Microbursts in early Thursday morning storm down trees, lines, close school

Text and PhotosBy Deb PattersonStaff WriterA strong thunderstorm rumbled through the Lakeland area around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, May 23, causing trees to topple across roads and some on power lines; in a few places homes were damaged from downed trees. Due to the numerous downed trees on roads, Wawasee Community School Corporation closed school for the day.Some area residents reported hearing a constant roar when the storm hit.Officials with National Weather Service Northern Indiana reported radar showed a squall line with the storm that had 60 mph winds with microbursts of 70-80 mph winds. Officials indicated there may have been quick, weak tornadoes but nothing was shown on radar; however, they are still collecting photos and data to review. “For now we’re saying straight line winds,” the official stated.NIPSCO and REMC reported hundreds to thousands in the area without power. According to the NIPSCO outage map, the highest outage reported in the area was Syracuse with 287. They also showed approximately 5,562 without power in the Warsaw area with the ZIP code of 46580, which includes the Barbee Lake area. REMC’s outage map showed more than 500 customers without power in the Lakeland area. It was late Friday before some residents had power restored.Kosciusko County Highway Department reportedly had numerous locations where trees were downed, including some on power lines, which could not be removed until utility companies shut off the power.Three to four homes on Northshore Drive, Syracuse, and a tree on a car at 308 N. Main St., Milford, along with the destruction of a pump house on Beer Road were among those sustaining damage to property. There were also several trees and/or large limbs down on the Maxwelton Golf Course property that is adjacent to Northshore Drive.