Thunderstorm Wind, Benton
- When
- June 6, 2:08 PM EST
- Where
- Benton County, 1.8 mi NNE of Fowler
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 40.643, -87.304
Wind gusts were estimated to 60 mph.
Scattered thunderstorms moved across northwest Indiana during the early afternoon of June 6th producing isolated wind damage.
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 LOT wrote it up.
Scattered thunderstorms moved across northwest Indiana during the early afternoon of June 6th producing isolated wind damage.
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 Chicago, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 6, 12:31 PM EST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville, IL 1231 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Shower and thunderstorm threat this afternoon-evening will focus primarily south of I-80, though showers and a few storms will also be possible near the lake breeze pushing inland. - While there will be daily shower and thunderstorm chances through the upcoming week, expect plenty of dry hours. Outside of the convective chances, it will be very warm and humid (focused away from the lake until Tuesday). && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 326 AM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026 Early This Morning: Scattered thunderstorm development overhead in the pre-dawn hours (as of this writing) is associated with convectively modulated impulses and a glancing blow from a stronger short- wave pushing into the northern Lakes. It's unclear to what extent additional upstream convection from western WI to western/west central IL will push into the area over the next few hours. We'll need to continue to monitor for a few strong to potentially severe storms (wind and hail threat) given fairly steep mid-level lapse rates and 30-40 kt of effective bulk shear. Today through Sunday: In the wake of the early morning convection, aside from a few lingering isolated to widely scattered storms south of I-80, conditions should dry out areawide for a time. Fairly strong mid-level subsidence and drying, particularly north of I-80, casts doubt on much in the way of renewed PM thunderstorm development with northward extent in the CWA. The possible exception will be near a lake breeze boundary as it pushes inland across the Chicago metro this afternoon. Farther south, primarily south of I-80 (possibly well south), uncapped, moderately to strongly unstable air mass should yield corridors of scattered "airmass" type thunderstorms. With mid-level lapse rates decreasing to 6C/km or less and deep layer shear down to 25 kt or less, overall severe threat appears limited, likely relegated to localized strong to perhaps severe downburst winds. If a corridor of robust convection is able to persist into or through the evening despite modest at best forcing, high PWATs and high freezing levels could support localized flooding (albeit in our typically less flood prone southern areas). Given expectation of increasing sunshine this afternoon, especially with northward extent, look for highs inland of the lake breeze in the mid to upper 80s amidst dew points in the 60s to around 70F. Near the lake, highs will reach the mid 70s to around 80F ahead of the lake breeze and then slowly but steadily fall thereafter. After festering evening storms primarily south of I-80 erode diurnally, there should be a relative lull overnight into Sunday. The lake shadow will extend farther inland on Sunday, confining isolated to widely scattered pulse airmass convection at peak heating to the southwestern 1/3 to 1/2 or so of the CWA. Sub- marginal wind shear and lapse rates suggest severe weather is unlikely. Highs will reach the lower to mid 80s inland, but only upper 60s to lower 70s near the lake. Sunday Night Onward: Weakening mid-upper low/short-wave will shear out on Sunday night into Monday as it encounters robust ridging centered over the eastern Lakes by then. Nonetheless, weakly capped tropics- like airmass should support fairly widespread showers and at least scattered storms developing as early as midday Monday (unless debris cloudiness proves too detrimental to sufficient destabilization). Southeasterly synoptic flow and lake breeze reinforcement will keep IL shoreline locations in the 70s on Monday, while the rest of the area reaches the low-mid 80s. Looking ahead at the rest of next workweek, there have been some guidance members with sufficiently strong mid-level ridging and low-level thermal ridging poking into the Great Lakes region for a few days of very warm (locally hot) and humid conditions. With that said, the more likely scenario is our area being on the precarious northwestern periphery of ridging centered near the East Coast. This should entail less capping and a continuation of shower and thunderstorm chances. By later in the week (Thursday or thereabouts), seasonably strong troughing from the north central US to central Canada could plausibly yield a pattern supportive of organized strong to severe convection into the region. Note that the NBM depicted temperatures centered Tuesday through Friday (most notably on Wednesday and Thursday) are well outside of the ensemble spectrum due to likely spurious upward bias correction. Thus we will withhold from any heat messaging locally. It looks to be very warm and humid, but not hazardously so, per the current global ensemble guidance consensus. Castro && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY/... Issued at 1231 