Alert archive / Wisconsin / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 49, NWS Milwaukee, WI

July 20, 1987Marathon County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 20, 1987, 10:13 PM CDT for Marathon County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 47 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 20, 1987, 10:13 PM CDT (03:13 UTC)
Expired
Jul 20, 1987, 11:00 PM CDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Whole counties

County Marathon County, WI

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 00:00Z, 3.2 hours before the alert went out and 139 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 1987-07-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 1987-07-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 346 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1520 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
346 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
393 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KMKE 210313
SVRMKE
WIC073-210400-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
1013 PM CDT MON JUL 20 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTY OF

CENTRAL WISCONSIN...MARATHON

AT 1005 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR
ATHENS IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF MARATHON COUNTY...OR ABOUT 22
MILES WEST/NORTHWEST OF WAUSAU.

THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST/SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.  A COUPLE CITIES
IN THE PATH OF THE STORM ARE MARATHON AND WAUSAU.

REMEMBER..SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
A TORNADO WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING..SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.

STUREY

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 20, 6:05 PM CDT, 4 hours 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
605 PM CST MON JUL 20 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR SOUTHERN WISCONSIN

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR DANE COUNTY HAS EXPIRED...

AT 6 PM CDT A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED MAINLY WEST-
NORTHWEST TO EAST-SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE MADISON AREA.  THIS LINE HAS
WEAKENED AND DOES NOT SEEM A FURTHER THREAT TO DANE COUNTY.  WIND GUSTS
AT TRUAX FIELD IN MADISON WAS 35 MILES AN HOUR FROM THE NORTHEAST AT
513 PM CDT.  REPORTS OF UNCONFIRMED FUNNELS WERE RECEIVED FROM ARENA..
CROSS PLAINS AND SOUTHWEST MADISON.  RADAR DID NOT INDICATE FORMATION
IN THOSE AREAS.

ADDISON
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 6:25 PM CDT, 3 hours 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
625 PM CST MON JUL 20 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR SOUTHERN WISCONSIN

AT 620 PM CDT A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM LONE
ROCK TO WHITEWATER OR TO 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MADISON.  THIS LINE WAS
MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT ABOUT 25 MPH.  HIGH WINDS OF 35 TO 50 MPH HAVE
OCCURRED WITH THIS LINE AS IT MOVES SOUTHWARD.  VERY HEAVY RAIN AND LOW
DARK CLOUDS HAVE BEEN NOTED WITH THE LINE.

ADDISON
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 6:52 PM CDT, 3 hours 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
650 PM CDT MON JUL 20 1987

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 640 PM...RADAR SHOWED A BAND OF RATHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
EASTERN OZAUKEE COUNTY TO THE WAUKESHA AREA IN WAUKESAH COUNTY...
SOUTHWEST INTO WALWORTH COUNTY NEAR WHITEWATER OR 43 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF MILWAUKEE.

45 TO 50 MPH WERE REPORTED IN CEDERBURGH IN OZAUKEE...OR 18 MILES
NORTH OF MILWAUKEE...THE PAST 15 MINUTES.

STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL AFFECT PARTS OF
OZAUKEE...MILWAUKEE...WAUKESHA...WALWORTH AND RACINE COUNTIES
THROUGH 800 PM.  STORMS MAY ENTER KENOSHA COUNTY AFTER 700 PM IF
THEY HOLD TOGETHER.

WINDS O0F 40 TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE AS THESE STORMS MOVE THROUGH.
BOATERS ON LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PORT WASHINGTON TO RACINE SHOULD
SEEK SAFE HARBOR.
^
STUREY
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 6:59 PM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
658 PM CST MON JUL 20 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN
WISCONSIN...

AT 655 PM CDT A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEW
GLARUS OR 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MADISON TO 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
MILWAUKEE.  THIS LINE WAS MOVING TO THE SOUTH AT ABOUT 25 MPH.  THE
HEAVY RAIN AND WINDS ARE BECOMING WEAKER AND LESS INTENSE.  NO OTHER
SEVER>E WEATHER HAS OCCURRED SINCE 6 PM CDT.

ADDISON
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 9:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
858 PM CDT MON JUL 20 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO PRICE AND TAYLOR COUNTIES...

AT 855 PM...RADAR SHOWED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER
SOUTHWEST PRICE COUNTY AND NORTHWEST TAYLOR COUNTY. THE STRONGEST STORM
WAS ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF KENNAN IN SOUTHWEST PRICE COUNTY...OR
ABOUT 56 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF RHINELANDER.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. HOWEVER STRONG
GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...AND SOME HAIL ARE POSSIBLE.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND WILL AFFECT PARTS OF
SOUTHERN PRICE...NORTHERN TAYLOR...SOUTHWEST ONEIDA...AND WESTERN
LINCOLN COUNTIES BETWEEN NOW AND 1015 PM.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFETY.
FIELD
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 9:46 PM CDT, 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
945 PM CDT MON JUL 20 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

AT 940 PM...RADAR SHOWED A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH/
CENTRAL TAYLOR COUNTY...ACROSS THE CHEQUAMEGON NATIONAL FOREST NEAR
HANNIBAL...OR 48 MILES NORTHEAST OF EAU CLAIRE.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN AND WILL CONTINUE IN
PARTS OF TAYLOR COUNTY TIL 1015 PM.  IF THE STORMS H'OLD TOGETHER...
THE SHOULD REACH PARTS OF LINCOLN AND MARATHON COUNTIES SHORTLY AFTER
1000 PM CDT.

GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
STRIKES AND HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

STUREY

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Wisconsin, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.