Near 1 a.m., Notre Dame students were informed of a tornado warning in St. Joseph County via ND Alert, the University’s emergency notification system. The warning sent students into the lowest floors of their residence halls for nearly half an hour.
The National Weather Service defines a tornado warning as a situation in which “a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.”
WNDU reported Friday afternoon on the potential for tornado activity in the Michiana area between midnight and 2 a.m.
Students received an email between 12:46-12:48 a.m. from ND Alert, followed by SMS messages between 12:53-12:54 a.m.
The message stated, “ND Alert Emergency System: A tornado warning has been issued for St. Joseph County. Go to the lowest level of the building you are in and take cover. If you are outside, seek shelter immediately. Follow the local media or National Weather Service for updates.”
The tornado was not sighted on campus at Notre Dame, Saint Mary’s or Holy Cross. At the peak of the tornado, WNDU’s live weather report noted that wind speeds had reached 60 miles per hour.
The National Weather Service reported that its warning had ended at 1:15 a.m. ND Alert communicated the change one minute later, stating, “ND Alert Emergency System: The tornado warning for St. Joseph County has EXPIRED. Be sure to monitor the local media or the National Weather Service for the latest updates.”
According to WNDU reporter Andrew Whitmyer, as of 1:15 a.m., “multiple little kinks in the line that promoted tornado warnings, and as of now, I don’t see anything on the radar that screams rotation, which is fantastic news.”
He noted a requirement to stay vigilant and aware until at least 3 a.m.
