Power Outage in Bluffton, IN

Nearby AWOS and ASOS reported wind gusts of 40 knots or more near the 9 AM hour. Frequent gusts of 40 to 50 mph from west and northwest were observed in the area through the early afternoon. These wind gusts resulted in instances of tree damage and subsequent power outages.

Light snow overspread the area on the afternoon of January 25th. A transition to a freezing rain, freezing drizzle, and sleet occurred the night of January 25th and extending into January 26. Snow and sleet accumulations totaled less than an inch. Ice accretions of 0.10 to 0.20 inches were reported resulting in some slide offs along with some power outages.

Periods of freezing rain with temperatures near freezing accumulated to between 0.10 and 0.20 across the area on New Year's Day, mainly during the morning and early afternoon hours. This led to a few reports of tree limbs down and spotty power outages across the region. There were also reports of a few car accidents as roads were slick in spots.

Trees, tree limbs, power lines and poles were all reported down in spots across the county.

The same supercell that produced a tornado in Grant |County moved east and underwent several storm mergers as it moved |over eastern Grant County. The merger caused the thunderstorm to |shift southeastwards with time before mirroring the Blackford and |Wells County lines. This thunderstorm produced a tornado with |multiple vortices, and had a width of approximately 1200 yards at |its widest. This tornado tracked from north of Roll, IN to north of |Montpelier, IN to near Nottingham, IN. The tornado lifted just east |of Highway 1. There were two significant injuries reported at a |dairy farm where EF-3 damage occurred. EF-3 damage was observed in two locations. The first was at a dairy |farm on county road 700 West north of the county line. A well built |structure sustained major damage consistent with winds of 150 mph. |Numerous other buildings at this location sustained significant |damage and several cows also died. Further east, about 1 mile east |of county road 500 west, a large power transmission tower was |toppled in the middle of a field. Winds were estimated at 140 mph at |this location. Numerous other buildings sustained EF-0 to EF-1 |damage and some EF-2 damage was also observed. Many trees were |topped or uprooted all along the path of this tornado.

The same supercell that produced a tornado in Grant |County moved east and underwent several storm mergers as it moved |over eastern Grant County. The merger caused the thunderstorm to |shift southeastwards with time before mirroring the Blackford and |Wells County lines. This thunderstorm produced a tornado with |multiple vortices, and had a width of approximately 1200 yards at |its widest. This tornado tracked from north of Roll, IN to north of |Montpelier, IN to near Nottingham, IN. The tornado lifted just east |of Highway 1. There were two significant injuries reported at a |dairy farm where EF-3 damage occurred. EF-3 damage was observed in two locations. The first was at a dairy |farm on county road 700 West north of the county line. A well built |structure sustained major damage consistent with winds of 150 mph. |Numerous other buildings at this location sustained significant |damage and several cows also died. Further east, about 1 mile east |of county road 500 west, a large power transmission tower was |toppled in the middle of a field. Winds were estimated at 140 mph at |this location. Numerous other buildings sustained EF-0 to EF-1 |damage and some EF-2 damage was also observed. Many trees were |topped or uprooted all along the path of this tornado.

Long duration sustained winds of 35 to 45 mph with gusts 50 to 55 mph occurred across the county, resulting in trees, tree limbs and power poles suffering damage.

Freezing rain, at times mixed with sleet, accumulated up to 0.20 inches in spots on February 12th. Numerous slide-offs and minor accidents occurred across the county. Many schools and some businesses were closed on February 12th due to the icy conditions. Fallen tree branches were reported across the region, with many onto roads and power lines creating scattered power outages.

Reports of trees and power lines down which resulted in some damage to cars and some structural damage of houses.

Light snow developed during the late evening hours of January 31st and became heavy at times February 1st into early February 2nd. Rain mixed in with the snow during the morning and early afternoon hours of February 1st which limited snow accumulations somewhat. Total snow accumulations generally ranged from near 4 inches in far southern portions of the county to as much as 9 inches in far northern Wells County. Numerous events were cancelled across the region, along with reports of slide-offs and accidents due to snow covered and slick roads. The heavy, wet, nature of the snow also led to sporadic power outages.

Temperatures dropped into the single digits and teens below zero as arctic air filtered in behind a powerful winter storm that dropped more than a foot of heavy snow on the region. Strong westerly winds, with gusts between 30 and 40 mph, created deadly wind chills and significant blowing and drifting snow. Dangerous winds chills between 30 and 45 degrees below zero were common. The extremely cold temperatures and significant blowing snow kept many north-south roads impassable or restricted to single lanes. There were numerous reports of accidents and slide-offs across the region due to the slick roadways, with many businesses and schools closed each day.

A trained spotter reported wind gusts to 63 mph along with power outages.

