These explainers cover general patterns, not today's forecast. For current conditions and official alerts, use Right Now or the Emergency view.
Tornado Season
Is Northwest Indiana in Tornado Alley?
Not the classic one, which is centered on the Great Plains, but Northwest Indiana does get tornadoes, and the trend is moving its way. A 2018 study of U.S. tornado reports and storm environments since 1979 found activity trending down in parts of the central and southern Great Plains — the classic “Tornado Alley” — and up in parts of the Midwest and Southeast. If you camp or drive through Indiana, Illinois, or Ohio in spring and early summer, build a simple habit: a WATCH means tornadoes are possible, so review your plan and know where you'd shelter; a WARNING means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar, so act immediately.
Read the full La Porte County guide →
Sources: Gensini & Brooks, npj Climate and Atmospheric Science (2018) · NWS: watch vs. warning · NWS: what to do during a tornado
Lake Effect
Lake-effect snow, explained for travelers
When cold air — often from Canada — moves over the open, relatively warm water of the Great Lakes, it picks up heat and moisture and drops it as narrow, intense snow bands downwind. The National Weather Service notes those bands can drop 2 to 3 inches of snow an hour or more while the sun shines a mile or two away, and wind direction decides who gets hit. That's why La Porte County and the lakeshore belts of Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, and Wisconsin can go from clear to whiteout in a few miles.
Read the full La Porte County guide →
Sources: NWS: lake-effect snow · NWS: winter storm travel safety
Derecho Risk
Derechos: fast-moving storms that can bring hurricane-force winds
A derecho is a fast-moving band of thunderstorms whose straight-line winds do widespread damage along a long path — NOAA notes those winds can reach hurricane force. That's enough to shove a high-profile van or drop trees on a campsite, and the line moves fast. NWS warns for them with severe thunderstorm warnings, and the most destructive of those go straight to phones as emergency alerts. The setup often shows up hours ahead in Storm Prediction Center outlooks and mesoscale discussions, so check them when a hot, humid pattern is forecast. Keep a NOAA Weather Radio handy too: it still works when cell towers or power go down.
Read the full La Porte County guide →
Sources: NOAA: what is a derecho? · SPC: facts about derechos · SPC mesoscale discussions · NWS: Wireless Emergency Alerts · NOAA Weather Radio
Flooding
Why warmer air can produce heavier downpours
Warmer air holds more water vapor, and that extra moisture has to go somewhere. The Fifth National Climate Assessment found that the amount of rain and snow falling in the heaviest 1% of events rose 45% in the Midwest between 1958 and 2021. On the road, the most important rule is the NWS's “Turn Around, Don't Drown”: just 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars, and 2 feet can carry away SUVs and trucks.
Read the full La Porte County guide →
Sources: Fifth National Climate Assessment, Chapter 24: Midwest (NOAA archive) · EPA: extreme precipitation · NWS: Turn Around, Don't Drown
Grid-Down
What extended power outages mean for cold-weather travel
Ice storms and high-wind events can knock out power across rural Midwest counties for days. If you count on shore power or a nearby town to charge batteries, plan as if the grid will be down right when you need it: charge everything before the storm, carry backup power and warm layers, and never run a generator, grill, or camp stove inside a vehicle, tent, or garage — carbon monoxide is invisible, odorless, and deadly.
Sources: Ready.gov: power outages · CDC: avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning · NWS: winter storm safety
Climate Pattern
Why the weather has felt more intense, not just hotter
It's not your imagination. A warming climate doesn't just nudge the average temperature up — it shifts the odds toward some extremes. Heavy downpours have become more frequent across the Midwest since the 1950s, and extreme heat events are projected to increase. Understanding that shift is the whole reason this site exists.
Sources: Fifth National Climate Assessment, Chapter 24: Midwest (NOAA archive) · EPA: extreme precipitation