NWS-confirmed 83 mph wind gust, downed power poles strike Noble & Kosciusko Cos. IN

A powerful line of severe thunderstorms moved through northern Indiana on the evening of Wednesday, September 16, 2026, producing a measured wind gust of 83 mph at Bear Lake in Noble County and leaving behind downed trees, snapped power lines, and toppled utility poles across Noble and Kosciusko counties. The National Weather Service office in Northern Indiana (NWS IWX) confirmed multiple storm reports from the event through the Storm Prediction Center storm report archive, documenting a band of wind and hail damage stretching from Noble County into adjacent Kosciusko and Allen counties.

Communities including Bear Lake, Albion, Rome City, Kendallville, Avilla, Warsaw, Syracuse, and New Haven were all within or near the storm’s track on September 16. If you live or own property in any of these areas, now is the time to assess your home or building for damage before fall weather compounds any issues — and before hidden problems like moisture intrusion develop into something far more costly. This article is general information only and does not constitute legal or insurance advice.

What the National Weather Service Confirmed

NWS Northern Indiana (IWX) documented several significant storm reports from the September 16, 2026 event. All of the following are NWS-confirmed via the Storm Prediction Center storm report archive:

• 83 mph wind gust at Bear Lake, Noble County: A measured gust of 83 mph was recorded at Bear Lake — a peak intensity that rivals a Category 1 hurricane threshold — accompanied by multiple trees and power lines downed along 475 West.
• 1.00-inch hail at Bear Lake, Noble County: NWS IWX confirmed dime- to quarter-sized hail, measuring 1.00 inch in diameter, at the Bear Lake location during the same storm event.
• Power poles downed near Albion, Noble County: Utility infrastructure sustained direct impact, with downed power poles confirmed by NWS IWX near Albion.
• Numerous trees downed near Lake Wawasee, Kosciusko County: The Lake Wawasee area of Kosciusko County — a lakeside community with significant tree canopy — sustained multiple tree-fall events confirmed by NWS IWX.
• Large tree downed in the Lake Everett area, Allen County: The storm’s reach extended into Allen County, where NWS IWX confirmed a large tree was downed in the Lake Everett area.

Wind at 83 mph generates forces well beyond what most residential structures are engineered to absorb without some degree of impact. Properties that appear intact from the street may still have sustained damage to roofing systems, siding fasteners, flashing, gutters, or soffit panels that isn’t visible from the ground. Hail in the dime-to-quarter-size range carries enough kinetic energy to bruise or crack asphalt shingles, dent metal components, and compromise gutter systems in ways that may only become apparent weeks later — typically when interior leaks appear.

For the most current and official storm data, you can review reports at weather.gov.

What Homeowners in Bear Lake, Albion, Rome City, Kendallville, Avilla, Warsaw, Syracuse, and New Haven Should Check Now

Whether you were home during the storm or are returning to find debris across your property, a methodical post-storm inspection is your first move. Work through the following checklist carefully — and if you’re ever unsure what you’re seeing, call a professional before climbing a ladder or getting onto the roof.

Roof

• From the ground, scan for missing, lifted, or visibly curled shingles. Binoculars help if the roofline is steep or high.
• Check your gutters for an accumulation of asphalt granules — heavy granule loss after a storm is a reliable indicator that shingles absorbed hail impact.
• Pay close attention to ridge caps and hip shingles, which are typically the first elements to fail in high-wind events.
• Look for dark patches, exposed decking, or any section of the roofline that appears uneven, sagging, or out of plane.
• After the next rain, inspect your attic for active water entry: wet or discolored insulation, dripping, or water staining on rafters and sheathing.

Siding

• Walk the full perimeter of the structure looking for cracked, dented, split, or missing siding panels.
• Check for panels that have pulled away from the wall — even a narrow gap is enough for moisture and pests to find their way inside.
• Look for impact denting on vinyl or aluminum siding, particularly on south- and west-facing elevations, which tend to bear the brunt of midwestern storm tracks.
• Inspect trim boards, fascia, and soffits carefully for splits, cracks, or sections that have separated from the structure.

Trees and Yard

• Inspect trees for split trunks, partially hanging limbs (often called “widow-makers”), or signs of root heave at the base. Do not attempt to remove large suspended limbs yourself.
• Look for branches or large debris that may have landed on the roof, against HVAC equipment, or on fencing without being immediately obvious.
• Check outbuildings, detached garages, and fence lines for structural damage or fasteners that have pulled loose.

Gutters and Downspouts

• Check gutter seams and hanger hardware for separation from the fascia board — high-wind events commonly pull gutters partially or fully loose.
• Examine the face of metal gutters for denting consistent with hail impact.
• Confirm that all downspouts are still securely connected and properly directing water away from the foundation.

Water Intrusion

• Check around window and door frames for new gaps, broken seals, or water staining along interior perimeters.
• Inspect basement walls and floor-to-wall joints for fresh moisture, efflorescence (white mineral deposits), or new cracks.
• If your home has a crawlspace, look for standing water or newly saturated insulation following the storm event.

If You Find Damage

If your inspection turns up damage — or if something simply doesn’t look right — the steps you take in the next few days carry real weight for both your immediate safety and your insurance process.

Stay safe first. Do not enter or assess areas where structural integrity is uncertain. If a tree has made contact with your roof, do not go into the attic until a professional has confirmed it is stable. If you have downed power lines on or near your property, contact your utility provider immediately and keep people and animals well clear of the area. For general preparedness and safety guidance, visit ready.gov.

Document everything before cleanup begins. Take date-stamped photos and video of all visible damage — exterior and interior — before moving any debris or making temporary repairs. Capture wide-angle shots to establish context, then close-ups of specific damage points. This documentation is important for your insurance claim and should be preserved carefully.

Make temporary protective repairs if necessary. If your roof has an exposed section or a window is broken, take reasonable steps to prevent further water entry — tarping, boarding, or covering — and keep all material receipts. Most policies allow for emergency protective measures and may reimburse reasonable costs.

Notify your insurance carrier promptly. Contact your insurer to report storm damage from September 16, 2026. Most policies have a reporting window, and delays can create complications further into the process.

Work with a licensed restoration contractor. A qualified contractor can document damage in detail, prepare a scope of repairs, and be present at your property when the adjuster arrives to ensure all storm-related damage is properly observed and recorded. Allied Emergency Services is an Illinois-licensed storm damage restoration contractor with more than a decade of experience helping Midwest homeowners get their properties repaired after severe weather. Allied documents damage, delivers detailed repair estimates, and performs covered repairs — and our team can coordinate an on-site meeting with your adjuster so that nothing gets missed. Allied is a licensed restoration contractor and does not act as a public adjuster or negotiate or settle insurance claims on homeowners’ behalf.

Contact Allied Emergency Services — 24/7

If you’re in Noble County, Kosciusko County, Allen County, or anywhere along the September 16 storm track through northern Indiana and you have concerns about your property, Allied Emergency Services is available around the clock.

• Call 24/7: (800) 792-0212
• Text ESTIMATE to: (844) 907-2546

Founded in 2015, Allied Emergency Services has spent more than a decade on the front lines of storm restoration across Illinois and the greater Midwest. We understand the urgency of stabilizing a property quickly and working efficiently through the insurance repair process so you can return to normal sooner. Learn more about our storm damage restoration approach and reach out today — storms don’t wait, and neither should you.