Fort Wayne, Indiana – Drivers of high-profile vehicles could feel sudden jolts on area highways by 7 a.m. Friday as southwest wind gusts surge toward 45 mph across the region.
According to the National Weather Service in Northern Indiana, a Wind Advisory runs from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST Friday for a wide stretch of northern Indiana, southwest Michigan and northwest Ohio. Sustained southwest winds of 20 to 30 mph will combine with gusts up to 45 mph, strong enough to blow around unsecured objects and snap small tree limbs.
The advisory covers major population centers including Fort Wayne, South Bend, Elkhart, Warsaw and Huntington in Indiana; St. Joseph and Branch counties in Michigan; and communities such as Defiance, Van Wert and Paulding in Ohio. Along Interstate 69, the Indiana Toll Road and U.S. 30, crosswinds may make travel difficult, especially for semis, box trucks and school buses.
Utility crews across the three-state region are preparing for sporadic power outages as limbs strain under repeated gusts. Residents should secure patio furniture, trash bins and holiday decorations before winds peak late morning through midafternoon.
Winds will gradually ease after sunset Friday, but breezy conditions could linger into the evening. The advisory remains in effect until 7 p.m., and additional statements are possible if gusts trend higher.
