Blizzard — Northern La Porte County, Indiana

2022-12-22 to 2022-12-24 · Northern La Porte County, Indiana

Event narrative

A major winter storm brought snow and blowing snow that led to blizzard conditions at times from early Friday morning through Saturday afternoon. Storm total snowfall amounts ranged from 3 to 6 inches along the Toll Road to as high as 10 to 14 inches closer to the Indiana-Michigan stateline. A cooperative observer reported 14 inches of storm total snowfall 1 mile WSW of LaPorte, IN. Widespread blowing and drifting snow led to blizzard conditions at times with wind gusts as high as 50 mph. Numerous slide-offs and accidents were reported which included Interstate 80. Travel became very difficult to impossible with several road closures reported.

Wider weather episode

A long duration winter storm affected all of northern Indiana with multiple hazards across including heavy snow, blowing snow, strong winds, whiteouts, and dangerous wind chills. Blizzard conditions were experienced across portions of northwest and north central Indiana. Snowfall amounts ranged from 1 to 4 inches across most of northern Indiana, but higher amounts of 5 to 9 inches were reported along and north of Interstate 80 across northwest Indiana due to lake effect and lake enhancement. The storm brought very difficult to impossible travel conditions across the area. High impacts to travel were reported even across areas which experienced the lower snowfall totals. Dangerous winds chills of 20 below to 40 below zero were reported from late Friday night through late Saturday night.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1062178. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.