An area of low pressure from Green Bay to Lake Huron, measuring 988mb, produced widespread wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph. This resulted in property damage and numerous reports of blown-over semi-trucks.
Every event with a place to put it; 7 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.
An area of low pressure from Green Bay to Lake Huron, measuring 988mb, produced widespread wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph. This resulted in property damage and numerous reports of blown-over semi-trucks.
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 13, 12:35 AM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
135 AM EDT Fri Mar 13 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- High Wind Warning on Friday for gusts up to 60 mph.
- A strong storm system will bring rain and thunderstorms late
Sunday into Sunday night, followed by strong winds and snow on
Monday. Snow accumulations/impacts possible, mainly in
northwest IN and southwest MI.
- Temperatures mid 60s to near 70 on Sunday will crash into the 20s
by Monday.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 143 PM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
Several powerhouse ~170 kt upper jets emanating from the north
pacific will drive a couple strong storm systems through the region
through early next week. Strong left exit upper forcing within the
nose of the first jetlet will force a compact/vigorous shortwave,
and associated sub-990 mb clipper, east through northern MI on
Friday. An impressive wind field will accompany this powerful low
later tonight into Friday with frequent advisory level gusts (45-55
mph) anticipated area-wide. Whether a few warning level gusts up to
60 mph can be achieved is the main point of contention for a Wind
Advisory versus High Wind Warning. Initially from the southwest
a ~70 kt 850 mb jet passes through from west to east later
tonight into Friday morning. This largely produces advisory
level gusts given the stability and more limited momentum
transfer in these early morning LLJ/WAA regimes. However, the
tail end of this does look to be into areas along/east of I-69
by late morning/early afternoon when more effective diurnal
mixing could produce 50 kt plus gusts. Deepest mixing with less
cloud cover and a more westerly component then into afternoon
will keep the high winds going with 925 mb winds 45-50 kts.
Forecast soundings, particularly the GFS, support a High Wind
Warning, while probabilistic data from the HREF and NBM are more
in line with a high end Advisory. Splitting hairs really with
true warning level gradient wind events rare in these parts.
With all that said, per collaboration with surrounding offices,
and the rather impressive soundings and momentum transfer progs,
did opt for a High Wind Warning.
The next dynamic upper jet digs much more meridionally forcing a
digging trough into the Central US Sunday, with eventually negative
tilt liftout through the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes Sunday night
into Monday. This will support a rapid cyclogenetic response with
sfc low track northeast from MO/western IL Sunday PM to near Lake
Huron by Monday. Leading warn advection wing may clip areas mainly
near and north of the MI stateline with a brief period of snow
(little to no accums) Saturday night north of the system warm front.
Warm sector then builds in during the day on Sunday with breezy/warm
condition before the deepening low and cold front swings through
with rain/wind and chances for thunderstorms late Sunday into Sunday
night. Somewhat lacking low level moisture return and lapse rates
will hopefully limit the threat for severe storms, though the degree
of forcing/flow and potential for at least some weak instability
makes this something to monitor going forward. Sharply
colder/blustery air will wrap in later Sunday night into Monday with
snow showers, especially in nw IN and sw MI where some lake
enhancement may allow for accumulations/impacts. Track and intensity
differences obviously linger at this forecast range in model land
which will determine how windy/snowy conditions will be on the
backside of this deep cyclone.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 135 AM EDT Fri Mar 13 2026
Strong and compact midlevel vort max currently approaching the
Great Lakes. Best forcing for ascent passes just north of the
area but a few sprinkles are possible (too warm for snow). Very
dry low levels will keep conditions VFR through the period
though. Main concern will be very strong winds through the day.
Momentum transfer supports frequent gusts to 45kts at KSBN and
just shy of 50 kts at KFWA. Wind direction initially from the
S/SW will steadily veer to WNW by late in the day. Expect the
strongest gusts in the 15-18Z window with a direction of right
around 260 degrees.
&&
.IWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...High Wind Warning from 5 AM EDT /4 AM CDT/ early this morning
to 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ this evening for INZ005>009-
012>015-017-018-020-022>027-032>034-103-104-116-203-204-
216.
OH...High Wind Warning from 5 AM early this morning to 8 PM EDT
this evening for OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025.
