Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Milwaukee, WI

August 16, 1987Kenosha County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Aug 16, 1987, 8:12 PM CDT for Kenosha County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 33 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
Aug 16, 1987, 8:12 PM CDT (01:12 UTC)
Expired
Aug 16, 1987, 8:45 PM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Whole counties

County Kenosha 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 16, 8:35 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 0Kenosha, 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, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 213 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 1987-08-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1376 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 1987-08-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 148 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1376 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-33 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
750 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
148 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
175 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.0
Supercell composite
5.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMKE 170112
TORMKE
WIC059-170145-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
812 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO AND SPECIAL 
MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 845 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE 
FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...KENOSHA
...INCLUDING THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS OF                      
..LAKE MICHIGAN      

AT 810 PM...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE RUMBLING THROUGH WESTERN
KENOSHA COUNTY.  NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS HAVE BEEN
REPORTED IN THE SURROUNDING AREA.  PLUS MANY REPORTS OF DAMAGE
HAVE BEEN RECEIVED.

STORMS WERE MOVING EAST/NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

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 fUNDER SOMETHING STURDY.

STUREY

What 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, Aug 16, 5:18 PM CDT, 2 hours 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
505 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN AND
ADJOINING AREAS TO THE WEST UNTIL 10PM CDT THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...

AT 505 PM CDT...WEATHER RADAR DETECTED VERY STONG THUNDERSTORMS 5 MILES
NORTH OF LODI OR 23 MILES NORTHWEST OF MADISON..2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
PORTAGE OR 23 MILES NORTH OF MADISON AND 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAKE
DELTON OR 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF MADISON. ALL STORMS WERE MOVING EAST
AT 25 MPH. NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. ALL
PERSONS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS.

ELSEWHERE WIDELY SCATTERED MODERATE THUNDERSTORMS WERE NEAR DARLINGTON
OR 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MADISON AND ALSO NEAR RICHLAND CENTER OR 45
MILES NORTHWEST OF MADISON. MOVEMENT WAS ALSO EAST AT 25 MPM.

PRZEKURAT
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 5:53 PM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
550 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 550 PM CDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN
WESTERN DODGE AND FOND DU LAC COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR MADISON SOUTH TO
GREEN COUNTY OF SOUTH/CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

THESE STORMS WILL BE AFFECTING JEFFERSON COUNTY.

THESE STORMS WILL BE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN..FREQUENT LIGHTNING..
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH AND HAIL.

THESE STORMS WILL BE AFFECTING FOND DU LAC..DODGE AND JEFFERSON
COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU SHOULD MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY.

HAASE
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:14 PM CDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
615 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...SOME WESTERN WISCONSIN COUNTIES CLEARED FROM WATCH...

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF WEST/CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
ARE CLEARED OF TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 485 AS OF 615 PM.....

LA CROSSE..MONROE..JUNEAU..VERNON..CRAWFORD..GRANT AND RICHLAND.

THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS ENDED FOR THESE COUNTIES.

HAASE
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
640 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS INTO SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 635 PM CDT...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN
WESTERN FOND DU LAC..DODGE AND WESTERN JEFFERSON COUNTIES OF
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

TORRENTIAL RAINS ARE ACCOMPANYING THE LINE OF STORMS.  MADISON
REPORTED 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN ONLY 30 MINUTES /BETWEEN 550 PM AND
620 PM/.

THESE STORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH DODGE..FOND DU LAC..JEFFERSON AND
WALWORTH COUNTIES THROUGH 730 PM.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE TORRENTIAL RAINS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING..
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH AND HAIL.

THE TORRENTIAL RAINS WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF URBAN AND LOWLAND FLOODING
AND FLOODING OF UNDERPASSES AND STREETS.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

HAASE
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 6:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT   ...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
640 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS INTO SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 635 PM CDT...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN
WESTERN FOND DU LAC..DODGE AND WESTERN JEFFERSON COUNTIES OF
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.

THESE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

TORRENTIAL RAINS ARE ACCOMPANYING THE LINE OF STORMS.  MADISON
REPORTED 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN ONLY 30 MINUTES /BETWEEN 550 PM AND
620 PM/.

THESE STORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH DODGE..FOND DU LAC..JEFFERSON AND
WALWORTH COUNTIES THROUGH 730 PM.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE TORRENTIAL RAINS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING..
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH	 AND HAIL.

DUE TO THE TORRENTIAL RAINS..URBAN AND LOWLAND FLOODING IS LIKELY ALONG
WITH FLOODING OF UNDERPASSES AND STREETS.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

HAASE
Special weather statement, Aug 16, 7:58 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
800 PM CDT SUN AUG 16 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL
WISCONSIN AND ADJOINING AREAS TO THE EAST UNTIL MIDNIGHT THIS SUNDAY
EVENING...
...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN UNTIL
10 PM CDT THIS SUNDAY EVENING...

AT 800 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED MODERATE THUNDERSTORMS IN
SOUTHEASTERN DANE COUNTY MOVING TO THE EAST AXT 30 MPH.

NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. ALL PERSONS SHOULD
BE ALERT TO HIGH WATER NEAR STREAMS..DITCHES AND LOW LYING AREAS.

PRZEKURAT

The office that day

Everything else NWS Milwaukee, WI issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 16, 7:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXWalworth, Washington, Waukesha72 min
Aug 16, 7:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXOzaukee64 min
Aug 16, 7:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXKenosha, Milwaukee, Racine60 min
Aug 16, 7:45 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXMilwaukee, Waukesha50 min
Aug 16, 7:45 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXRacine60 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.