A group of four to five people were in the water at Washington Park Beach, an estimated few hundred feet offshore between the first and second sandbars. Two of the swimmers were rescued by lifeguards after getting pulled into deeper water by a rip current.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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.
A group of four to five people were in the water at Washington Park Beach, an estimated few hundred feet offshore between the first and second sandbars. Two of the swimmers were rescued by lifeguards after getting pulled into deeper water by a rip current. The two people were in waist deep water when they were pulled further out by the current into water over their heads. Waves at the time were 2-3 ft and flags were yellow.
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, 11:24 AM CST, 31 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Northern Indiana 124 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Rain showers and thunderstorms are expected today, with two potential rounds of stronger storms possible along and south of US 30. The first round from 9-2 am EDT, the second 2-8 pm EDT. Primary threats will be heavy rain, lightning, localized flooding, and gusty winds up to around 50 mph (most likely in the afternoon). Confidence in stronger storms occurring is low. Chances for showers and storms linger into Monday morning. - There is a Moderate Swim Risk for the southeastern Lake Michigan beaches in La Porte and southern Berrien County for today. - Hot and humid conditions remain on track for Wednesday and Thursday with heat indices near or above 100 degrees. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 345 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025 While signals are strong in the models for at least 2 complexes of storms over the next 24 to 36 hours along and north of a quasi-stationary boundary, finer mesoscale details remain problematic with regards to the track of these systems and impacts. Our first complex is rapidly expanding across SE Iowa into west central IL. HRRR has been fairly consistent on the expansion of this area as it tracks east. While fairly high confidence exists on it moving into eastern IL, the 850-300 mb flow and location of the theta-e gradient suggest at some point the strongest portion of the complex will begin an SE turn in the 12-15Z window. Have made some minor timing/pop changes through 18Z to account for a slightly more northward trend on the likely pops while trimming the northern extent of any pops as you head into MI. Was tempted to increase to categorical along and south of US-24 where greatest chance for showers/storms exists, but given noted concerns held with likely. Main concern will heavy rain as a very soupy atmosphere will be in place with a swath of 0.5-1" of rain is likely on the US-24 corridor with higher amounts in some locations. Neighbors to the south have hoisted Flood Watches given recent rainfall and higher likihood of even heavier rain amounts. For us, the heaviest rain the past 24 hours fell well north of the anticipated storm track today. In addition, the complex should remain progressive. Confidence decreases this afternoon and into tonight as final track of this complex will greatly determine what, if any, additional convection chances exist. 06Z HRRR seems to paint a very plausible scenario with little/no storms in our southern area from mid afternoon into early Monday in the post MCS subsidence area. Confidence was not high enough in this setup to remove the likely pops through early Monday, so have left them alone with the day shift in a better position to see how the trends look. Upper level ridging will begin to increase late Monday into mid week, finally ending the train of convective systems, but also ushering in a return to hot and humid conditions. No changes made to later periods as signals remaining consistent on Wednesday and Thursday being the warmest days (highs near or above 90) and heat indices near or above 100 degrees (highest Thursday). By next weekend, the heat dome will likely have shifted east enough to end the heat impacts and also begin to allow at lease some chances for showers and storms to return. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/... Issued at 119 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025 A slow moving frontal boundary is currently just north of the US 30 corridor. North of the front, winds have already shifted from the west to the north at KSBN. Expect a similar wind shift to occur this evening at KFWA once the front makes it through (between 21Z to 00Z tonight). Scattered light to moderate rain continues to push through the area, with potential for some redevelopment later today mainly south of US 24. Have kept in a TEMPO group for thunder at KFWA for a few hours this evening in case scattered storms do develop. Ceilings should remain on the low end of VFR, down to MVFR in any storms. Otherwise, expect light winds this evening and into the overnight from the north. With a drier airmass advecting in from the north, lingering moisture near the ground and clearing skies overnight could lead to some radiation fog developing by early Monday morning. Much like this morning, fog will likely be patchy. During the day Monday, dry and pleasant weather is expected. && .IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...None. OH...None. MI...None. MARINE...None. && UPDATE...Fisher DISCUSSION...Fisher AVIATION...Johnson
