Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 1987
Tornado Warning 1, NWS Milwaukee, WI
NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at May 21, 1987, 7:17 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 34 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- May 21, 1987, 7:17 PM CDT (00:17 UTC)
- Expired
- May 21, 1987, 7:51 PM CDT
- In force
- 34 min
- Issued by
- NWS Milwaukee, WI
- Area
- Whole counties
County Jefferson County, WI
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 7:40 PM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Jefferson, WI |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.
The nearest sounding before it
Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 171 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2886 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -5 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1006 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 22 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 122 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 187 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 8.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KMKE 220017
TORMKE
WIC055-220115-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
717 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1987
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...JEFFERSON
AT 715 PM SEVERAL FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED
NEAR FORT ATKINSON. WEATHER RADAR ALSO INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO
IN THIS AREAA.
THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING
THE FORT ATKINSON AND JEFFERSON AREAS.
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU..TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.
A BASEMENT..INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR IS THE
SAFEST PLACE IN MOST BUILDINGS. GET UNDER SOMETHING STURDY.
IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU..TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.
IF IN A MOBILE HOME OR VEHICLES..LEAVE THEM AND GO TO MORE
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF OUTDOORS WITH NO SHELTER AV{AILABLE..LIE
FLAT IN A NEARBY DITCH AND SHIELD YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR ARMS.
HENTZWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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, May 21, 5:00 PM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 458 PM CDT WED MAY 20 1987 ....TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF WISCONSIN UNTIL 9 PM CDT... AT 458 PM CDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHWEST WOOD COUNTY...IN MARSHFIELD AND SOUTH TO PITTSVILLE. WOOD COUNTY POLICE REPORTED PEA SIZE HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF RAPID INTENSIFICATION AND COU)LD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRONG WINDS. PERSONS IN THESES AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. GARCIA
Special weather statement, May 21, 5:28 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 525 PM CDT WED MAY 20 1987 ....TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF WISCONSIN UNTIL 9 PM CDT... AT 525 PM CDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS JUST NORTHWEST OF WAUSAU AND ANOTHER STORM NORTHWEST OF MOSINEE IN MARATHON COUNTY. EARLIER...WOOD COUNTY POLICE REPORTED PEA SIZE HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN IN MARSHFIELD AND AUBURNDALE WITH THESE STORMS. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST ATE 40 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF RAPID INTENSIFICATION AND COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRONG WINDS. PERSONS IN THESES AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. GARCIA
Special weather statement, May 21, 5:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 540 PM CDT WED MAY 20 1987 ....TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF WISCONSIN UNTIL 9 PM CDT... AT 540 PM CDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 25 MILES WEST OF JANESVILLE IN ROCK COUNTY. ROCK COUNTY REPORTED HEAVY RAINS AND MARBLE SIZE HAIL WITH THIS STORM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MADISON. THIS STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AND COULD EFFECT SOUTH WEST DODGE AND JEFFERSON COUNTY BY 6 PM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF RAPID INTENSIFICATION AND COULD PRODUCE HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRONG WINDS. PERSONS IN THESES AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE CO VER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. KLD
Special weather statement, May 21, 6:01 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 600 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1987 ...RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN... AT 600 PM CDT...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF MADISON IN DODGE COUNTY. THE STORM IS NEAR HORICON JUST WEST OF MAYVILLE. THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AND IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. A TORNADO W2ATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WISCONSIN UNTIL 9PM. PERSONS IN THESES AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. HENTZ
Special weather statement, May 21, 6:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 605 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1987 ....TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF WISCONSIN UNTIL 9 PM CDT... ...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN... AT 559 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR DETECTED A CLUSTER OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTH CENTRAL COUNTIES OF EASTERN MARATHON AND WESTERN LANGLADE. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS IN LANGLADE COUNTY WERE NORTH OF KEMPSTER.. OR 31 MILES NORTHEAST OF WAUSAU...AND JUST WEST OF ANTIGO..26 MILES NORTHEAST OF WAUSAU. IN MARATHON COUNTY THE STRONGEST STORM WAS ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF WAUSAU. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING NORTHEAST MARATHON..WE5STERN LANGLADE..AND SOUTHERN FOREST COUNTIES THROUGH 630 PM CDT. PERSONS SHOULD BE ALERT TO THESE APPROACHING STORMS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. ZAJDEL
Special weather statement, May 21, 6:58 PM CDT, 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 700 PM CDT THU MAY 21 1987 ....TORNADO WATCH CANCELLATION FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL.. AND WESTERN WISCONSIN... TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 110 IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT WEST OF A LINE FROM RHINELANDER TO WAUSAU TO PRAIRIE DU CHIEN. THIS INCLUDES MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL AND WESTERN WISCONSIN. WEATHER CONDITIONS HAVE BECOME LESS THAN FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER. ZAJDELc
The office that day
Everything else NWS Milwaukee, WI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 7:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge, Jefferson, Walworth | 29 min |
| May 21, 7:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Waukesha | 62 min |
| May 21, 7:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Washington | 40 min |
| May 21, 7:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Ozaukee, Sheboygan | 50 min |
| May 21, 7:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Milwaukee | 50 min |
| May 21, 8:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Walworth, Waukesha | 57 min |
| May 21, 11:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Walworth | 36 min |
| May 21, 11:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Kenosha, Racine | 48 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 1987Every tornado warning in 1987Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.