March 19th Severe Weather

Overview

On the evening of Wednesday, March 19th, a broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved across northern Indiana. There was a high shear, low CAPE setup during this event, with very strong, ample shear and meager instability. Damaging wind gusts and a few isolated tornadoes were the main hazards, with sporadic pockets of wind damage found throughout northern Indiana. 2 EF-0 tornadoes were confirmed in portions of Cass, Miami and Fulton counties in Indiana. The Public Information Statement for each tornado can be found at this link. Graphical details follow below.

Thank you to all of our partners including trained spotters, media, emergency managers, and the public who sent in damage reports to us!

Snapped tree limbs from an EF-0 tornado along E 350 S on the far southwest side of Akron, IN in far southern Fulton County. (photo from NWS IWX Storm Survey)

Tornadoes

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NOTE: times shown below are local to your device's time zone.

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The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

Tornadoes that fail to impact any ratable structures on the EF-Scale are rated EF-Unknown (EF-U)

Photos


The outer walls of an outbuilding collapsed near the Fulton/Miami County line with debris thrown as far as 300 yards to the northeast. (NWS IWX Storm Survey)	Numerous pine trees snapped in southern Fulton County, IN. (NWS IWX Storm Survey)	Numerous pine trees snapped in southern Fulton County, IN. (NWS IWX Storm Survey)	Several sections of a center pivot in northern Miami County, IN were flipped over. (NWS IWX Storm Survey)


A large building collapsed at 2413 S County Rd 150 E (Cass County, IN EMA)	Numerous downed tree limbs at 3401 S County Rd 50 E (Cass County, IN EMA)	An airport hanger garage door was blown in at the Cass County Airport (Cass County, IN EMA)	A window was destroyed at the Cass County Airport (Cass County, IN EMA)

Storm Reports

Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary
National Weather Service Northern Indiana
510 PM EDT Sun Mar 23 2025

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0727 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Michigan City           41.71N 86.88W
03/19/2025                   La Porte           IN   Broadcast Media  

            Corrects time of previous tstm wnd dmg 
            report from Michigan City. Photos passed 
            along from media showing several large 
            downed trees in Michigan City. Time 
            estimated by radar. 

0742 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Union Pier              41.83N 86.69W
03/19/2025                   Berrien            MI   Public           

            Media reports large fiberglass outdoor 
            decorations damaged by wind in Union Pier in 
            Berrien County Michigan. Time estimated from 
            radar data. 

0749 PM     Marine Tstm Wind 1 SW Stevensville       42.01N 86.53W
03/19/2025  M40 MPH          Berrien            MI   Trained Spotter  

            Trained spotter reported 30-40 mph winds and 
            pea size hail. 

0750 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 ESE Waterford         41.67N 86.83W
03/19/2025                   La Porte           IN   Trained Spotter  

            Trained spotter reports a tree blown down 
            into power lines due to strong straight line 
            winds southeast of Waterford at 675 W 400 N 
            in La Porte County Indiana. 

0752 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 SSW Logansport        40.71N 86.38W
03/19/2025                   Cass               IN   Emergency Mngr   

            Additional reports from EMA of hanger doors 
            blown in and windows broken at 
            Logansport/Cass County Airport. Time 
            estimated by radar. 


0754 PM     Tornado          2 S Logansport          40.72N 86.36W
03/19/2025                   Cass               IN   NWS Storm Survey 

            A survey of ground and aerial data revealed 
            a weak, very disorganized tornado began 
            between 2 homes on E CR 300 S where a TV 
            tower was bent over, minor shingle and fence 
            damage was noted with the debris suggesting 
            a weak circulation. This feature moved 
            northeast into a wooded area where tree 
            damage was initially very limited, but then 
            uprooted or snapped roughly 20 shallow 
            rooted trees with weak convergence noted. 
            The tornado moved into an open field and 
            deposited 1 piece of the fence from the 
            touchdown location as it dissipated before 
            reaching S CR 150 E. 

0802 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 WNW South Bend        41.70N 86.32W
03/19/2025  M54 MPH          St. Joseph         IN   ASOS             

            ASOS station KSBN South Bend International 
            Airport measured a 54 mph wind gust. 

0812 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     1 N Benton Heights      42.13N 86.42W
03/19/2025  M52 MPH          Berrien            MI   ASOS             

            ASOS station KBEH Benton Harbor measured a 
            52 mph wind gust. 

0814 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 N Watervliet          42.20N 86.26W
03/19/2025                   Berrien            MI   Trained Spotter  

            tree downed. size unknown. 

0815 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 E Paw Paw Lake        42.23N 86.23W
03/19/2025                   Berrien            MI   Trained Spotter  

            tree downed. size unknown. 

