The northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service published the above infographic today to explain the heat index that will appear in forecasts and advisories this week.
What does the heat index really mean?
All posts by Jay Farlow
NWS received delayed info on Peru tornado
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| Peru, Indiana homes damaged by July 10, 2013 tornado. Emergency management agency photo from NWS Facebook page. |
By guest blogger Michael Lewis, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service, Northern Indiana office
The National Weather Service (NWS) northern Indiana office received delayed reports of storm damage when an EF-1 tornado hit Peru, Indiana July 10. The northern Indiana office is located near North Webster and is responsible for issuing warnings for all of Miami County (of which Peru is county seat). The same office issues warnings for neighboring Wabash and Grant Counties. (See a map of all counties warned by the northern Indiana office.)
It is fortunate that the Peru tornado lasted for only five minutes and 3.5 miles. The absence of first-hand damage reports affected the warning process; requiring National Weather Service forecasters to rely on radar data and limited surface-based meteorological conditions as they issued subsequent warnings. In other words, the lack of timely and credible damage reports made the warning process more challenging. Had reports of damage been received closer to the actual time of occurrence, forecasters would have been able to refocus on other meteorological and radar data, and changed the message and content of the subsequent impact-based warnings.
As the storms continued to organize, strengthen and move east, the Northern Indiana NWS office searched for details of damage in the warned areas. This included searching numerous social media sites, making phone calls and listening to police and fire radio transmissions. The office continued to issue warnings as it gathered reports of wind damage, torrential rainfall and large hail.
Shortly after 3:11 p.m., a Facebook post indicated that damage had occurred in Peru but it didn’t provide complete details.
The NWS office received its first reliable information of the situation in Peru at 3:57 p.m., nearly two and a half hours after the tornado struck! At that time, a media partner forwarded a message that an Indianapolis journalist had posted in an Internet chat room devoted to the Indianapolis NWS office. The Indianapolis journalist relayed a report of extensive damage that he received from Kris Marks, the Miami County Emergency Management Agency director.
NWS northern Indiana office meteorologists surveyed the damage in Peru the day after the storm. During that survey, several local officials stated that reports of damage had been forwarded to news media in Indianapolis — not the National Weather Service. During the discussion with several other residents who witnessed the damaging storm, the common statement was that they rely on Indianapolis media because “that’s where they get their weather from.”
Public safety officials and the media in every community need to understand how the weather alert system works. They need to understand that reliable reports of storm damage must be forwarded to the appropriate NWS office as soon as possible.
These reports are critical to a successful warning process. While the damage was already done in Peru, such damage reports critically affect warnings for the next township, community and county over. While the Indianapolis news media broadcasts warning information, official tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings for Miami County and many other counties in the same area originate from the National Weather Service office in northern Indiana. The media cannot issue warnings that trigger the NOAA Weather Radio and Emergency Alert Systems. Any delay in reporting damage to the NWS can therefore significantly affect public safety.
Fortunately in this event, warnings were issued and the event occurred during daylight hours; no lives were lost. It is critical to understand that the next time we may not be as fortunate.
Failure by local officials to relay reports to the appropriate NWS office hinders the NWS’ ability to issue warnings and prevents the NWS from fulfilling it’s mission of saving lives.
My thanks to Michael Lewis for this first-hand perspective of the issue. -W9LW
Dangerous heat wave this week
The northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service published the above infographic this morning to help residents prepare for a dangerous heat wave it has forecast.
Continued slight risk of severe weather Friday
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| Purple area: 30 percent or higher probability of severe thunderstorms within 25 miles of a point between 8 a.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday.. |
Extreme northern Indiana and Ohio continue to have a slight risk of severe weather between 8 a.m. EDT Friday, July 19 and 8 a.m. EDT Saturday, July 20, according to the Day 5 Convective Outlook that the National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Prediction Center issued today. The risk area includes Allen County, Indiana and Indiana counties to the north and west of Allen County. It also includes Paulding County, Ohio and Ohio counties to the north and east of Paulding County. The current risk area does not include Huntington, Wells, Adams, Blackford or Jay Counties of Indiana, nor Van Wert or Allen Counties of Ohio.
