A line of powerful thunderstorms moved across northwest Indiana during the evening hours of August 4th.  These storms produced widespread and significant wind damage.

Thunderstorm Wind in LAKE, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 19:25:00 to 04-AUG-08 19:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: MUNSTER
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Several trees were blown down near Van Buren Avenue and 30th Street.  One tree fell onto a car.

Thunderstorm Wind in JASPER, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 21:05:00 to 04-AUG-08 21:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: RENSSELAER
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Several tree limbs were blown down in Rensselaer including one large limb near Cherry and Melville Streets.

Thunderstorm Wind in PORTER, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 19:48:00 to 04-AUG-08 19:48:00 (CST-6)
Location: TREMONT
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several 8 inch diameter tree limbs were blown down at Indiana Dunes State Park.

Thunderstorm Wind in LAKE, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 19:20:00 to 04-AUG-08 19:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: (GYY)GARY MUNI ARPT
Magnitude: 59.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

A wind gust was measured to 68 mph at Gary Airport.

Thunderstorm Wind in LAKE, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 19:33:00 to 04-AUG-08 19:33:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRIFFITH
Magnitude: 70.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A wind gust to 80 mph was measured at Main Street and Cline Avenue.

Thunderstorm Wind in BENTON, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 23:19:00 to 04-AUG-08 23:22:00 (EST-5)
Location: BOSWELL
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Wind damage was evident beginning one mile south of Boswell near U.S. 41 and extending southeast along a fairly continous path for about 3 miles.  Most of the damage was due to straight line winds, likely from a microburst.  Twenty pine trees, 18 to 24 inches in diameter, were snapped off.  Damage extended southeast to Meridian Road near 850 South.

Thunderstorm Wind in BENTON, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 23:19:00 to 04-AUG-08 23:19:00 (EST-5)
Location: BOSWELL
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Utility poles were blown down at the Benton County Fairgrounds.

Tornado in BENTON, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 23:20:00 to 04-AUG-08 23:21:00 (EST-5)
Location: CHASE
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 5.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A brief tornado touched near 7651S and 125W.  A tool shed was destroyed and crop damage indicated swirling winds.

Thunderstorm Wind in LAKE, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 23:07:00 to 04-AUG-08 23:07:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRIFFITH
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Wind gusts were estimated to 60 mph in Griffith.

Thunderstorm Wind in PORTER, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 19:58:00 to 04-AUG-08 19:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: CHESTERTON
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

Numerous tree limbs were blown down.  Part of a utility pole was blown down along with some power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind in LAKE, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 19:49:00 to 04-AUG-08 19:49:00 (CST-6)
Location: MERRILLVILLE
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Four trees and numerous tree limbs were blown down in Merrillville.

Thunderstorm Wind in LAKE, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 19:50:00 to 04-AUG-08 19:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: COLE ARPT
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Property damage: 35.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Newspaper

A garage and part of a house along Wisconsin Street were ripped apart by strong winds.

Thunderstorm Wind in PORTER, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 20:00:00 to 04-AUG-08 20:01:00 (CST-6)
Location: VALPARAISO
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several trees and tree limbs were blown down.  One tree was blown onto a house.  A large tree was blown down in Tower Park.  The roof of a restaurant was blown off a sandwich shop.

Tornado in LAKE, INDIANA
From 04-AUG-08 19:27:00 to 04-AUG-08 19:31:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRIFFITH
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A tornado touched down just northeast of the Ridge Road and Cline Avenue intersection.  Damage occurred at the Griffith Park Plaza Mall where windows were blown out of a row of stores and a portion of a roof was blown off of a vacant store.  The damage path continued to the east, behind the mall.  Two parked semi-trailers in the back of the mall were shifted eastward while a third was completely knocked over.  The area to the east of this mall in the subdivision along and north of 37th Avenue near Lafayette Avenue and Rensselaer Avenue sustained some of the strongest wind damage from this tornado.  Two houses on Lafayette Avenue had their roofs blown off with another house on Rensselaer Avenue also having its roof collapsed and a garage door pushed inward.  Other significant damage that occurred was at the Habitat for Humanity storage building at Colfax and Ridge Road.  Here, a cinder block storage building completely toppled to the ground.  Although the building was knocked over, it appears as though the main cause of it faltering was due to a large tree that fell on top of it.  At a nearby gas station within feet of this building, no damage occurred and people actually witnessed the tornado descend on the shelter.