Fort Wayne weather turned volatile late Tuesday night into early Wednesday as thunderstorms pushed through the region with heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and periods of gusty wind. Updates issued through 1: 00am ET described storms weakening overnight but still capable of noisy conditions and pockets of small hail. The latest outlook also pointed to a broader severe setup for Wednesday, with large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes possible from early afternoon into the evening.
Live storm timeline: Watches and overnight impacts
At 5: 00pm ET Tuesday, storm coverage and watches were beginning to take shape, with a Flood Watch noted for areas north of US 24 through Wednesday morning. By 5: 15pm ET, a Tornado Watch was issued to the west, covering Benton, Jasper, and Newton Counties in northwest Indiana, while storm development was being monitored as thunderstorms began forming in central Illinois.
By 7: 45pm ET, a Tornado Watch was issued for Kosciusko, LaGrange, and Steuben Counties until 2: 00am ET. The update highlighted close monitoring of a cell described as having a history of spinning up, moving into Lake County, Indiana.
At 10: 15pm ET, the tornado threat was described as “almost nothing” as a supercell in northwest Indiana weakened. Forecasters warned, however, that another line of thunderstorms was expected overnight into Wednesday morning, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, and isolated flooding.
By 1: 00am ET, thunderstorms were continuing to weaken as they moved into the area, but heavy downpours were still expected through the night into the morning. Occasional gusty wind of up to 60 mph and small hail remained possible, along with frequent lightning and thunder.
Fort Wayne Weather outlook: Severe storms likely Wednesday
The broader setup for Wednesday included the potential for severe thunderstorms capable of large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes from early afternoon into the evening. The risk area referenced for Wednesday included a level 2 of 5 covering the eastern half of the Tri-State, following conditions that developed after temperatures surged into the upper 70s on Tuesday.
Beyond the severe window, the outlook called for cooler air filtering in for Thursday after storms move out Wednesday night. Thursday morning lows were expected to dip into the lower 30s, with highs around 53 in the afternoon under sunny skies. Friday and Saturday were expected to bring milder air back with partly sunny skies and highs in the low to middle 60s.
Tornado siren issues after statewide test: Officials urge multiple alert methods
Separate from the storm track itself, tornado siren reliability became an immediate concern after a statewide test Tuesday morning. The Baugo Township Fire Department said both tornado sirens in the township are not functioning. The Bremen Police Department said some of its tornado sirens appear to be having issues.
Officials urged residents to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts. Residents with a NOAA Weather Radio were encouraged to test their device to ensure it is working properly, and residents were also advised to confirm mobile phones are set to receive emergency notifications and alerts.
Officials stressed that if tornado sirens are heard Tuesday night, the alert should be treated as a real warning and residents should take shelter immediately unless otherwise specified. They also cautioned that the absence of outdoor sirens does not mean a tornado is not imminent.
What’s next through early next week
After Wednesday’s storms, the forecast turns cooler into Thursday before moderating again into the weekend. Sunday’s high was expected to climb to 70 ahead of a cold front, with thunderstorms possible again Sunday afternoon and evening. As colder air arrives, rain may briefly mix with snow early Monday morning, and the week was expected to start with highs in the upper 30s Monday and the middle 40s Tuesday.
For residents tracking fort wayne weather in real time, the key message from officials remains readiness: keep multiple alert methods available and treat any siren activation as urgent unless specifically stated otherwise.
