A Tornado Warning and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning were in effect for parts of the South Bend viewing area early Saturday as a line of storms moved through the region. The tornado warning lasted until 1:30 a.m. Saturday for Elkhart County, St. Joseph County, Marshall County and Kosciusko County in Indiana and southwestern Cass and southeastern Berrien County in Michigan.
The severe thunderstorm warning covered St. Joseph, northwestern Fulton, Eastern Pulaski County, Starke County, Marshall County and LaPorte County in Indiana, along with Cass and Berrien counties in Michigan, until 1:30 a.m. Saturday. A tornado watch remained in effect until 3 a.m. Saturday, keeping the threat alive even after the warning lines were drawn down.
The warnings came as severe weather chances were expected to return again Friday night with a large cold front moving through the area. Most of the region was under a Slight risk for severe weather, a level 2 out of 5, while far eastern counties were under a Marginal risk, or level 1 out of 5. Damaging winds were the main concern, though an isolated tornado and isolated damaging hail could not be ruled out.
For Saturday, the weather south bend forecast called for much cooler temperatures in the 40s and 50s, with rain chances during the day expected to stay low. The sharp drop in temperatures was the immediate payoff of the front that stirred up the overnight storms, but the region still had to get through the night before the calm arrived.
