Weather
Northern Indiana Weather: October 26' Rainfall Falls 2 Inches Below Normal
Fort Wayne, IN – October 2026 ended unusually dry across northern Indiana and neighboring portions of Michigan and Ohio, with several communities recording significant rainfall deficits following exte
By Erin Vale · 2026-11-01T23:14:26.337Z
Fort Wayne, IN – October 2026 ended unusually dry across northern Indiana and neighboring portions of Michigan and Ohio, with several communities recording significant rainfall deficits following extended stretches without measurable precipitation.
According to the National Weather Service Northern Indiana office, all seven reporting locations included in its November 1 climate summary finished October with below normal precipitation. Some locations experienced dry periods lasting more than a week, contributing to widespread monthly rainfall shortfalls.
Fort Wayne Among Hardest Hit Locations Fort Wayne recorded just 0.80 inches of rainfall during October, finishing 2.15 inches below its normal monthly total.
South Bend received 2.05 inches, falling 1.67 inches below normal, while Goshen recorded 1.84 inches, a deficit of 1.14 inches.
At the National Weather Service office near North Webster, rainfall totaled 2.85 inches, only 0.23 inches below normal.
The differences highlight how precipitation varied considerably across northern Indiana, even as every reporting location ended the month with a deficit.
Michigan and Ohio Also Report Rainfall Shortages The dry conditions extended beyond Indiana.
Benton Harbor, Michigan, received 2.56 inches of rain, finishing 1.60 inches below normal.
In northwest Ohio, Lima recorded only 0.75 inches , falling 1.94 inches below its October average.
Defiance received 1.84 inches, a deficit of 0.48 inches.
The National Weather Service attributed the monthly shortages partly to several extended dry stretches and relatively few days with measurable rainfall.
While the report confirms widespread below normal precipitation, it does not establish that every affected community is experiencing official drought conditions.
With November underway, additional rainfall will be important in determining whether these precipitation deficits continue or begin to improve.
Residents can monitor updated forecasts and precipitation outlooks through the National Weather Service at weather.gov/iwx .