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Northern Indiana 1204 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025 INZ005>009-012>015-017-018-020-022>027-032>034-104-116-203-204-216- LMZ043-046-MIZ078>081-177-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025-211615- Elkhart-Lagrange-Steuben-Noble-De Kalb-Starke-Pulaski-Marshall- Fulton IN-Whitley-Allen IN-White-Cass IN-Miami-Wabash-Huntington- Wells-Adams-Grant-Blackford-Jay-Eastern St. Joseph IN- Northern Kosciusko-Southern La Porte-Western St. Joseph IN- Southern Kosciusko-New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI- Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI-Cass MI-St. Joseph MI-Branch- Hillsdale-Northern Berrien-Williams-Fulton OH-Defiance-Henry- Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH- 1204 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025 /1104 AM CDT Sun Jul 20 2025/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana, southwest Michigan, northwest Ohio and 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...Monday through Saturday. Heat indices in excess of 100 degrees are forecast Wednesday through Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. INZ103-MIZ277-211615- Northern La Porte-Southern Berrien- 1204 PM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025 /1104 AM CDT Sun Jul 20 2025/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. There is a Moderate Swim Risk for the southeastern Lake Michigan beaches in La Porte and southern Berrien County for today. Dangerous swimming conditions are expected due to breaking waves and currents. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Heat indices in excess of 100 degrees are forecast Wednesday through Friday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
934 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025
INZ020-201415-
White IN-
934 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN WHITE COUNTY
THROUGH 1015 AM EDT...
At 933 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Oxford, or near Otterbein, moving southeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Brookston and Badger Grove.
This includes Interstate 65 between mile markers 185 and 192.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
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 4061 8677 4057 8677 4056 8693 4056 8709
4057 8710 4067 8710
TIME...MOT...LOC 1333Z 301DEG 33KT 4053 8722
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MCDSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
1023 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025
INZ032-201515-
Grant IN-
1023 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN GRANT COUNTY THROUGH
1115 AM EDT...
At 1022 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Swayzee, or 9 miles southwest of Marion, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Marion, Gas City, Upland, Fairmount, Jonesboro, Sweetser, Swayzee,
Matthews, Sims, Fowlerton, Home Corner, Michaelsville, Normal, Mier,
Herbst, Hackleman, Point Isabel, Radley, and Roseburg.
This includes Interstate 69 in Indiana between mile markers 252 and
261.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
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 4054 8586 4059 8583 4049 8545 4039 8544
4038 8545 4038 8586
TIME...MOT...LOC 1422Z 291DEG 26KT 4048 8582
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MCDSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
1048 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025
INZ032>034-201515-
Jay IN-Blackford IN-Grant IN-
1048 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN GRANT...BLACKFORD
AND SOUTHWESTERN JAY COUNTIES THROUGH 1115 AM EDT...
At 1048 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Hartford City, moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Hartford City, Dunkirk, Redkey, Shamrock Lakes, Trenton, and Mill
Grove.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
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 4038 8522 4038 8548 4051 8547 4048 8511
4031 8516 4031 8522
TIME...MOT...LOC 1448Z 286DEG 36KT 4042 8542
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MCDSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
1109 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025
INZ034-201600-
Jay IN-
1109 AM EDT Sun Jul 20 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN JAY COUNTY THROUGH NOON
EDT...
At 1109 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Redkey, or near Dunkirk, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Portland, Dunkirk, Redkey, Center, Salamonia, Brice, Como,
Bellfountain, College Corner, Boundary City, Liber, Blaine, Collett,
Bluff Point, Powers, and New Mount Pleasant.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
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 4038 8522 4038 8521 4044 8521 4047 8520
4045 8480 4031 8481 4031 8522
TIME...MOT...LOC 1509Z 278DEG 27KT 4038 8514
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
MCDThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 rip current. Local standard time, as filed.
Two people were rescued by lifeguards from a rip current at Washington Park Beach. Incident was captured on the Access LaPorte County Beach webcam.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, July 2025
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: 1283134.