Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 1988
Tornado Warning 1, NWS La Crosse, WI
NWS La Crosse, WI issued this tornado warning at May 8, 1988, 4:06 PM CDT for Monroe County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 24 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 8, 1988, 4:06 PM CDT (21:06 UTC)
- Expired
- May 8, 1988, 4:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 24 min
- Issued by
- NWS La Crosse, WI
- Area
- Whole counties
County Monroe 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 8, 4:10 PM CDT | Hail 1 | Monroe, 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, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 209 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1662 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 50 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 91 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 141 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KLSE 082117 COR TORLSE WIC081-082130- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 416 PM CDT SUN MAY 8 1988 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 430 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...MONROE AT 402 PM CDT..EMERGENCY GOVERNMENT OFFICALS FROM MONROE COUNTY REPORTED A SMALL TORNADO ON THE GROUND AT HIWAY 21 AND COUNTY B JUST SOUTH OF SPARTA WISCONSIN MOVING OVER FORT MC COY WI. THE TORNADO WAS REPORTED MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH. THE WARNING INCLUDES THE CITY OF OF SPARTA WISCONSIN. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO GO TO A BASEMENT IMMEDIATELY. IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE..GO TO A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. CARS AND MOBILE HOMES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING. IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE..LIE DOWN IN A DITCH OR OTHER LOW PLACE AWAY FROM TREES AND POWER LINES. STAY TUNED TO RADIO..TELEVISION..OR WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. ZIMMERMAN
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, May 8, 1:18 PM CDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 115 PM CDT SUN MAY 8 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM CDT FOR LA CROSSE AND THE ENTIRE SURROUNDING TRI STATE AREA... AS OF 115 PM CDT..AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM BETWEEN LA CROSSE WISCONSIN AND ROCHESTER MINNESOTA INTO NORTHEAST IOWA AROUND WATERLOO. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES PER HOUR. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS USUALLY HAVE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAIN.. WIND GUSTS AS MUCH AS 50 MILES PER HOUR..AND SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS WILL AFFECT LA CROSSE AND SURROUNDING AREAS THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PEOPLE IN THE LA CROSSE TRI STATE AREA..ESPECIALLY BOATERS AND CAMPERS..SHOULD STAY OFF OF LAKES AND RIVERS. GET AWAY FROM OPEN FIELDS AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TELEPHONE POLES. YOUR HOME OR OTHER SUBSTANCIAL SHELTER WILL BE THE SAFEST PLACE. REMEMBER..LIGHTNING IS A STORMS WORST KILLER. STAY TUNED TO RADIO..TELEVISION..OR WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. THOMPSON
Special weather statement, May 8, 1:18 PM CDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER MN 115 PM CDT SUN MAY 8 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT TIL 8 PM CDT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA... AT 110 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND MOVING INTO THE STATE FROM NORTH IOWA. THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE LOCTED NEAR AUSTIN..NEAR FARIBAULT..WEST CONCORD AND NEAR HARMONY. AT 1255 PM WASECA CIVIL DEFENSE REPORTED PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL JUST SOUTH OF TOWN. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL..GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THEY WERE ALL MOVING TO THE NORTH NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. PERSONS OVER SOUTHERN MINNESOTA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. EFFERTZ
