A cold front pushed into the area during the afternoon and evening hours, interacting with decent shear and MLCAPE to allow for numerous thunderstorm development. Pockets of damaging winds occurred along with a total of six confirmed tornadoes (three in far southern Lower Michigan and three in northern Indiana).
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 cold front pushed into the area during the afternoon and evening hours, interacting with decent shear and MLCAPE to allow for numerous thunderstorm development. Pockets of damaging winds occurred along with a total of six confirmed tornadoes (three in far southern Lower Michigan and three in northern Indiana).
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 Mar 30, 12:46 PM EST, 2 hours 14 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
146 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- The potential of strong to severe thunderstorms remains for
this afternoon through this evening. The time period of
concern remains from 2 pm EDT this afternoon to 11 pm EDT
tonight. All severe weather hazards are possible including
damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes. The
greatest threat of large hail is expected to be earlier in the
time period of concern across northwest Indiana.
- Brief shot of cooler temperatures Monday into Tuesday.
- Another chance for strong to severe thunderstorms exists on
Wednesday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 146 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025
An area of low pressure moves through the Great Lakes today in
conjunction with a vort max moving northeast into Central Canada. As
it does so, it pushes a 40 kt jet through the region out in front of
a cold front, modeled to push through the area by around 6z. The
best shear is forecast to reach our west between 18z and 21z this
afternoon. Initial boundary-perpendicular oriented shear is expected
to become more parallel as it shifts eastward allowing initial
cellular type to become more linear and for a hail/tornado threat to
become more of a wind/embedded tornado threat. Of note is the
effective helicity values struggling to reach 200 m2/s2 until it
reaches NW OH around 00z. Instability was considered the main
limiting factor heading into the event and scattering of clouds over
IL was a positive sign as well as the better low level lapse rates
modeled on the 12z NAM. Still looks to somewhat of a squeeze play to
try to and get the mid level lapse rates in here to help with DCAPE
and to get better hail sizes, especially if the ML Lapse rates are
going to be unmixed. Morning low cloudiness will also help keep LCLs
less than 1000m to help any embedded tornado threat. Any flooding
threat would appear to need training and the antecedent conditions
of receiving 1 to 3 inches in the Noble/DeKalb counties area as well
as urban conditions to really become much of a factor. Although
ponding could be a factor if it rains at a fast rate. There are 6
rivers in action stage as of this morning.
As the main area of low pressure moves into eastern Canada, the cold
front that caused the showers and storms across the Lower Great
Lakes and Ohio Valley this evening pushes southeast. CAA took place
overnight and 850 mb temps dropped below zero and dew points dropped
from the muggy 60s back into the drier 30s. This will allow for a
cooler day across the area for Monday as highs are back in the 40s
as opposed to the 60s and 70s we've seen the last few days. High
pressure pushes by to the north and mid level ridging pushes through
between Monday and Tuesday allowing some quieter clean up time.
Tuesday will be slightly warmer by a few degrees with some 50 degree
highs as warm advection ensues late afternoon with winds gaining a
southerly wind component.
Between Monday night and Tuesday, a low pressure system forms east
of the Rockies and ejects northeastward toward the western Great
Lakes Tuesday night and Wednesday. With warm advection continuing
Tuesday night, a warm front is pushed northward, but is expected to
move through by the early afternoon setting up the area in the warm
sector for thunderstorms Wednesday. Of course, one issue with this
is that convection may get in here after midnight and before sunrise
and we'll see what that does to the eventual placement of the front.
A 40 kt low level jet was modeled for storms on Sunday, but an even
stronger 45 to 55 kt low level jet is being modeled for storms on
Wednesday. Dew points reattain 60 degrees and highs reach 70 degrees
especially south of US-6. It looks like there may be some
instability available, as long as that warm front is able to move
north through the area and this event occurs around peak heating. As
long as that's the case and with the shear and helicity values being
modeled, this could be a potent severe weather event with all
hazards on the table. Gusty synoptic winds outside of storms will
also be possible. Flooding could be a hazard with this event given
antecedent conditions of recent rainfall, but we'll need to see how
the basins fair and how much runoff can occur to bring rivers back
into action stage or below. Storm motions may be quick through the
area, but training of storms may become an issue with a tendency for
the front to slow down.
Between Thursday and the weekend, the front looks to stall just to
our south and east as a wave of low pressure develops along it and
rides northward. Rain looks to move back into the area Thursday,
especially south of US-24. Then, uncertainty arises as there could
be more showers that continue along a stalled boundary in the same
area into the weekend or the front may be able to push through
Friday.
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 1229 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025
MVFR with breezy southerly flow and a few showers in the
vicinity pre-frontal to start. Cold front and line(s) of
convection are then on target to roll through KSBN around 21z
and KFWA ~22z this afternoon. Any local surges in these lines
could bring a brief period of strong to potentially severe winds
to the terminals. The other severe hazards also cannot be ruled
out. Quickly dry out and potentially becoming VFR post-frontal
then into this evening before MVFR cigs wrap back in overnight
into Monday morning.
&&
.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...None.
OH...None.
