Overview
Intense low pressure developed and moved across the Great Lakes during the daylight hours of the 24th. The intense pressure gradient allowed for frequent wind gusts of 50 to 60 mph or greater for much of Feb 24th daytime and evening hours. This lead to numerous instances of tree and power line damage, and several power outages.Wind:
The prolonged nature of this high wind event made it particularly stand out as highly unusual for the area. For example, the Fort Wayne International Airport (KFWA) recorded wind gusts of 58 mph (considered severe) on 16 individual weather observations from midnight Feb 24th to midnight Feb 25th. Prior to Feb 24 2019, KFWA had only recorded 58 mph or greater wind gusts on 38 observations since 1948 (that includes more than 905,000 observations!). This means that 30 percent of all observations with a wind gust of 58 mph or higher since 1948 occurred on Feb 24th, 2019 at KFWA. The highest wind gust at KFWA on Feb 24 was 64 mph.
One interesting aspect of this storm from a forecasting perspective was the success of computer modeling giving indications to the high wind potential of the event. Figure 1 shows a 36 hour forecast from the HRRR model (a higher resolution model for short-term forecasting). Notice the dark pink and bright white colors in this forecast indicative of wind gusts in excess of 55 mph. A low pressure system rapidly deepened across the Great Lakes region on Sunday, which was largely responsible for these high winds. Other models also successfully captured this rapid deepening to some extent several days in advance of the event.
Figures 2-4 indicate the hourly winds and wind gust observations at South Bend (KSBN), Fort Wayne (KFWA), and Lima, OH (KAOH) respectively. Note just the number of observations where wind gusts exceeded 50 mph at all of these sites.
The National Weather Service Northern Indiana would like to extend a big thank you to law enforcement, spotters, local media, emergency management, amateur radio, and the public for numerous reports throughout the course of this event!
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| Figure 1. 36-hour HRRR model forecast from 7pm 2/23/19 Sat evening |
Figure 2. Hourly winds/wind gusts from South Bend, IN -KSBN
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Figure 3. Hourly winds/wind gusts from Fort Wayne, IN -KFWA
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Figure 4. Hourly winds/wind gusts from Lima, OH -KAOH
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| Loop of observed wind gusts 1am Sun to 1am Mon |
Photos & Video
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Wind damage Portland, IN, photo courtesy of Josh Stephenson
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Wind damage, Portland, IN, photo courtesy of Josh Stephenson
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Wind damage, Portland, IN, photo courtesy of Josh Stephenson
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Wind damage, Portland, IN, photo courtesy of Josh Stephenson
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| Tree down on road near Ormas, IN (Noble County). Photo courtesy of Kyle Brown |
Roof shingle damage in the Fort Wayne vicinity. Photo courtesy of Anna Ross
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Wind damage near Bluffton, IN. Photo courtesy of John Tinney. |
Local Storm Reports
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
950 PM EST SUN FEB 24 2019
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 N ABOITE 41.01N 85.32W
02/24/2019 ALLEN IN AMATEUR RADIO
TWO 2FT DIAMETER TREES DOWN IN BACKYARD.
TIME ESTIMATED.
1215 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 ENE BENTON 41.51N 85.74W
02/24/2019 ELKHART IN NWS EMPLOYEE
TREES FALLING ONTO POWER LINES NEAR COUNTY
ROAD 44.
0331 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 WSW BLUFFTON 40.74N 85.19W
02/24/2019 WELLS IN TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREE DOWN ACROSS THE ROAD.
0100 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 WNW COLUMBUS GROVE 40.92N 84.07W
02/24/2019 PUTNAM OH TRAINED SPOTTER
REPORTS OF SOME SHINGLES BEING BLOWN OFF
SOME ROOFS.
0833 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG COLUMBUS GROVE 40.93N 84.06W
02/24/2019 PUTNAM OH PUBLIC
TREE DOWN ACROSS ROAD.
0814 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW COSPERVILLE 41.50N 85.48W
02/24/2019 NOBLE IN TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREE DOWN ON ROADWAY NEAR INTERSECTION
OF COUNTY ROAD 300W/1000N.
0621 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NE DOWAGIAC 42.00N 86.09W
02/24/2019 CASS MI BROADCAST MEDIA
LARGE TREE LIMB DOWN ACROSS THE ROAD.