Special weather statement, May 8, 2:13 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 215 PM CDT SUN MAY 8 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM CDT FOR LA CROSSE AND THE ENTIRE SURROUNDING TRI STATE AREA ... ALSO ADJACENT AREAS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN WISCONSIN UNTIL 9 PM CDT... AT 210 PM CDT..A LARGE AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS COVERED MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA. THE AREA ALSO EXTENDED EAST INTO WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. THE AREA WAS MOVING SLOWLY TO THE EAST AT 15 MPH. STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING ABOUT 100 MILES NORTHWEST OF LA CROSSE WISCONSIN ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. INDIVIDUAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTH WITHIN THE AREA AT 40 TO 50 MPH. EVEN THOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED AS OF 210 PM CDT... PEOPLE IN THE LA CROSSE TRI STATE AREA..ESPECIALLY BOATERS AND CAMPERS..SHOULD STAY OFF OF LAKES AND RIVERS. GET AWAY FROM OPEN FIELDS AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TELEPHONE POLES. YOUR HOME OR OTHER SUBSTANCIAL SHELTER WILL BE THE SAFEST PLACE. REMEMBER..LIGHTNING IS A STORMS WORST KILLER. STAY TUNED TO RADIO..TELEVISION..OR WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. ZIMMERMAN
Special weather statement, May 8, 2:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 36 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER MN 225 PM CDT SUN MAY 8 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT TIL 8 PM CDT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA... AT 215 PM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA. THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM NEAR WASECA AND STRETCHED TO NEAR FARIBAULT. AT 208 PM VERY HEAVY RAIN REDUCED VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AND WIND GUSTED TO 51 MILES AN HOUR HERE AT THE AIRPORT. PERSONS IN OLMSTED COUNTY CAN ANTICIPATE VERY HEAVY RAINS..AND SMALL HAIL. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL HAVE BEEN RECIEVED AS THE STORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE TO THE NORTH AT 20 MILES A)N HOUR. PERSONS OVER SOUTHERN MINNESOTA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR SMALL HAIL..VERY HEAVY RAINS..BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. EFFERTZ
Special weather statement, May 8, 3:01 PM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 300 PM CDT SUN MAY 8 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM CDT FOR LA CROSSE AND THE ENTIRE SURROUNDING TRI STATE AREA... AS OF 300 PM CDT..AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM BETWEEN LA CROSSE WISCONSIN AND ROCHESTER MINNESOTA INTO NORTHEAST IOWA BETWEEN WATERLOO AND DUBUQUE. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 40 MILES PER HOUR. AN ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS ALSO LOCATED 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LA CROSSE NEAR READSTOWN WISCONSIN. THIS STORM PRODUCED MARBLE SIZE HAIL AT GAYS MILLS AND WAUZEKA WISCONSIN..40 TO 50 MILES SOUTH OF LA CROSSE..BETWEEN 2 AND 230 PM CDT. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS USUALLY HAVE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAIN.. WIND GUSTS AS MUCH AS 50 MILES PER HOUR..AND SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS WILL AFFECT LA CROSSE AND SURROUNDING AREAS THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PEOPLE IN THE LA CROSSE TRI STATE AREA..ESPECIALLY BOATERS AND CAMPERS..SHOULD STAY OFF OF LAKES AND RIVERS. GET AWAY FROM OPEN FIELDS AND STAY AWAY FROM TALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TELEPHONE POLES. YOUR HOME OR OTHER SUBSTANCIAL SHELTER WILL BE THE SAFEST PLACE. REMEMBER..LIGHTNING IS A STORMS WORST KILLER. STAY TUNED TO RADIO.;.TELEVISION..OR WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. THOMPSON
Special weather statement, May 8, 3:34 PM CDT, 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER MN 330 PM CDT SUN MAY 8 1988 ...TORNADO WATCH CANCELLED FOR MINNESOTA... AT 320 PM...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO MOVE THROUGH PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA. THE HEAVIEST STORMS WERE LACATED IN A LINE 12 MILES WIDE FROM NEAR WABASHA TO HOUSTON AND CALEDONIA IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. OTHERWISE..AN ALMOST SOLID AREA OF LIGHT RAIN COVERED ALL OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND A PORTION OF SOUTHCENTRAL MINNESOTA. PERSONS IN EASTERN WABASHA..EASTERN WINONA AND EASTERN HOUSTON COUNTY CAN STILL ANTICIPATE VERY HEAVY RAINS..POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL..BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE AREA. THE ATMOSPHERE OVER SOUTHERN MINNESOTA HAS STABILIZED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS THEREFORE THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR MINNESOTA. THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT HAS MOVED IN\TO WISCONSIN. EFFERTZ
The office that day
Everything else NWS La Crosse, WI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 3:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | La Crosse, Vernon | 45 min |
| May 8, 4:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Jackson, Monroe | 35 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 1988Every tornado warning in 1988Tornadoes in 1988
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.