Category Archives: SKYWARN

IDHS encourages Hoosiers to check on neighbors

Photo of icicles with words "dangerous cold" superimposedThe Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) is encouraging Hoosiers to check on their neighbors, especially those who may be elderly or have special or functional needs.

IDHS issued a news release on the topic this afternoon.

“We all need help every now and then,” said John Erickson, IDHS director of public information in the news release. “Take some time to check on your neighbors.”

IDHS suggests calling first to confirm the neighbor is comfortable with receiving a visit. The department’s also offered other suggestions, including:

Meanwhile, a Wind Chill Warning continues this afternoon, tonight and tomorrow morning for much of northern Indiana. According to the National Weather Service, meteorologists expect prolonged, dangerous wind chill temperatures of -15 to -30 Fahrenheit through midday tomorrow. The combination of wind and cold could cause frostbite within minutes on any exposed skin.

Wind Chill Warning issued January 07 at 11:08AM EST until January 08 at 12:00PM EST by NWS

…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST /11 AM CST/ THURSDAY… HAZARDOUS WEATHER… * WIND CHILL…PROLONGED DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY.
View the full statement on the NWS website.

Bands of lake-effect snow could reduce visibilities today

Radar image showing IWX CWABands of lake-effect snow will cause reduced visibilities in a large portion of north-central and northeastern Indiana today, according to a Special Weather Statement the northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service issued at 9:55 a.m.

Visibilities could fall to approximately one half mile in the heaviest snow bands.

The Special Weather Statement (which appears in its entirety below) covers the following Indiana counties: Adams, Allen, Fulton, Huntington, Kosciusko, Marshall, Miami, Noble, Wabash, Wells and Whitley.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
955 AM EST WED JAN 7 2015

INZ008-014>018-023>027-071800-
NOBLE-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-MIAMI-WABASH-
HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...ALBION...
PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...CULVER...ROCHESTER...AKRON...WARSAW...
WINONA LAKE...SYRACUSE...MENTONE...COLUMBIA CITY...TRI-LAKES...
SOUTH WHITLEY...FORT WAYNE...NEW HAVEN...PERU...GRISSOM AFB...
MEXICO...WABASH...NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...ROANOKE...
BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR...BERNE
955 AM EST WED JAN 7 2015

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW TODAY...

BANDS OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW ARE CURRENTLY IMPACTING PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN INDIANA. WHILE TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE GENERALLY
LIGHT...VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCED TO AROUND ONE HALF MILE IN
THE HEAVIER BANDS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND BE
PREPARED FOR RAPID CHANGES IN VISIBILITIES.

Special Weather Statement issued January 07 at 9:55AM EST by NWS

…LAKE EFFECT SNOW TODAY… BANDS OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW ARE CURRENTLY IMPACTING PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA. WHILE TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE GENERALLY LIGHT…VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCED TO AROUND ONE HALF MILE IN THE HEAVIER BANDS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND BE PREPARED FOR RAPID CHANGES IN VISIBILITIES.
View the full statement on the NWS website.

Wind Chill Warning issued January 07 at 4:07AM EST until January 08 at 12:00PM EST by NWS

…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST /11 AM CST/ THURSDAY… HAZARDOUS WEATHER… * WIND CHILL…PROLONGED DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY.
View the full statement on the NWS website.

Wind Chill Warning issued January 06 at 8:52PM EST until January 08 at 12:00PM EST by NWS

…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST /11 AM CST/ THURSDAY… HAZARDOUS WEATHER… * WIND CHILL…PROLONGED DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY. IMPACTS…
View the full statement on the NWS website.

Wind Chill Warning issued January 06 at 3:13PM EST until January 08 at 12:00PM EST by NWS

…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO NOON EST /11 AM CST/ THURSDAY… HAZARDOUS WEATHER… * WIND CHILL…PROLONGED DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY.
View the full statement on the NWS website.

Wind Chill Warning issued January 06 at 12:48PM EST until January 08 at 12:00PM EST by NWS

…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO NOON EST /11 AM CST/ THURSDAY… HAZARDOUS WEATHER… * WIND CHILL…PROLONGED DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY.
View the full statement on the NWS website.

Wind Chill Warning issued January 06 at 10:13AM EST until January 08 at 12:00PM EST by NWS

…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO NOON EST /11 AM CST/ THURSDAY… HAZARDOUS WEATHER… * WIND CHILL…PROLONGED DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY.
View the full statement on the NWS website.

NWS N. Ind. cancels Winter Weather Advisory, issues Wind Chill Warning

Map showing locations of wind chill warning and advisory

The storm system that dropped a few inches of snow in northern Indiana, southern Lower Michigan and northwestern Ohio moved on quickly this morning, leading the northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service (NWS) to cancel early its Winter Weather Advisories for all but Berrien County, Michigan.

The office issued a new Wind Chill Warning, however, for most of the counties in its coverage area, including Allen County, Indiana (see map above) and a Wind Chill Advisory for several other counties. They both take effect at 10 p.m. EST tonight and run until noon Thursday.

In the area covered by the Wind Chill Warning, the NWS expects prolonged, dangerous wind chill temperatures of -15 to -30 degrees Fahrenheit.  In the advisory area, the NWS expects prolonged wind chill temperatures of -10 to -25 degrees F.

As you can see in the chart below, at a wind chill of -18, frostbite can occur after 15 or fewer minutes of exposure.

Wind chill chart
Source: http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ddc/?n=windchill