0248 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 E FORT WAYNE 41.08N 85.11W
02/24/2019 ALLEN IN BROADCAST MEDIA
VIDEO ON TWITTER FROM WPTA SHOWS LARGE PIECE
OF METAL ROOF BLOWN OFF FROM AN INDUSTRIAL
BUILDING.
1235 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 3 N FORT WAYNE 41.12N 85.13W
02/24/2019 ALLEN IN AMATEUR RADIO
PORTION OF A BILLBOARD DOWNED NEAR GLENBROOK
MALL AREA.
0248 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 E FORT WAYNE 41.08N 85.11W
02/24/2019 ALLEN IN BROADCAST MEDIA
VIDEO ON TWITTER FROM WPTA SHOWS LARGE PIECE
OF METAL ROOF BLOWN OFF FROM AN INDUSTRIAL
BUILDING.
0330 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 4 ENE FORT WAYNE 41.10N 85.08W
02/24/2019 ALLEN IN AMATEUR RADIO
LARGE TREE UPROOTED AT RESIDENCE,
APPROXIMATELY 20 INCH DIAMETER AND 32 FEET
TALL. TIME IS ESTIMATED.
0937 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG HILLSDALE 41.93N 84.64W
02/24/2019 HILLSDALE MI EMERGENCY MNGR
REPORTS OF 8-10 TREES BLOWN ONTO ROADWAYS
ACROSS THE COUNTY, SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES.
1124 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NE LAKE MICHIGAN BEAC 42.23N 86.37W
02/24/2019 BERRIEN MI DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
SOUTHBOUND I-196 JUST AFTER M-63 HAS RIGHT
LANE BLOCKED DUE TO A DOWNED TREE.
0821 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG LOGANSPORT 40.76N 86.36W
02/24/2019 CASS IN EMERGENCY MNGR
NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTY DUE TO WINDS ESTIMATED AT 50 TO
55 MPH.
0730 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 W MELROSE 41.09N 84.46W
02/24/2019 PAULDING OH EMERGENCY MNGR
OLDER BARN ABOUT TWO THIRDS COLLAPSED.
1020 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 4 NW MIDDLEBURY 40.89N 84.80W
02/24/2019 VAN WERT OH EMERGENCY MNGR
TREE DOWN ON WOLFCALE ROAD. A FEW OTHER
INSTANCES OF POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS THE
COUNTY.
0329 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG MONTPELIER 41.58N 84.60W
02/24/2019 WILLIAMS OH EMERGENCY MNGR
SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES, BRANCHES, AND
UTILITY POLE DOWN IN THE GREATER MONTPELIER
AREA. ALSO, SHED BLOWN DOWN STREET.
1040 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 3 NW NEW HAVEN 41.10N 85.07W
02/24/2019 ALLEN IN AMATEUR RADIO
LARGE TREE DOWN ONTO POWER LINES.
1040 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 3 NE OHIO CITY 40.80N 84.58W
02/24/2019 VAN WERT OH EMERGENCY MNGR
CAMPER BEING CARRIED BY PICKUP TRUCK ROLLED
OVER APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF VAN WERT
OF US 127.
0437 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 N ORMAS 41.30N 85.55W
02/24/2019 NOBLE IN NWS EMPLOYEE
TREE DOWN ON ROAD NEAR INTERSECTION OF
COUNTY ROADS W 350 S AND S 650 W.
1100 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG OSSIAN 40.88N 85.17W
02/24/2019 WELLS IN EMERGENCY MNGR
REPORTS OF LARGE TREES DOWN AND LARGE TREE
LIMBS DOWN IN NORTHERN PART OF WELLS COUNTY.
SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES IN NORTHERN PART OF
THE COUNTY ALSO.
0928 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG PERU 40.76N 86.07W
02/24/2019 MIAMI IN EMERGENCY MNGR
SEVERAL TREES DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH
NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES ALSO REPORTED.
1130 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NE PORTLAND 40.44N 84.97W
02/24/2019 JAY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
LARGE TREE AND POWER POLE DOWN ON 500 BLOCK
OF EAST NORTH STREET.
1045 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG ROCHESTER 41.07N 86.20W
02/24/2019 FULTON IN UTILITY COMPANY
VARIOUS REPORTS OF POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS
THE COUNTY.