The severe thunderstorms are most likely late Friday into Saturday, according to a Hazardous Weather Outlook issued today by the northern Indiana NWS office.
Out next look at the risk of severe weather for Friday comes in the Day 4 Convective Outlook that SPC will issue early tomorrow morning.
NWS prepares residents for heat wave, severe storms possible Friday
Northern Indiana, northwestern Ohio and extreme southern lower Michigan could experience a prolonged period of hot and humid weather this week, according to a Hazardous Weather Outlook from the northern Indiana National Weather Service (NWS) office. The outlook forecasts that high temperatures of approximately 90 degrees Monday through Friday, combined with high humidity, will yield afternoon heat indices (“feels like” temperatures) of between 95 and 100 degrees.
The NWS is advising resident to make sure they’re prepared for the heat. Drink plenty of water, check on elderly neighbors, and never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle.Much more valuable heat safety information is available on the NWS website. This information is of particular importance to anyone who plans to attend a summer festival this week, including Fort Wayne’s Three Rivers Festival.
In addition, there is a risk of severe thunderstorms in northern Indiana between 8 a.m. EDT Friday and 8 a.m. EDT Saturday, according to a Day 6 convective outlook the NWS Storm Prediction Center issued today. The risk area includes almost all but the southernmost counties served by the northern Indiana NWS office (see map below). All of Allen County, Indiana is included in the risk area, so this could be another issue for the Three Rivers Festival.
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| Yellow area: 30% or higher probability for severe thunderstorms within 25 miles of a point between 8 a.m. EDT Thursday, July 20 and 8 a.m. EDT Saturday, July 21. |
Still more work needed on weather radio antenna
Public Information Statement
Statement as of 10:48 AM EDT on July 12, 2013
…Fort Wayne NOAA Weather Radio broadcast on low power through the weekend…
The Fort Wayne NOAA Weather Radio broadcast…wxj-58 at 162.550 mhz…will continue to broadcast at low power through the weekend.
Maintenance continued today to repair the low power and degraded signal issues that the transmitter has been experiencing over the past few weeks…and it has been determined that additional parts are needed to complete the repairs. These repairs are expected to take place on the morning of Monday July 15th.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. This statement will be updated when further information becomes available.
Peru tornado damage not reported to NWS
Tornado confirmed near Peru, Indiana
A National Weather Service damage survey team confirmed today that an EF-1 tornado touched down near Peru, Indiana July 10. Meteorologists estimate that the twister contained 95 mph winds. It was on the ground for 3.5 miles and lasted only five minutes. See photographs of some of the damage.
The tornado touched down at 1:28 p.m. NWS had not issued tornado warning. The tornado was probably too small to be detected by Doppler radar. NWS did, however, issue a severe thunderstorm warning for the same area at 1:19 p.m., nine minutes before the tornado touched down. NWS had issued a severe thunderstorm watch that included Miami County at 12:35 p.m., 53 minutes for the tornado touched down.
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| Thunderstorm warning issued at 1:19 p.m. Covered the area within yellow outline. |
The moral to this story: Do not ignore severe thunderstorm warnings! Severe thunderstorms can and do produce tornadoes quickly. Plus, even without a tornado, a severe thunderstorm can do as much damage as a weak tornado.
P.S. Thanks to the Iowa Environmental Mesonet website for making it easy to research previous-day warnings, etc.
Second tower climb needed for weather radio antenna
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
333 PM EDT THU JUL 11 2013 /233 PM CDT THU JUL 11 2013/
...FORT WAYNE NOAA WEATHER RADIO BROADCAST ON LOW POWER THROUGH
FRIDAY...
