As official surveys of damage continued yesterday, National Weather Service experts found evidence of additional tornadoes from the June 30 – July 1 overnight storms. As of this morning, surveyors have identified seven tornado touchdowns with at least one in each of the following counties:
- Marshall
- Kosciusko
- Wabash
- Whitley
- Lagrange
Nonetheless, tornadoes were responsible for neither of the deaths that occurred. Strong, straight-line, thunderstorm winds blew down both of the trees that killed a 14-year-old boy in Winona Lake and a 64-year-old man at Big Long Lake in Lagrange County. Here’s a link to the latest survey results on the NWS website.
Tornadoes are dangerous, but severe thunderstorms cause statistically more damage and injuries than do tornadoes in northeastern Indiana, southern Lower Michigan and northwestern Ohio. That’s why it doesn’t make sense to ignore severe thunderstorm warnings and to take action only when the NWS issues tornado warnings.
Pass the word. Share this message on your social media networks (see the buttons below for your convenience) and elsewhere. Severe thunderstorms are dangerous. The next time the NWS issues a severe thunderstorm warning for your area, pay attention and take shelter. And if you don’t have a way to be awakened when the NWS issues such warnings in the middle of the night, get a weather alert radio.