MI...None.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 11 PM this evening to 5 AM EDT
Tuesday for LMZ043-046.
&&
DISCUSSION...Roller
AVIATION...SteinwedelHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Northern Indiana 250 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025 INZ005>009-012>015-017-018-020-022>027-032>034-103-104-116-203-204- 216-MIZ078>080-177-277-311900- 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-Northern La Porte- Eastern St. Joseph IN-Northern Kosciusko-Southern La Porte- Western St. Joseph IN-Southern Kosciusko-Cass MI-St. Joseph MI- Branch-Northern Berrien-Southern Berrien- 250 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025 /150 PM CDT Sun Mar 30 2025/ ...TORNADO WATCH 71 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING... 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. Tornado Watch. All modes of severe weather will be possible with a line of thunderstorms late this afternoon into early this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. There is another chance of thunderstorms Wednesday and Wednesday night. Early indications suggest at least the potential of severe weather Wednesday with all modes of severe hazards once again possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will be needed. MIZ081-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025-311900- Hillsdale-Williams-Fulton OH-Defiance-Henry-Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert- Allen OH- 250 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Michigan and northwest Ohio. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. There is an Enhanced Risk of severe storms late this afternoon into early this evening. All modes of severe weather are possible including wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, large hail in excess of 1 inch diameter, and isolated tornadoes. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. There is another chance of thunderstorms Wednesday and Wednesday night. Early indications suggest at least the potential of severe weather Wednesday with all modes of severe hazards once again possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will be needed. LMZ043-046-311900- New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI- 250 PM EDT Sun Mar 30 2025 ...TORNADO WATCH 71 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 AM EDT TUESDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the nearshore waters of southeastern Lake 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. Tornado Watch. Small Craft Advisory. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Small Craft Advisory. Hazardous conditions for small craft will continue through Monday night, and are expected again from Tuesday night through Wednesday night. There is another chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday.
The Northern Indiana radar (KIWX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:00 UTC.
69 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado, 2 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Large tree snapped in half about 10 feet up. Also, three 12-foot diameter trees snapped at the base.
Power lines down across Highway 421.
Report of power lines down across 421.
Several trees down on S Walnut street between Garden St and E Weninger. The alleyway west of there has trees damaged as well. Powerlines down too.
Large sections of roof material blown off St. Peter Lutheran Church.
Emergency manager reports downed power lines.
Tree down onto a house on Ridgeview Way. Tree size and health is unknown.
Tree down on Holland and Water Street.
Multiple trees are down on US 35.
Trees down on US 24 north of Georgetown.
Numerous reports of tree damage and reports of structural damage in Cass County. Siding blown off and damage to a barn roof are some examples.
Trees down across the road and large limbs down.
Report from the 400 block of Laurel Drive has trees on top of houses.
Several trees are down in La Porte.
Numerous reports of damage including trees down and a roof blown off. Metal siding is hanging from power lines in one video. Damage to a silo as well. Power is out.
Trees down in Michigan City with estimated wind gusts of 60 mph. Power is out.
Barn roof blew off, blocking SR 4 and SR 104.
Tornado developed 2 miles southwest of Ancilla College and quickly intensified to EF1 intensity as it raced northeastward. The tornado caused extensive tree and generally minor structural damage across the Ancilla College campus and Gilbert lake. Here the tornado widened to 750 yards before contracting down as it continued northeast. A mobile home was torn from its anchored undercarriage and overturned, injuring one inside. Several homes sustained generally minor siding and roof damage. Two barns just northeast of Ancilla college were flattened. Strong inflow winds were noted at many locations just east/southeast of the tornado track.
Numerous reports of trees and powerlines down across the county.
Numerous trees and powerlines down across the Fish Lake area. Debris on roads, some trees in houses. There are several trees that were snapped at the base or midway up. One power pole was snapped.
Two power poles down near the intersection of SR 10 and SR 17.
Trees down and a wind gust of 58 mph was recorded.
A 5 foot radio tower was blown down at the Fulton Co EMA building. Duration of high winds was about 10 minutes.
Large portion of a metal outbuilding roof and wall toppled into the street.
Semi blown over on US 31 north of Peru.
Numerous reports of tree damage around the county. Tree was reported down on a home at Pretty View Condos.
Report of trees down over the road.
Large tree limbs of varying health down. At least one large limb down onto a house.
Major tree damage and some structural damage on S Beech Road between SR 10 and 14B Road. Siding is in the trees and on the road. There is a narrow path of downed trees through a patch of forest.
Report of a power pole snapped.
Trees down and large branches down near US 31 and New Road.
Private weather station near the St. Joe County Fairgrounds.
Wind gust reported from a personal weather station. Tree limbs down.
A 25 foot tall tree was downed. A stacked stone wall was impacted as well.
Numerous reports of limbs, trees, and powerlines down around Kosciusko county. There was a tree down on a vehicle near Epworth Forest.
Large pine tree uprooted and down onto a small residential structure.
Trees down, large limbs and branches down.
Metal hog barn roof torn off and thrown throughout two fields.
Drone footage of eight power poles snapped or bent at the base on Harrison Rd between Beacon Dr and Cedar Wood Ln.
