31 PM EST
Where: Kosciusko County, 2.76 mi N of North Webster
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 41.360, -85.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Noble

When: July 20, 3:33 PM EST to 3:34 PM EST
Where: Noble County, 0.69 mi N of Albion
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 41.410, -85.420

A 12 inch diameter was down on SR 9.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: July 20, 3:48 PM EST to 3:49 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 2.59 mi NE of Huntertown
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 41.260, -85.140

Tree down on Coldwater road. Additional trees down in this area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: July 20, 4:22 PM EST to 4:23 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 2.07 mi N of Harlan
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 41.230, -84.920

Power lines are down on Springfield Center Road near Boger Road.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: July 20, 4:37 PM EST to 4:38 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 0.52 mi E of Waynedale
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 41.020, -85.170

Many trees were uprooted or downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: July 20, 4:45 PM EST to 4:46 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 2.6 mi NW of Hoagland
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 40.980, -85.030

Two 8 inch diameter trees were down along with one 16 inch diameter tree.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: July 20, 4:47 PM EST to 4:48 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 0.52 mi E of Hoagland
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Storm Chaser
Coordinates: 40.950, -84.990

Livestream show several large trees down in this area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: July 20, 4:47 PM EST to 4:48 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 1.48 mi NNW of Hoagland
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 40.970, -85.010

A two foot diameter tree was broken at the base.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: July 20, 4:49 PM EST to 4:50 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 0.69 mi S of Hugo
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 41.040, -85.180

Large tree down in Sycamore Hills neighborhood.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allen

When: July 20, 5:03 PM EST to 5:04 PM EST
Where: Allen County, 2.09 mi SW of Westlawn
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 41.060, -85.280

Six inch diameter tree limbs were down on Covington and Scott roads.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Indiana in 2023 Every state in 2023 This day in weather history Warnings in Indiana, July 2023

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: 1114737, 1114738, 1114739, 1114740, 1114741, 1114742, 1114743, 1114744, 1114745, 1114746, 1114747, 1114748, 1114749, 1119672, 1119682, 1119670, 1114750, 1114751, 1114752, 1114753, 1119675, 1114754, 1114756, 1114755, 1119671, 1119674, 1119673, 1119679, 1119681, 1119676, 1119680, 1119677, 1119678.