0841 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG ROCKPORT 40.87N 84.00W
02/24/2019 ALLEN OH TRAINED SPOTTER
REPORTS OF DOWNED PINE TREES. WIND GUSTS
ESTIMATED AT 60 MPH.
1000 AM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 ENE SALEM CENTER 41.59N 85.11W
02/24/2019 STEUBEN IN TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREE BRANCH DOWN IN NEARBY FIELD. AS
OF 3 PM, 40 MPH WIND GUST AT HOME WEATHER
STATION.
0407 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 WNW TIPPECANOE LAKE 41.33N 85.77W
02/24/2019 KOSCIUSKO IN TRAINED SPOTTER
3 FT DIAMETER TREE DOWN. ESTIMATED WIND GUST
60MPH. VIA SPOTTERNETWORK.
0420 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 S WABASH 40.79N 85.82W
02/24/2019 WABASH IN EMERGENCY MNGR
A LARGE TREE LIMB FELL ON A HOUSE ON SOUTH
SIDE OF WABASH RESULTING IN A HOLE IN THE
ROOF. NO INJURIES REPORTED.
0420 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW WILMOT 41.32N 85.65W
02/24/2019 KOSCIUSKO IN NWS EMPLOYEE
SINGLE TREE DOWN ON ROAD NEAR INTERSECTION
OF E 600 N AND N 1000 E.
0300 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 SE YODER 40.67N 84.05W
02/24/2019 ALLEN OH EMERGENCY MNGR
LARGE TREE DOWN OVER TWO LANES OF ROADWAY.
TREE SHOWS SIGNS OF ROT. RELAYED VIA NWSCHAT
AND FACEBOOK.
&&
$$
Peak Wind Gusts
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Northern Indiana 949 PM EST Sun Feb 24 2019 ...HIGHEST WIND GUSTS TODAY sorted by county... Location Speed Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Indiana... ...Allen County... Fort Wayne International Ap 64 MPH 0355 PM 02/24 40.98N/85.19W 2 E Nine Mile 62 MPH 0905 AM 02/24 40.98N/85.19W ...Cass County... Logansport/cass Cnty Ap 56 MPH 0436 PM 02/24 40.71N/86.37W ...De Kalb County... 3 E Saint Johns 45 MPH 0155 PM 02/24 41.31N/85.06W ...Elkhart County... 2 NW Benton 64 MPH 0622 AM 02/24 41.53N/85.79W 1 NE Osceola 53 MPH 0720 AM 02/24 41.68N/86.06W Elkhart Municipal Airport 52 MPH 0352 PM 02/24 41.72N/86.00W ...Fulton County... Fulton County Airport 52 MPH 0735 AM 02/24 41.07N/86.18W ...Grant County... 2 NNE Michaelsville 60 MPH 0635 AM 02/24 40.48N/85.68W ...Huntington County... 3 NE Majenica 54 MPH 0353 PM 02/24 40.82N/85.41W 3 SSW Huntington 51 MPH 0438 PM 02/24 40.83N/85.53W ...Jay County... Dunkirk 57 MPH 0551 PM 02/24 40.37N/85.21W 1 N Portland 50 MPH 1000 AM 02/24 40.45N/84.98W ...Kosciusko County... Warsaw Municipal Airport 51 MPH 0415 PM 02/24 41.27N/85.84W James Lake 49 MPH 0313 PM 02/24 41.31N/85.72W ...La Porte County... Michigan City 47 MPH 0535 PM 02/24 41.70N/86.82W La Porte 46 MPH 0435 PM 02/24 41.57N/86.73W 1 W Michigan City 45 MPH 0742 PM 02/24 41.71N/86.90W ...Miami County... 1 SSW Grissom Afb 60 MPH 0732 AM 02/24 40.65N/86.15W 3 W Amboy 51 MPH 0430 PM 02/24 40.59N/85.98W ...Noble County... 2 N Kendallville 56 MPH 0355 PM 02/24 41.47N/85.25W 1 WNW Rome City 50 MPH 0836 AM 02/24 41.49N/85.38W ...Pulaski County... 3 ENE Vanmeter Park 45 MPH 0745 AM 02/24 41.11N/86.52W ...St. Joseph County... South Bend International Ap 58 MPH 0124 PM 02/24 41.71N/86.32W ...Starke County... 