South Bend, Ind. – Northern Indiana is transitioning from smoky skies to a heightened threat of severe thunderstorms, with forecasters warning that Saturday afternoon could bring damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall across much of the region.
According to the National Weather Service in Northern Indiana, lingering smoke from Canadian wildfires will continue to improve through this evening, allowing Air Quality Alerts to expire by Saturday. Attention then turns to a cold front expected to trigger scattered thunderstorms Saturday, with the greatest severe weather threat developing between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. EDT.
The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded nearly all of northern Indiana to a Level 2 of 5 (Slight Risk) for severe thunderstorms. Confidence is low to medium that storms will become severe, with the exact northern extent of the threat depending on the timing of the approaching cold front.
The primary concern will be damaging wind gusts exceeding 60 mph, though isolated large hail and locally heavy downpours are also possible. Communities including South Bend, Fort Wayne, Warsaw, Plymouth, Elkhart, La Porte, Goshen and Angola should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions Saturday afternoon.
Motorists should expect reduced visibility and ponding on roadways during heavier storms, while strong wind gusts could down tree limbs and produce isolated power outages. Residents are encouraged to secure outdoor furniture, have multiple ways to receive weather warnings and move indoors immediately if a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued.
The National Weather Service will issue another forecast briefing Saturday morning as confidence in the timing and intensity of the storms improves.
