By: Staff Report
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
Damaging winds, large hail and an isolated tornado possible this afternoon and evening across northwest Ohio and northern Indiana
MONTPELIER — The National Weather Service has placed all four counties in The Village Reporter’s primary coverage area — Williams, Fulton, Defiance and Henry — under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch until 6 p.m. Monday, with damaging straight-line winds, large hail and the possibility of an isolated tornado as a strong cold front sweeps across the region.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch No. 220, issued by the NWS Storm Prediction Center and relayed by the NWS Northern Indiana office in Syracuse at 11:02 a.m. EDT, blankets a 37-county footprint stretching from northern Indiana and southwest Michigan into northwest Ohio. The watch covers 24 Indiana counties, five Michigan counties, and eight Ohio counties — including, in addition to the four local counties, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Allen counties in Ohio, and Allen, DeKalb, Steuben, Noble, LaGrange, Elkhart and St. Joseph counties in northern Indiana.
What the Watch Means
A severe thunderstorm watch means conditions are favorable for severe storms to develop within the watch area. It is not a warning. A warning will be issued by the National Weather Service if a storm meeting severe criteria — winds of 58 mph or greater, hail one inch in diameter or larger, or a tornado — is detected by radar or reported by trained spotters.
Residents should remain weather-aware, keep a NOAA weather radio or mobile alerts active, and be ready to move to a sturdy interior room or basement if a warning is issued for their location.
The Storm Prediction Center had placed northern Indiana, southern Michigan and northwest Ohio in a Slight Risk (Level 2 of 5) for severe weather Monday, with damaging wind gusts to 60 mph, large hail and the possibility of an isolated tornado the chief concerns. Warm, humid surface conditions paired with a strong cold front are expected to fuel storm development during the afternoon heating window.
Cities Named in the Watch
Cities specifically named within the watch area include Bryan, Montpelier, Edgerton, Hicksville, Defiance, Napoleon, Liberty Center, Wauseon, Delta, Archbold, Swanton, Sherwood, Antwerp, Paulding, Continental, Leipsic, Ottawa, Pandora, Columbus Grove, Van Wert, Ohio City, Payne, Fort Wayne, New Haven, Auburn, Garrett, Kendallville, Angola, Fremont, Ligonier, Topeka, Shipshewana, LaGrange, Goshen, Elkhart, Mishawaka, South Bend and Granger.
If a Warning Is Issued
Move to the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. An interior room — a bathroom, closet or hallway — offers the most protection. Mobile homes and outbuildings do not offer protection from severe thunderstorm winds or tornadoes. Have a plan to move to a sturdy structure before a warning is issued.
Stay off the roads if at all possible during the warning period. Hail, downed limbs and reduced visibility make highway travel hazardous. Bring pets and outdoor animals inside, and secure loose objects — trash cans, patio furniture, lawn ornaments — that 60-mph gusts can turn into projectiles. Keep cell phones charged in case of power outages, and have a flashlight within reach.
Report Storm Damage
The National Weather Service welcomes storm reports from the public. Reports of hail (with size), wind damage, downed trees and flooding can be submitted through the NWS Northern Indiana office’s “Submit a Storm Report” page at weather.gov/iwx, by tagging @NWSIWX on social media, or by calling the office at 574-834-1104.
Updated information will be posted at thevillagereporter.com as conditions develop.