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026 Key Aviation Messages for the current TAF period: - A lake breeze arrival this afternoon will shift winds to the east-northeast - Isolated thunderstorms near the lake breeze this afternoon, but better chances for thunder to the south of the Chicago Metro Currently, conditions are VFR with light southerly winds. However, A lake breeze has already started to move inland away from the lake. Winds will switch to the northeast behind it with winds 5 to 10 knots. Isolated showers and storms are expected this afternoon. However, the better coverage of thunderstorms is expected south of a KSQI to KVPZ line. That being said, the previously mentioned lake breeze could be enough forcing to trigger convection that could develop into at least a shower if not a thunderstorm near the terminals. While confidence is lower in any one cell directly passing over a terminal, the PROB30 was converted the -SHRA mention to the -TSRA given the amount of instability present on an already warm June afternoon. Chances for showers and thunder diminish after 23Z. Light northeast winds will slowly become more easterly tomorrow morning. DK && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...None. IN...None. LM...None. && Visit us at weather.gov/chicago
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville IL
1213 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026
ILZ003>006-008-010>013-019>021-023-032-033-039-103>108-INZ001-002-
010-011-019-071715-
Winnebago-Boone-McHenry-Lake IL-Ogle-Lee-De Kalb-Kane-DuPage-
La Salle-Kendall-Grundy-Kankakee-Livingston-Iroquois-Ford-
Northern Cook-Central Cook-Southern Cook-Northern Will-
Southern Will-Eastern Will-Lake IN-Porter-Newton-Jasper-Benton-
1213 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026 /113 PM EDT Sat Jun 6 2026/
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
Illinois...northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.
.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.
Weather hazards expected...
Limited Thunderstorm Risk...with an associated:
Level 1 of 5 Damaging Wind Risk...up to 60 mph.
Level 1 of 5 Large Hail Risk...up to quarter size.
Limited Flooding Risk south of I-80.
DISCUSSION...
Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are expected to redevelop
this afternoon and continue into this evening. The greatest
coverage of storms is expected to be south of I-80, where the
strongest storms may produce localized strong to damaging winds,
hail, and torrential rainfall.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.
Sunday through Friday...
Limited Thunderstorm and associated Flooding Risks at times.
DISCUSSION...
The weather pattern will continue to feature seasonably warm and
humid conditions through next week, with periodic shower and
thunderstorm chances. Some of the storms will be capable of
producing torrential downpours, which may lead to localized
flooding.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
Spotter activation is unlikely today.
GENERAL STORM MOTION OF THE DAY:
Moving toward the east-southeast at 20 to 30 mph.
LMZ740>745-071715-
Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL-
Wilmette Harbor to Northerly Island IL-
Northerly Island to Calumet Harbor IL-
Calumet Harbor IL to Gary IN-Gary to Burns Harbor IN-
Burns Harbor to Michigan City IN-
1213 PM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Illinois
nearshore waters of Lake Michigan and the Indiana nearshore
waters of Lake Michigan.
.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.
Weather hazards expected...
Limited Thunderstorm Risk.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.
Sunday through Friday...
Limited Thunderstorm Risk.
Ogorek
Visit us at www.weather.gov/chicagoPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Chicago IL
859 AM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0453 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg Pontiac 40.88N 88.63W
06/06/2026 Livingston IL 911 Call Center
Wires and trees down reported. Time
estimated by radar.
&&
DKPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Chicago IL
900 AM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0515 AM Tstm Wnd Dmg Fairbury 40.75N 88.51W
06/06/2026 Livingston IL 911 Call Center
Reports of a tree down. Time estimated by
radar.
&&
DKPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Chicago IL
912 AM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0656 AM Rain Cornell 40.99N 88.73W
06/06/2026 M3.50 Inch Livingston IL Broadcast Media
Storm total rainfall.
&&
DKPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Chicago IL
915 AM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0659 AM Rain 1 NNW Pontiac 40.90N 88.64W
06/06/2026 M2.08 Inch Livingston IL Public
Storm total rainfall.
&&
DKPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Chicago IL
916 AM CDT Sat Jun 6 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0722 AM Rain 1 S Chatsworth 40.74N 88.29W
06/06/2026 M2.04 Inch Livingston IL Public
Storm total rainfall.
&&
DKThe Chicago radar (KLOT), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:09 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts were estimated to 60 mph.
Wind gusts were estimated to 60 mph with power lines blown down.
Multiple utility poles were blown down on Route 55.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Indiana in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Indiana, June 2026
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: 1333736, 1333738, 1333740.