The hazards to know

Northwest Indiana faces a mix of weather risks year-round: severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and derechos (a recent example being the August 11, 2026 derecho that tracked across northern Illinois and Northwest Indiana with widespread wind damage and embedded tornadoes, lake-effect snow and winter storms, where cold air moving over Lake Michigan can dump a foot or more of snow, along with ice storms and dangerous wind chills; flooding along the Little Calumet River, Deep River, and other waterways, plus shoreline flooding in Lake and Porter counties from heavy rain, or snowmelt; and extreme heat and cold, which cause more deaths nationally than any single storm type, with lake humidity worsening summer heat indexes and Canadian air masses driving severe winter wind chills.

Before a disaster

Sign up for alerts through your county’s emergency management agency and the National Weather Service. Lake and Porter counties are primarily served by NWS Chicago (weather.gov/lot); LaPorte County and points east are primarily served by NWS Northern Indiana (weather.gov/iwx). Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts on your phone and consider a NOAA Weather Radio for power-independent alerts.
Know your county EMA: Lake County Emergency Management & Homeland Security, Porter County Emergency Management, and LaPorte County Emergency Management all maintain local alert and resource pages.
Build a basic kit for each household member: water (one gallon per person per day, three-day minimum), non-perishable food, a battery or hand-crank flashlight, a first-aid kit, medications, a phone charger/power bank, cash, and copies of important documents. Keep this in your safe room or somewhere easily accessible.
Non-perishable food can include
Canned goods along with a manual can opener
Pouched Foods, like tuna along with a pair of scissors
Ready to eat foods that don’t require refrigeration
Uncooked pasta/rice (for use if you still have use of the burners on your stove)
Powdered milk
Several cases of water
Bag for personal items (waterproof if possible)
Underwear, socks
Change of clothes
Extra pair of gym shoes/boots
Pajamas
Hairbrush or comb
Tweezers/scissors
Extra medication
Identify a safe room for tornadoes — a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
Make a family communication plan: an out-of-town contact, a meeting place, and a plan for pets.
If you’re in a flood-prone or lakeshore area, know your flood risk and consider flood insurance (standard homeowner’s policies don’t cover flooding).

During severe weather

Tornado warning: Go to your safe room immediately. Cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and vehicles are not safe shelter — get to a sturdy building.
Winter storm/lake-effect snow: Avoid unnecessary travel, especially in or downwind of a lake-effect band, where visibility can drop to near zero in minutes. Keep a winter car kit (blankets, food, shovel) if you must drive.
Flooding: Never drive through flooded roads — most flood deaths happen in vehicles. Move to higher ground if water is rising.
Extreme heat/cold: Limit outdoor exposure, check on elderly neighbors and relatives, and never leave people or pets in a parked car.

After a disaster

Check yourself and others for injuries before helping others.
Photograph damage before cleanup for insurance purposes.
Avoid downed power lines and standing water near electrical sources. Never go near those!
For federally or state-declared disasters (like the August 2026 severe storms), check Indiana DHS’s disaster resources page for assistance programs, and your county EMA for local relief information. Call 211 for resource help.

Key local resources

Indiana Dept. of Homeland Security — Emergency Management & Preparedness: in.gov/dhs/emergency-management-and-preparedness
Lake County Emergency Management & Homeland Security: lakecountyin.gov/departments/emergency-mgmt
Porter County Emergency Management: portercountyin.gov/174/Emergency-Management
LaPorte County Emergency Management (via LaPorte County government site)
National Weather Service Chicago: weather.gov/lot
NWS Northern Indiana: weather.gov/iwx
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Remember: you may not have Internet/web services immediately after or days after an occurrence. Investing in a NOAA weather radio, which does not rely on power or Internet, may be a good solution.

This document is a general reference, not official emergency guidance — always follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service during an actual event.