THE FORT WAYNE NOAA WEATHER RADIO BROADCAST...WXJ-58 AT 162.550
MHZ...WILL CONTINUE TO BROADCAST AT LOW POWER THROUGH THE DAY ON
FRIDAY. MAINTENANCE BEGAN TODAY TO REPAIR THE LOW POWER AND DEGRADED
SIGNAL ISSUES THAT THE TRANSMITTER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING OVER THE
PAST TWO WEEKS. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE FROM A LIGHTNING
STRIKE...AND FURTHER MAINTENANCE IS NEEDED ON FRIDAY JULY 12TH TO
RESTORE THE BROADCAST TO FULL POWER. THE WEEKLY TEST OF THE NOAA
WEATHER RADIO WILL NOT BE CONDUCTED ON FRIDAY JULY 12TH FOR THE FORT
WAYNE TRANSMITTER. THE NEXT PLANNED WEEKLY TEST WILL BE CONDUCTED ON
WEDNESDAY JULY 17TH BETWEEN 11 AM AND NOON EDT.
THIS STATEMENT WILL BE UPDATED WHEN FURTHER INFORMATION BECOMES
AVAILABLE.
Afternoon storms cause much damage
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| A photo from Twitter of structure damage in Peru, Indiana from today’s storms. |
The northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service issued the report below. It provides a preliminary summary of storm damage reported to the NWS from any of the counties the northern Indiana office serves.
The office also issued a public information statement which indicates it has confirmed no tornado activity during today’s storms but that it plans to send survey teams into the field tomorrow to evaluate storm damage.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
745 AM EDT THU JUL 11 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 PM TSTM WND DMG DONALDSON 41.36N 86.44W
07/10/2013 MARSHALL IN PUBLIC
MANY UPROOTED TREES
1203 PM TSTM WND DMG PLYMOUTH 41.34N 86.31W
07/10/2013 MARSHALL IN PUBLIC
TREE PARTIALLY BLOWN DOWN ONTO GARAGE IN PLYMOUTH. TIME
ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
1213 PM TSTM WND GST 2 W BOURBON 41.30N 86.15W
07/10/2013 E50 MPH MARSHALL IN PUBLIC
1221 PM TSTM WND GST 2 W BOURBON 41.30N 86.15W
07/10/2013 E60 MPH MARSHALL IN PUBLIC
PEA SIZED HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL REDUCING
VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO.
1235 PM TSTM WND DMG S WARSAW 41.24N 85.85W
07/10/2013 KOSCIUSKO IN PUBLIC
1 FT DIAMETER TREE LIMBS DOWN ONTO HOUSE
1242 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SE SYRACUSE 41.42N 85.74W
07/10/2013 KOSCIUSKO IN NWS EMPLOYEE
3 TREE BRANCHES DOWN BETWEEN 1 AND 2 FEET IN DIAMETER
ALONG SR 13. 1 FOOT DIAMETER TREE SNAPPED 15 FEET ABOVE
THE BASE.
1253 PM TSTM WND GST TUNKER 41.05N 85.56W
07/10/2013 E60 MPH WHITLEY IN FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
PEA SIZED HAIL AND 60 MPH WIND GUST AT 200W AND IN 114
IN WHITLEY COUNTY
0125 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 N ANDREWS 40.89N 85.60W
07/10/2013 HUNTINGTON IN EMERGENCY MNGR
LARGE LIMB DOWN BLOCKING PORTING OF MAPLE GROVE ROAD
EAST OF SR 105 IN HUNTINGTON COUNTY. TIME ESTIMATED FROM
RADAR.
0130 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 WNW HUNTINGTON 40.91N 85.59W
07/10/2013 HUNTINGTON IN EMERGENCY MNGR
LARGE LIMB DOWN BLOCKING PART OF 750 W NORTH OF US 24
IN HUNTINGTON COUNTY. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
0130 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 WSW HUNTINGTON 40.87N 85.53W
07/10/2013 HUNTINGTON IN EMERGENCY MNGR
TREE DOWN BLOCKING RANGELINE ROAD WEST SOUTHWEST OF
HUNTINGTON. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
0130 PM TSTM WND DMG WALTON 40.66N 86.24W
07/10/2013 CASS IN EMERGENCY MNGR
WIDESPREAD TREE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE FROM WALTON TO
ONWARD FROM STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.