MI...High Wind Warning from 5 AM early this morning to 8 PM EDT
this evening for MIZ078>081-177-277.
MARINE...Gale Warning until 5 AM EDT early this morning for LMZ043-046.
Gale Warning from 5 PM this afternoon to 11 PM EDT this
evening for LMZ043-046.
Storm Warning from 5 AM early this morning to 5 PM EDT this
afternoon for LMZ043-046.
&&
DISCUSSION...Steinwedel
AVIATION...AGDHazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Northern Indiana 147 PM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 INZ005>009-012>015-017-018-020-022>027-032>034-103-104-116-203-204- 216-MIZ078>081-177-277-OHZ001-002-004-005-015-016-024-025-131800- 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-Hillsdale-Northern Berrien-Southern Berrien-Williams- Fulton OH-Defiance-Henry-Paulding-Putnam-Van Wert-Allen OH- 147 PM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 /1247 PM CDT Thu Mar 12 2026/ ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM EDT /4 AM CDT/ TO 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ FRIDAY... 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. High Wind Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. High Wind Warning. Thunderstorms are likely Sunday night with strong winds and accumulating snow possible on Monday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. LMZ043-046-131800- New Buffalo MI to St Joseph MI-Michigan City IN to New Buffalo MI- 147 PM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 5 AM EDT FRIDAY... ...STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM TO 5 PM EDT FRIDAY... ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM TO 11 PM EDT FRIDAY... 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. Gale Warning. Storm Warning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Storm Warning. Gale Warning. Hazardous conditions for small craft are likely for much of this period. Gales are possible Sunday night into Monday.
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
1032 PM EDT Thu Mar 12 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0735 AM Tornado 2 WSW Vera Cruz 40.69N 85.11W
03/11/2026 Wells IN NWS Storm Survey
A weak circulation touched down in an open
field southwest of the intersection of CR S
600 E and E 350 S. The tornado moved
northeast causing damage to a pole barn
which lost its roof as well as had leaning
walls. Debris impacted an adjacent pole barn
with the pieces of metal being carried
downstream into a yard just to the east of
the above noted intersection. The
circulation continued across mainly
unplanted fields, but drone imagery
indicated a narrow area of very light
scouring in the field and inflow into the
tornado. A tree fell onto SR 116 near E 300
S, which a car ran into to. It then
continued northeast before lifting near the
county line at S 700 W-1. A small garage was
shifted off its foundation as the garage
door was impacted by the winds as it
dissipated.
0916 AM Tornado 2 S Redkey 40.32N 85.15W
03/11/2026 Jay IN NWS Storm Survey
A tornado touched down south of CR W 800 S
and west of SR 1, crossing the road and
snapping 3 power poles. On the northern
edge, a barn suffered door damage, a few
downed trees and damage to a greenhouse. The
tornado moved NE, crossing W 800 S and
causing roof damage to a home as well as
some tree damage on a few properties. As it
was passing northwest of the intersection of
CR W 800 S and S 700 W, it caused roof
damage to the roof of a pole barn with
debris being carried roughly 350 yards to
the east. The final damage was noted at 2
animal barns on S 600 W where roof lost was
noted, the most extensive being on the west
side of S 600 W where the metal roofing was
carried into an adjacent field. No damage
was noted beyond this area.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency manager reports a large portion of roof was torn off at the Fairgrounds in Hicksville.
Automated stations reported wind gusts of 61 mph at KOWX. Power poles were downed in multiple locations. There was at least one semi truck that was blown over.
Emergency Management reported large tree snapped in half by wind in Napoleon. Automated stations reported wind gusts up to 56 mph (Deshler, 12:15pm EST).
KAOH recorded at 74 mph wind gust. Other stations reported several gusts of 55 to 66 mph.
Automated stations reported wind gusts of 54 mph to 77 mph. 77 mph wind gust was recorded at a mesonet station in Van Wert. Multiple semi trucks were blown over and power poles were downed in multiple locations. Blowing dust reduced visibility to 1/4 mile or less, prompting a blowing dust advisory.
Semi truck blown over, multiple trees down, and power poles down in multiple locations. Blowing dust reduced visibility to 1/4 mile or less, prompting a blowing dust advisory.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Ohio in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Ohio, March 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: 1323872, 1323861, 1323865, 1323875, 1323859, 1323864, 1323869.