Semi trailers blown over at SR 13 at 500 South.
Numerous reports of trees down and branches down in an area from Mishawaka High School to Granger. Some instances of property damage, including shingles blown off a church.
Numerous tree damage reports from Mishawaka. There is roof damage and significant shingle loss from a building at Smith and 8th. There are trees down blocking EB Mishawaka and Liberty Rd.
Trees down with debris in the roadway around Granger. One location was Brick and Wayland. The second location was Brick and Current St.
There were 30 homes with trees down on them around the city of Elkhart.
Multiple irrigation systems rolled and mangled.
Estimated 70 mph wind gusts at the corner of Wolf St and Frances Ave. Uprooted trees and broken branches in the area.
Tree down on parked vehicle and lines down near Epworth Forest.
Various large branches down and one tree uprooted on the southeast side of Elkhart.
Barn blown over near the intersection of CR 33 and CR 34.
Tree down in South Whitley and 1/4 inch hail.
Report that several shingles were blown off a roof.
Report that a barn was blown over.
Report from mPING of 0.75 inch hail.
Numerous reports of trees and power lines down in and around Whitley County.
Report that a truck and trailer overturned.
Photo received of a tree down and some siding removed from a house.
One fatality when thunderstorm winds blew over an Amish Buggy at the intersection of SR 13 and CR 43.
Siding and roof damage at the Noble County highway department.
Nickle to quarter-sized hail for about 4 minutes. Estimated 40 to 50 mph wind gusts.
Several trees down on S Walnut St between Garden St and East Weninger. Powerlines and a pine tree down at St. Cyril and Methodist Church.
A mobile home was removed from its foundation.
Lost the roof on two barns and one outbuilding was destroyed. Fuel tanks were blown a long distance. Some telephone poles were snapped.
Structural damage to a barn at 2450 E 475 S. Roof and siding blown off and strewn across the road and field. Large limbs also down.
Several large trees uprooted. Moderate shingle damage.
A tornado embedded in a line of severe thunderstorms touched down near the corner of 400 S and 600 E in LaOtto, snapping several large trees. The tornado hit a large barn, pealing the roof off and causing a partial collapse of the trusses. The debris was scattered up to 1/4mi away in a 45deg arch to the east and north. A very old barn just to its north also collapsed. To the northeast, further tree damage occurred. The tornado reached maximum strength of EF-1 when it destroyed the northern half of a pole barn, leading to collapsed walls and damage to vehicles. The tornado continued through an open field before causing additional tree damage along 700 E, before dissipating.
Tornado developed 2 miles southwest of Ancilla College and quickly intensified to EF1 intensity as it raced northeastward. The tornado caused extensive tree and generally minor structural damage across the Ancilla College campus and Gilbert lake. Here the tornado widened to 750 yards before contracting down as it continued northeast. A mobile home was torn from its anchored undercarriage and overturned, injuring one inside. Several homes sustained generally minor siding and roof damage. Two barns just northeast of Ancilla college were flattened. Strong inflow winds were noted at many locations just east/southeast of the tornado track.
Power poles and trees are down.
Damage to a house as well as three sheds and a fence.
An NWS damage survey confirmed a brief QLCS tornado embedded within a broad swath of damaging straight line winds in southwestern Steuben County, Indiana, on March 30th, 2025. The tornado likely originated in a field just north of Little Turkey Lake around 5:28 PM, before racing to the northeast. Several trees outbuildings were damaged to the northeast of Little Turkey Lake, most notably including a collapsed metal barn. Despite very limited ground evidence due to primarily open fields to the northeast, the tornado likely continued in a non continuous path over the next several minutes. A 50 to 100 yard swath of trees were snapped or uprooted on the southwest side of Long Lake, just west of W 500 S. The tornado then crossed Long Lake, before uprooting and snapping several trees and damaging homes along W Long Lake Road. No injuries were reported. Notable tree damage was observed in the boy scout camp just to the north. Aerial drone footage confirmed a convergent pattern to the downed trees, thus indicating the presence of a tornadic circulation along the damage path. Damage was consistent with a high end EF-0 to low end EF-1 tornado with maximum winds near 90 MPH. The tornado is believed to have ended shortly after, around 5:35 PM. In addition to the tornado, numerous trees and power lines were damaged due to straight line winds in excess of 75 MPH, along with some homes suffering roof and siding damage.
Measured via handheld anemometer.
Lightning struck a power pole near the Trine University football field.
A 2 to 3 foot diameter healthy pine tree down.
Large tree uprooted across E Washington Center Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Indiana, 2025Warnings in Indiana, March 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: 1241444, 1241447, 1241448, 1241450, 1241451, 1241452, 1241453, 1241473, 1241474, 1243465, 1243467, 1243468, 1243469, 1243470, 1243474, 1243475, 1243477, 1241347, 1243478, 1244206, 1243479, 1243480, 1243481, 1243482, 1243483, 1243512, 1244171, 1244198, 1241350, 1243489, 1243514, 1243494, 1241351, 1241352, 1244172, 1241348, 1244187, 1243486, 1244192, 1244203, and more.