2 ESE Brems 48 MPH 0355 PM 02/24 41.33N/86.66W ...Steuben County... Tri-state Steuben County Air 49 MPH 0755 AM 02/24 41.64N/85.08W ...Wabash County... 1 SSE Roann 54 MPH 0300 PM 02/24 40.89N/85.92W Somerset 52 MPH 0159 PM 02/24 40.66N/85.81W ...White County... White County Arpt. 54 MPH 1115 AM 02/24 40.71N/86.77W ...Whitley County... Peabody 54 MPH 0959 AM 02/24 41.09N/85.49W ...Michigan... ...Berrien County... Southwest Michigan Regional 62 MPH 0726 PM 02/24 42.13N/86.43W Stevensville 58 MPH 0445 PM 02/24 42.01N/86.53W 1 WNW Millburg 55 MPH 0410 PM 02/24 42.13N/86.37W Saint Joseph 54 MPH 0400 PM 02/24 42.10N/86.49W 1 SSE New Buffalo 50 MPH 0653 AM 02/24 41.77N/86.74W ...Branch County... Coldwater 47 MPH 0316 PM 02/24 41.93N/85.05W 3 ENE Lake of the Woods 45 MPH 0403 PM 02/24 41.88N/84.99W ...Cass County... 2 WSW Edwardsburg 48 MPH 0417 PM 02/24 41.79N/86.13W ...Hillsdale County... 3 NNW Lake Wilson 66 MPH 0200 PM 02/24 41.91N/84.71W Hillsdale Municipal Airport 48 MPH 0256 PM 02/24 41.92N/84.59W ...St. Joseph County... 1 S Constantine 55 MPH 0120 PM 02/24 41.82N/85.66W Three Rivers Municipal Dr Ha 46 MPH 0436 PM 02/24 41.96N/85.59W Sturgis 45 MPH 1136 AM 02/24 41.81N/85.44W ...Ohio... ...Allen County... Lima Allen County Airport 68 MPH 0516 PM 02/24 40.71N/84.02W 2 WNW Westminster 63 MPH 0815 AM 02/24 40.71N/84.02W Bluffton 49 MPH 0120 PM 02/24 40.89N/83.89W ...Defiance County... 4 N Hicksville 61 MPH 0500 PM 02/24 41.35N/84.77W Defiance Memorial Airport 55 MPH 0925 AM 02/24 41.34N/84.43W ...Fulton County... Fulton Cnty Ap 58 MPH 0355 PM 02/24 41.61N/84.13W 1 ENE Brailey 49 MPH 0422 PM 02/24 41.57N/83.90W ...Paulding County... 1 NW Oakwood 51 MPH 0945 AM 02/24 41.11N/84.40W ...Putnam County... 3 ENE Ottawa 58 MPH 0955 AM 02/24 41.04N/83.98W 2 W Columbus Grove 56 MPH 0656 PM 02/24 40.92N/84.10W Kalida 52 MPH 0316 PM 02/24 40.98N/84.20W ...Van Wert County... 1 W Middle Point 46 MPH 0435 PM 02/24 40.85N/84.48W ...Williams County... 2 WSW Hallock 50 MPH 0331 PM 02/24 41.51N/84.59W 1 WSW Bryan 45 MPH 0646 PM 02/24 41.46N/84.57W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official. $$
Environment
Insert synoptic summary.
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| Figure 1: 300 mb analysis from 7pm Feb 24 | Figure 2: 700 mb analysis from 7pm Feb 24 | Figure 3: 850 mb analysis from 7pm Feb 24 |
Near-storm environment summary.
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| Figure 4: 925 mb winds, heights, and temps from 7pm Feb 24 | Figure 5: Surface analysis from 7pm Feb 24 | Figure 6: 2-hour pressure change (red/dashed blue), sfc pressure, and winds from 8am Feb 24 |
Additional environmental data. (soundings courtesy of Valparaiso University Meteorology Department)
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| Figure 7: Sounding from Valparaiso University from 7am Feb 24 | Figure 8: Sounding from Valparaiso University from 10am Feb 24 | Figure 9: Sounding from Valparaiso University from 4pm Feb 24 |
Additional Information
Summaries from other NWS Offices
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