0140 PM TSTM WND DMG BRYAN 41.47N 84.55W
07/10/2013 WILLIAMS OH FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
POWER POLE DOWN ON CENTER STREET WITH LARGE LIMBS DOWN
IN TOWN.
0140 PM TSTM WND DMG MELBERN 41.47N 84.65W
07/10/2013 WILLIAMS OH EMERGENCY MNGR
TRAIN DERAILMENT NEAR MELBERN. MULTIPLE REPORTS OF
TREES AND POWER LINES NEAR TOWN.
0145 PM TSTM WND GST 3 W MARION 40.56N 85.72W
07/10/2013 E60 MPH GRANT IN TRAINED SPOTTER
0145 PM TSTM WND GST MARION 40.56N 85.66W
07/10/2013 M64 MPH GRANT IN TRAINED SPOTTER
MEASURED 64 MPH WIND GUST WITH LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN.
0145 PM TSTM WND GST GRISSOM AFB 40.66N 86.15W
07/10/2013 M70 MPH MIAMI IN AWOS
0150 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NNW MARION 40.57N 85.67W
07/10/2013 GRANT IN EMERGENCY MNGR
TREE DOWN BLOCKING LAWSON ROAD NEAR SR 15 IN MARION.
TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
0150 PM TSTM WND DMG MARION 40.56N 85.66W
07/10/2013 GRANT IN TRAINED SPOTTER
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN TOWN OF MARION AND THROUGHOUT
COUNTY
0200 PM TSTM WND DMG DEFIANCE 41.28N 84.36W
07/10/2013 DEFIANCE OH 911 CALL CENTER
TREE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE ACROSS MOST OF THE COUNTY
0203 PM TSTM WND DMG DEFIANCE 41.28N 84.36W
07/10/2013 DEFIANCE OH EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER POLE DOWN HOUSE ON ADAMS STREET IN DEFIANCE.
0204 PM TSTM WND DMG NAPOLEON 41.39N 84.13W
07/10/2013 HENRY OH EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE TREES DOWN ACROSS THE CITY OF NAPOLEON.
0204 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 E ROLL 40.55N 85.37W
07/10/2013 BLACKFORD IN TRAINED SPOTTER
TEN TO FIFTEEN 3-4 FOOT DIAMETER TREES UPROOTED. ALSO A
2 FOOT DIAMETER TREE SNAPPED.
0204 PM TSTM WND GST 1 E ROLL 40.55N 85.37W
07/10/2013 E80 MPH BLACKFORD IN TRAINED SPOTTER
HIGHEST MEASURED GUST BEFORE ANEMOMETER BROKE.
0205 PM TSTM WND DMG MONTPELIER 40.55N 85.28W
07/10/2013 BLACKFORD IN AMATEUR RADIO
NUMEROUS LARGE TREES DOWN
0205 PM TSTM WND DMG HARTFORD CITY 40.45N 85.37W
07/10/2013 BLACKFORD IN TRAINED SPOTTER
ONE TREE UPROOTED...SEVERAL LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN. ONE
SMALL TREE BLOWN DOWN.
0207 PM TSTM WND GST 3 NW HARTFORD CITY 40.48N 85.41W
07/10/2013 E60 MPH BLACKFORD IN EMERGENCY MNGR
AT THE INTERSECTION OF 200 N AND 200 W
0208 PM TSTM WND DMG PENNVILLE 40.49N 85.15W
07/10/2013 JAY IN COUNTY OFFICIAL
WIDESPREAD TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN OVER THE NORTHERN
HALF OF JAY COUNTY...SOME ROADS ARE BLOCKED
0208 PM TSTM WND DMG NAPOLEON 41.39N 84.13W
07/10/2013 HENRY OH EMERGENCY MNGR
WIDESPREAD SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTY. 3 UTILITY TRAILERS PUSHED ACROSS THE PARKING LOT
AT THE EOC.
