Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Milwaukee, WI

July 29, 1987Ozaukee County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Jul 29, 1987, 2:47 PM CDT for Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 43 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
Jul 29, 1987, 2:47 PM CDT (19:47 UTC)
Expired
Jul 29, 1987, 3:30 PM CDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Whole counties

County Ozaukee 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
Jul 29, 3:15 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 52Ozaukee, 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 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 121 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 12:00Z on 1987-07-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 633 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 12:00Z on 1987-07-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 9 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
633 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-47 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
789 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
9 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
154 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMKE 291947
TORMKE
WIC089-292030-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
247 PM CDT WED JUL 29 1987

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO AND SPECIAL 
MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 330 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE 
FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

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

AT 235 PM CDT...A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS OBSERVED JUST NORTH OF THE TOWN
OF WEST BEND IN WASHINGTON COUNTY MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. WEST
BEND IS 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF MILWAUKEE.

TOWNS IN THE PATH OF THIS FUNNEL ARE KNELLSVILLE AND PORT
WASH(INGTON.

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.

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, Jul 29, 11:39 AM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
1140 AM CDT WED JUL 29 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN WOOD COUNTY WISCONSIN...

AT 1135 AM CDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN
WESTERN WOOD COUNTY OF CENTRAL WISCONSIN.  THE STORMS WERE JUST WEST
OF PITTSVILLE..DEXTERVILLE AND BABCOCK...ALL ABOUT 45 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF WAUSAU.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST/SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOV6E ACROSS WOOD AND PORTAGE COUNTIES THROUGH
1245 PM CDT.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS YOU SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

HAASE
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 12:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
1250 PM CDT WED JUL 29 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

AT 1245 PM CDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN
PORTAGE COUNTY FROM NEAR AMHERST JUNCTION..35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
WAUSAU TO ALMOND...50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WAUSAU.  THE STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST/SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND
HEAVY RAINw.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN
PORTAGE COUNTY THROUGH 130 PM.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS YOU SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
HAASE
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 12:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
1255 PM CDT WED JUL 29 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT FOR PARTS
OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN WISCONSIN...

AT 1251 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES NORTH-
WEST OF NECEDAH EASTWARD TO 12 MILES WEST OF COLOMA TO STEVENS
POINT OR APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES SOUTH TO 50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
WAUSAU.  THIS AREA WAS MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 35 MPH.
THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL AREA WAS NOTED 12 MILES EAST NORTHEAST OF
NECEDAH.  NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THIS OFFICE.

ADDISON
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 1:29 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
130 PM CDT WED JUL 29 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN
   TIL 600 PM CDT...

AT 120 PM...RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHEAST
WAUSHARA COUNTY...TO CENTRAL MARQUETTE COUNTY OR ABOUT 30 MILES NORTH
OF MADISON.   THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL
MOVE INTO WESTERN FOND DU LAC COUNTY AROUND 145 PM CDT OR SHORTLY
THEREAFTER.

THE SOUTHERN END OF THESE STORMS MAY REACH THE NORTHWEST PART OF DODGE
COUNTY ALSO AROUND 145 PM CDT.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED RAPIDLY IN SHEBOYGAN COUNTY...
ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF SHEBOYGAN FALL.   THESE STORMS WILL CONTINUE IN
SHEBOYGAN COUNTY THROUGH 215 PM CDT.
^
GUSTY AND VERY STRONG WINDS...FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES
VERY HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

BOATING INTERESTS OFF THE WEST SHORE OF LAKE MICHIGAN SHOULD BE ALERT
TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS...AND BE READY TO SEEK SAFE
HARBOR.

STUREY
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 2:13 PM CDT, 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
215 PM CDT WED JUL 29 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR GREEN LAKE AND MARQUETTE COUNTIES
HAS EXPIRED...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR WAUSHARA COUNTY WAS CANCELLED AT
152 PM CDT...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT FOR PARTS
OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN WISCONSIN...

AT 210 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDER-
STORMS IN EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN EXTENDING FROM 40 MILES NORTH OF
MADISON TO 10 MILES EAST OF FON DU LAC OR ABOUT MIDWAY BETWEEN GREEN
BAY AND MILWAUKEE.  THIS AREA WAS MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT
30 MPH.  THE AREA OF STORMS OVER MARQUETTE AND GREEN LAKE COUNTY HAS
DECREASED IN INTENSITY AND NO LONGER ARE CONSIDERED A THREAT THERE.
THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL AREA WAS NOTED 10 MILES EAST OF CAMPBELLSPORT
OR ABOUT 30 MILES NORTH OF MILWAUKEE.  NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN
REPORTED TO THIS OFFICE SINCE 100 PM CDT.

ADDISON
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 2:42 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
240 PM CDT WED JUL 29 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
AND EASTERN WISCONSIN...

AT 240 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDER-
STORMS IN EAST-CENTRAL WISCONSIN EXTENDING FROM FOX LAKE TO WEST BEND
TO GRAFTON OR FROM 45 MILES NORTHWEST TO 15 MILES NORTH OF MILEWAUKEE.
THIS AREA WAS MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 30 MPH".  VERY HEAVY
RAIN WAS NOTED FIVE MILES EAST OF FOX LAKE AND FIVE MILES NORTHWEST OF
OF GRAFTON.  MOST OF THIS ACTIVITY WAS HEADING FOR THE MILWAUKEE AREA
AND SHOULD BE THERE ABOUT 330 PM CDT.

ADDISON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 29, 1:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXFond du Lac57 min
Jul 29, 2:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXOzaukee, Sheboygan63 min
Jul 29, 2:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXWashington62 min
Jul 29, 2:41 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXWashington49 min
Jul 29, 3:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXMilwaukee, Waukesha52 min
Jul 29, 3:50 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXWaukesha40 min
Jul 29, 3:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXMilwaukee, Racine33 min
Jul 29, 6:03 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXClark43 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.