Series of Pacific storms will continue to significantly impact portions of the West through this last weekend of 2024; Strong winds, high surf, heavy lower elevation rain and heavy mountain snow expected. Across the Plains, low visibility and dense fog will make for travel difficulties as warmer air lifts north. This will fuel severe thunderstorms across several southern states on Saturday. Read More >
Overview
Two brief tornadoes developed within a low-topped supercell on the southeast side of South Bend Sunday evening.
Tornadoes:
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South Bend Tornado #1
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South Bend Tornado 2
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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 |
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Photos & Video
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| Damage at the Growing Kids Learning Center in South Bend (NWS Storm Survey) |
Damage at the Growing Kids Learning Center in South Bend (WSBT-Kristin Bien) |
Damage at the Irish Hills Apartments in South Bend (WNDU-Ibrahim Samra) |
Damage in Marshall County, IN (Jack Garner) |
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| Damage along Ireland Rd near Ironwood in South Bend (South Bend Tribune- Robert Franklin) |
Damage along Ireland Rd near Ironwood in South Bend (South Bend Tribune- Robert Franklin) |
Damage along Ireland Rd near Ironwood in South Bend (South Bend Tribune- Robert Franklin) |
Damage in Marshall County, IN (Jack Garner) |
Radar
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| Radar from 735 pm EDT to 9:06 pm EDT. | Base reflectivity and velocity data at the time of tornado touchdown, 8:38 PM EDT | Radar image at 8:41 PM EDT. A well-defined velocity couplet is visible. | Radar image at 8:43 PM EDT. The tornado lifted a few minutes later at 8:48 PM EDT. |
Environment
Shortly after 23Z (7 PM EDT) a broken area of non-convective (no lightning) low-topped showers developed over Starke, LaPorte, St Josephe and Marshall counties. This was in an area of weak low level shear (20kts) and < 1K j/kg surface-based CAPE. A narrow theta-e ridge advanced slowly east out of northeast IL late Sunday afternoon/evening and was evident in surface observations as a distinct moisture discontinuity. Otherwise, general warm advection (weak) overspread the area in the afternoon ahead of a strong southwest disturbance over western KS.
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| Figure 1: 5pm Surface analysis via the WPC indicating a warm front across the region and a low pressure system to our northwest. | Figure 2: WPC surface analysis at 8pm indicated a stalled warm front still draped across the region with a low pressure system to our northwest. This front likely helped to initiate the low level turning that forced the tornadic cell. | Figure 3: WPC surface analysis at 10pm indicated the warm front has moved north away from the region. |
Near-storm environment summary.
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| Figure 4: Storm Relative Helicity at 8pm EDT indicating rotation in the area of the storm with the tornado | Figure 5: Effective bulk shear at 8pm EDT indicating rotation in the area of the storm with the tornado | Figure 6: Note the counterclockwise turning winds in Northwest Indiana at 8pm in the area of the storm with the tornado. This is a favorable environment for a tornado especially with surface vorticity and convergence in the neighborhood. |
Additional environmental data.
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| Figure 7: Tornadic environments often need moisture and strong low level winds. A strong low level jet and a very moist atmospheric column is evident in this photo at the spot of the tornado. | Figure 8: Low LCLs are important for cells to produce tornadoes. This photo indicates that the LCLs were right around 1000m or in the upper limits for LCLs to form tornadoes. | Figure 9: Instability is another important ingredient in the formation of severe thunderstorms. Here, SBCAPE has risen to over 1000 J/kg in the area of the tornado. |
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| Figure 10: 5pm Equivalent potential temperature indicating areas of warmth and moisture showing a drastic change across the area from little warmth/moisture to more warmth/moisture. | Figure 11: 8pm Equivalent potential temperature indicating areas of warmth and moisture showing more warmth and moisture has moved into the area. |
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