0211 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 SE HUNTINGTON 40.87N 85.48W
07/10/2013 HUNTINGTON IN EMERGENCY MNGR
WATER COVERING THE ROAD IN HIERS PARK.
0218 PM TSTM WND DMG OHIO CITY 40.77N 84.62W
07/10/2013 VAN WERT OH EMERGENCY MNGR
SIX INCH DIAMETER LIMB DOWN IN OHIO CITY.
0218 PM TSTM WND DMG PORTLAND 40.43N 84.98W
07/10/2013 JAY IN EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES DOWN ON CAMPER TRAILERS AND POWER LINES ACROSS
TRAILERS. TENTS AT THE JAY COUNTY FAIR WERE BLOWN OVER.
NO INJURIES.
0220 PM TSTM WND GST VAN WERT 40.87N 84.58W
07/10/2013 M50 MPH VAN WERT OH EMERGENCY MNGR
0220 PM TSTM WND GST HAMLER 41.23N 84.03W
07/10/2013 M64 MPH HENRY OH TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE LIMBS DOWN IN EXCESS OF 8 INCHES. MEASURED 64 MPH
WIND GUSTS WITH ESTIMATED HIGHER GUSTS.
0220 PM TSTM WND GST 3 SE ELERY 41.27N 84.04W
07/10/2013 M64 MPH HENRY OH TRAINED SPOTTER
MEASURED 64 MPH GUST WITH 8 INCH TREE LIMBS DOWN ON
TRUCK.
0220 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 N BANQUO 40.71N 85.62W
07/10/2013 HUNTINGTON IN EMERGENCY MNGR
WATER ACROSS THE ROADWAY ON SR105 SOUTH OF 800S AND
SOUTH OF 900S
0221 PM TSTM WND DMG VAN WERT 40.87N 84.58W
07/10/2013 VAN WERT OH EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER LINES DOWN ON A CAR IN VAN WERT.
0221 PM TSTM WND DMG VAN WERT 40.87N 84.58W
07/10/2013 VAN WERT OH EMERGENCY MNGR
MULTIPLE TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES DOWN. ONE 2 FT TREE
DOWN.
0223 PM TSTM WND GST JONESTOWN 40.77N 84.51W
07/10/2013 E50 MPH VAN WERT OH EMERGENCY MNGR
0228 PM TSTM WND DMG PORTLAND 40.43N 84.98W
07/10/2013 JAY IN COUNTY OFFICIAL
TWO UTILITY POLES DOWN IN PORTLAND
0229 PM HEAVY RAIN 5 E DECATUR 40.83N 84.83W
07/10/2013 M1.50 INCH ADAMS IN TRAINED SPOTTER
FELL IN THE LAST 30 MINUTES
0233 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 N NAPOLEON 41.42N 84.13W
07/10/2013 M1.75 INCH HENRY OH TRAINED SPOTTER
1.75 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 2 PM.
0234 PM HEAVY RAIN MARION 40.56N 85.66W
07/10/2013 M1.33 INCH GRANT IN TRAINED SPOTTER
1.33 INCHES SINCE 130 PM.
0247 PM TSTM WND GST 3 E HUME 40.66N 84.15W
07/10/2013 E80 MPH ALLEN OH TRAINED SPOTTER
MULTIPLE POWER LINES DOWN
0250 PM TSTM WND DMG LIMA 40.74N 84.11W
07/10/2013 ALLEN OH EMERGENCY MNGR
SEVERAL REPORTS OF TREES DOWN THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
0252 PM TSTM WND GST 5 ESE LIMA 40.71N 84.02W
07/10/2013 M63 MPH ALLEN OH ASOS
0255 PM TSTM WND GST COLUMBUS GROVE 40.92N 84.06W
07/10/2013 M51 MPH PUTNAM OH TRAINED SPOTTER
SEVERAL 4 INCH TREE LIMBS DOWN.