0820 PM     Tornado          3 NE Macy               40.99N 86.08W
03/19/2025                   Miami              IN   NWS Storm Survey 

            A survey of damage confirmed a EF0 tornado 
            touched down east of CR N 25 W, south of 
            Pleasant Hill Rd where an outbuilding in a 
            wooded area was flipped from north to south 
            against a tree and some debris thrown to the 
            southwest. The tornado reached peak 
            intensity at the intersection of Meridian 
            and Pleasant Hill Rd where one of two older 
            barns suffered extensive damage. The 
            majority of the barn remained at the site, 
            but roof and siding materials were visible 
            across fields and in trees into Fulton 
            county. Four of eight center pivot spans 
            were flipped near the damaged barn. The 
            tornado crossed S 1000 E, E 350 S and S 1075 
            E before dissipating with mainly tree damage 
            observed. Max winds 85 mph, max width 100 
            yards. 

0820 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 SW Akron              41.00N 86.06W
03/19/2025                   Fulton             IN   Emergency Mngr   

            Emergency management reports large trees 
            down and sheet metal blown around 3 miles 
            southwest of Akron in Fulton County Indiana. 
            Time estimated from radar data. 

0822 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 SSW Akron             41.01N 86.04W
03/19/2025                   Fulton             IN   Emergency Mngr   

            Emergency management reports large trees 
            down and damage to a dwelling around 2 miles 
            southwest of Akron in Fulton County Indiana. 
            Time estimated from radar data. 

0825 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 SSW Coloma            42.17N 86.33W
03/19/2025  M54 MPH          Berrien            MI   Dept of Highways 

            DOT station MC161 I94mm0372 measured a 54mph 
            wind gust. 

0848 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 SSW Huntington        40.83N 85.53W
03/19/2025  M52 MPH          Huntington         IN   Mesonet          

            Mesonet station CW9663 Huntington measured a 
            52 mph wind gust. 

0921 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 SW Lake James         41.69N 85.07W
03/19/2025                   Steuben            IN   Law Enforcement  

            Report relayed by EM that law enforcement 
            reported tree limbs down on Orland Road east 
            of CR 400 West. Time estimated via radar. 

0922 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 SSE Nevada Mills      41.71N 85.07W
03/19/2025                   Steuben            IN   Emergency Mngr   

            Report relayed of tree limbs down between 
            Lane 230 and CR 450 West near Jimmerson 
            Lake. Time estimated from radar. 

0922 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 S Orland              41.69N 85.18W
03/19/2025                   Steuben            IN   Emergency Mngr   

            Emergency management reported downed 
            powerlines and a broken utility pole on CR 
            350 N west of SR 327. 

0923 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 NE Nevada Mills       41.76N 85.05W
03/19/2025                   Steuben            IN   Public           

            Roof peeled off a barn. 

0929 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Auburn                  41.36N 85.05W
03/19/2025                   De Kalb            IN   Amateur Radio    

            HAM radio operator reported a power pole on 
            fire due to lightning strike along with 
            downed power lines in Auburn, IN. Time 
            estimated by radar. 

1049 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     2 WNW Westminster       40.71N 84.02W
03/19/2025  M56 MPH          Allen              OH   AWOS             

            AWOS station KAOH 2 WNW Westminster. 

0756 PM     Marine Tstm Wind 1 NNW Saint Joseph      42.11N 86.50W
03/19/2025  M46 MPH          LMZ043             MI   Mesonet          

            Weatherflow station XSTJ St. Joseph Pier 
            measured a 46 mph wind gust.

Environment

Synoptic summary.


Figure 1: The 250mb chart from the morning of March 19th shows the presence of the left exit region of a strong jet stream over our forecast area.	Figure 2: The 500mb chart from the morning of March 19th shows a nearly closed upper level low in the Central Plains and it associated negatively tilted trough.	Figure 3: The 700mb chart from the morning of March 19th shows strong southerly flow and WAA.

Near-storm environment summary.


Figure 4: LCL heights were around 1000m at 00Z March 20, 2025	Figure 5: There was ample bulk shear from 0-6 km at 00Z March 20, 2025 with ~70 kts across the forecast area	Figure 6: Ample 0-1 km SRH of up to 300-400 m2/s2 was present around 00Z March 20, 2025

Additional environmental data.


Figure 7: The 20Z Day 1 Outlook issued by the Storm Prediction Center had a Slight Risk (level 2 of 5) for much of our forecast area. An Enhanced Risk (level 3 of 5) was just off the west in Illinois.	Figure 8: Severe Thunderstorm Watch #59 was issued at 6:55 PM EDT on March 19th, with damaging wind gusts to 75 mph and a few isolated tornadoes identified as the main threats.	Figure 9: A mesoscale discussion was issued by the Storm Prediction Center at 8:48 PM EDT, showing the continuing Severe Thunderstorm Watch and outlining the area where the threat for wind damage was anticipated to persist across central and northern Indiana.

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