Moderate rain overspread the region on February 26th. Surface temperatures hovered near freezing during the morning hours which allowed the rain to freeze on mainly elevated surfaces. Ice accretions near a tenth of an inch were common on trees, power lines, bridges, and overpasses. This combined with wind gusts to 30 mph aided in downing a few tree limbs. There were also reports of isolated power outages and accidents across the region.

Widespread trees down and power outages across town.

A large tree limb was reported down on Marion Street, just north of Central Avenue. The limb fell onto a power line, knocking out power to the area.

Very windy conditions were seen across the area on December 9th as a deep area of low pressure tracked into Michigan. Wind gusts between 45 and 60 mph were common during the late morning and afternoon hours. There were reports of power lines and trees down across the region due to the strong winds, which resulted in isolated power outages.

Scattered to numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines down were noted by county officals.

Mixed wintry precipitation overspread the area late December 18th and continued through about 09:00 am on December 19th. Precipitation started out as a brief period of snow and sleet before changing over to moderate freezing rain. The area picked up a quarter of an inch or more of ice accumulation. Utility companies reported numerous power outages across the county due to ice accumulation on trees and power lines.

County officials reported trees and power lines down in the area.

Several trees and power lines were blown down.

Numerous reports of trees and power lines down across the county.

Two to four tenths of an inch of ice covered roads and power lines, creating hazardous driving conditions and widespread power outages along with tree limbs downed. No injuries or deaths were reported in the county.

Winds from a circulation which failed to touchdown caused numerous small branches to be blown down with many being blown into a pile against a golf cart. Minor damage was observed to the facade of a barn. Eyewitnesses reported a funnel cloud just around the intersection of US 124 and CR 500 E, west of the residence. A small branch was found in a power line but no damage occurred to any power lines, poles or larger trees. A pick up truck has its window blown out, with the window on the east side. Damage is estimated at around $300.

Numerous trees, tree limbs, and power lines down.

Numerous reports of damage to buildings, trees, tree limbs, power lines and poles were received across the county. A pole barn was flattened south of Bluffton, as well as a tree being blown down onto a semi travelling on US 224. An air conditioner unit was blown off the top of the Ossian Elementary School, striking a building. A county sheriff's car was damaged while enroute to a alarm call during the storm. The officer's car struck a large tree that fell onto the road. A wind gust of 63 mph was recorded at the Bluffton police department. Surveys from local emergency and NWS officials found evidence of the formation of gustnadoes where concentrated areas of damage were observed.

Lightning struck a house northwest of Murray. Residents initially reported little more than a brief loss of power. Shortly thereafter, smoke was detected and all residents evacuated with fire breaking out in the upper part of the two and a half story building. Resulting damage to the structure and its contents were estimated at around $30,000.

Power lines and several tree branches were reported down in the city of Bluffton.

A significant ice storm affected portions of northern and central Indiana beginning early on the 5th of January and continuing into the 6th. Locations generally along and south of a Francesville to Fort Wayne line experienced ice accumulations ranging from a quarter inch to nearly 2 inches. Numerous reports of trees, tree limbs and power lines knocked down were received. The damage, combined with many areas of power outages and dangerous driving conditions forced schools in the area to close, with some remaining closed for several days as cleanup continued. Some locations were without power for nearly a week after the storm. The hardest hit counties were Grant, Jay and Blackford where 1.5 to 2 inches of ice accumulated, resulting in power loss to nearly 80 percent of all property in each county. One death, indirectly related to the storm, was reported in Adams county. A 44 year old man was found dead as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning. The gentleman was running a generator in his garage as a result of the power outage. Another resident of the home was not affected by the carbon monoxide. An injury was reported in Portland in Jay county. A firefighter was injured when a tree branch fell onto his head. The branch cracked the helmet and face mask and cut his face.

An intense area of low pressure moving across Michigan produced sustained winds of 40 MPH with measured gusts to 60 MPH across all of Northern Indiana, Northwest Ohio and Southwest Lower Michigan from late morning through early evening. Widespread reports of trees and power lines downwere received from law enforcement across the region.

Winds gusted to 65 MPH behind a strong cold front that moved across the region during the late afternoon and evening. Numerous power outages occurred with trees and power lines down. Damage was reported to some roofs with extensive damage to the Knox City Court Building in Starke County.

Trees and power lines were blown down.

An unusually strong cold front moved through the region during the daylight hours of the 9th. A strong pressure gradient existed with the front as 3 hour pressure falls of 4 millibars ahead of the front combined with 3 hour pressure rises of 11 millibars. Winds just above the surface ranged from 70 to 80 mph. The combination of these 2 factors was tapped by a narrow line of showers immediately ahead of the cold front. Widespread reports of trees, tree limbs and power lines being blown down were received as surface winds of 50 to 70 mph were experienced by many areas.

Power line down