2009 Hartford City, Indiana Tornado

**2009 Hartford City, Indiana Tornado**

The ***2009 Hartford City, Indiana Tornado***  was a destructive EF4 tornado which struck the county seat of Blackford County, Indiana on April 17, 2009. The tornado caused moderate damage in Shamrock Lakes, before causing extensive damage to Hartford City.

## Meteorological history

The Storm Prediction Center had issued a hyper-rare Day 2 High Risk of Severe Thunderstorms for portions of the Midwestern United States on April 16, 2009 in anticipation of a major tornado and severe thunderstorm outbreak. The SPC maintained the high risk into the D1 outlook, with high dew points and strong wind shear being noted across east central Indiana. This in combination with CAPE values in the ripe spot for strong tornadoes led to a 60% + hatched tornado risk being added in the 1630Z outlook for that region. Models showed discrete supercells developing in the mid afternoon hours across southwestern Indiana, they were forecast to move northeast, bringing the threat for tornadoes with them. The Storm Prediction Center placed most of Indiana and Ohio under a PDS Tornado Watch at 3:36PM, with a >95% chance of all hazards, the first one ever documented.

### **The supercell -**

The supercell that would produce the tornado developed in south central Indiana around 4:00PM, moving northeast quickly. The first tornado that the cell would produce was a high-end EF2 that caused significant damage to New Castle, before the storm took a turn northwest in a unusual path. It absorbed another cell as it moved through central Madison County, taking a very strange turn northeast towards Blackford and Grant Counties. The National Weather Service in Northern Indiana placed all of Grant and most of Blackford Counties under a tornado warning at 5:58PM, with the text stating "*This is a violent storm, with a history of producing a destructive tornado in Henry County. Another strong to violent tornado may touch down at any time!*". The storm produced a funnel cloud at 6:19PM in extreme northwestern Delaware County as it crossed the county line on approach towards Shamrock Lakes.

### **Shamrock Lakes -**

The funnel moved northeast, finally touching down at 6:27PM about 3 miles southwest of Shamrock Lakes, the smallest incorporated community of Blackford County. It moved northeast, producing significant damage on the outskirts of Shamrock Lakes, this would later be recognized as high-end EF2 damage. The tornado moved into the Crestwood neighborhood of Shamrock Lakes, destroying several homes and tearing one home off of it's foundation in high-end EF4 damage. This is where 8 of the 137 deaths would occur. The tornado moved through the center of Shamrock Lakes, fluctuating between EF3 and EF4 intensity. Extensive damage was reported in Shamrock Lakes as the tornado moved out of the town at 6:35PM.

### **Hartford City -**

 File:Tornado Damage 101.jpg
The wedge tornado prompted a rare tornado emergency for Hartford City and Shamrock Lakes at 6:33PM, with the text stating "*A large, violent, and destructive tornado was located over the community of Shamrock Lakes*". It would reach peak intensity as it neared Hartford City at 6:41PM. It moved into Hartford City, destroying many homes at 6:44PM. The other 129 deaths would occur in Hartford City as most of the town was devastated. The tornado would weaken to a EF3 as it moved through the center of Hartford City. Meanwhile, The VORTEX team was tracking the violent tornado in Blackford County, when the tornado took a turn towards them. They were forced to flee Blackford County to avoid the tornado.

### **Lifting -**

The tornado would weaken to a EF2 after moving through the middle of Hartford City and Shamrock Lakes as a EF4. It would weaken to a EF1 and eventually a EF0. It finally lifted at 7:01PM.

### **Aftermath -**

Many in Hartford City and Shamrock Lakes described the damage as "apocalyptic" with many houses being completely destroyed. Despite clear evidence of EF5 damage in Hartford City and Shamrock Lakes, the National Weather Service in Northern Indiana only rated the tornado a high-end EF4. In the end, 137 deaths would be confirmed. This made the tornado the deadliest in Indiana state history, but would be overshadowed almost exactly 9 years later by a tornado which struck Hartford City as well. The Historic Blackford County Courthouse would have to be rebuilt due to the tornado, with most of the city's infrastructure being devastated. Shamrock Lakes would have a much quicker road to recovery, as the town had recovered mostly by 2020. Hartford City's recovery efforts would be slowed in 2018 by a devastating EF5 tornado. FEMA declared Blackford County a disaster zone as flash flooding would make the already dangerous situation worse.