Alert archive / Wisconsin / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 9, NWS Milwaukee, WI
NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 24, 1989, 10:56 PM CDT for Dodge County, Fond du Lac County, Jefferson County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 64 min. 6 reports 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 24, 1989, 10:56 PM CDT (03:56 UTC)
- Expired
- May 25, 1989, 12:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 64 min
- Issued by
- NWS Milwaukee, WI
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Dodge County, WI, Fond du Lac County, WI, 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 24, 11:10 PM CDT | Tornado F1 | Dodge, WI | |
| May 24, 11:20 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Dodge, WI | |
| May 24, 11:25 PM CDT | Tornado F1 | Dodge, WI | |
| May 24, 11:25 PM CDT | Hail 1.75 | Fond Du Lac, WI | |
| May 24, 11:25 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Dodge, WI | |
| May 24, 11:43 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | 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, 3.9 hours before the alert went out and 128 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
- 533 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -89 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1473 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 39 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 161 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 230 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.1
- Supercell composite
- 2.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KMKE 250357
SVRMKE
WIC039-027-055-250500-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
1056 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MILWAUKEE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN
...FOND DU LAC
IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN
...DODGE...JEFFERSON
AT 1055 PM WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTOMRS
FROM JUST SOUTHWEST OF OSHKOSH TO RIPON TO NEAR MADISON.
THESE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH AND WILL
MOVE INTO FOND DU LAC DODGE AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES.
THESE ARE VERY DANGEROUS STORMS.
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA. REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
,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, May 24, 5:45 PM CDT, 5 hours 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 545 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN UNTIL 10 PM... AT 543 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN SOUTHEAST JACKSON COUNTY. PEA SIZED HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS STORM. THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING SOUTHWEST WOOD COUNTY AND EXTREME SOUTHEAST CLARK COUNTIES BETWEEN 550 PM AND 630 PM. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. PERSONS SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK A PLACE OF SAFETY. FIELD
Special weather statement, May 24, 6:45 PM CDT, 4 hours 11 minutes before
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
640 PM CDT WEDNESDAY MAY 24 1989
...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF WISCONSIN THIS EVENING...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR ADAMS COUNTY UNTIL 715PM CDT...
AT 635 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS IN WISCONSIN. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE LOCATED
IN JUNEAU AND ADAMS COUNTY NEAR MAUSTON EXTENDING EASTWARD TO
THE WISCONSIN RIVER..OR APPROXIMATELY 55 NORTHWEST OF MADISON.
HEAVY RAINS..STRONG WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGTHNING HAVE BEEN REPORTED
WITH THESE STORMS. HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE.
THE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH.
PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER.
..THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR COLUMBIA COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELED..
[ ]MOONEYSpecial weather statement, May 24, 7:18 PM CDT, 3 hours 38 minutes before
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI 715 PM CDT WEDNESDAY MAY 24 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF WISCONSIN THIS EVENING... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR MARQUETTE/WAUSHARA COUTIES TIL 745 PM... AT 705 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A CLUSTER OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE WISCONSIN DELLS OR 45 MILES NORTHWEST OF MADISON TO 5 MILES NORTH OF WAUTOMA..OR 65 MILES DUE NORTH OF MADISON. 70 MPH WINDS AND PEA SIZE HAIL WERE REPORTED IN THE PLAINFEILD AREA AT 710 PM. ALSO..ONE QUATER TO ONE HALF INCH HAIL AND SIGNS BLOWING ACROSS ROADS WERE REPORTED IN EAST ADAMS COUNTY. HEAVY RAINS AND 2FREQUENT LIGHTNING ARE OCCURING WITH THESE STORMS. THEY ARE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. MOONEY
Special weather statement, May 24, 8:25 PM CDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 823 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN UNTIL MIDNIGHT... ...THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING FOND DU LAC COUNTY... AT 820 PM WEATHER RADAR DETECTED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN FOND DU LAC COUNTY. FARTHER TO THE WEST...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINS EXTENDED FROM NORTHEAST GREEN LAKE COUNTY TO SOUTHWEST MARQUETTE COUNTY. AT 812 PM MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN WESTERN MARQUETTE COUNTY NEAR OXFORD. THE LINE OF STORMS IN MARQUETTE AND GREEN LAKE COUNTY WILL BEGIN AFFECTING WESTERN FOND DU LAC COUNTY BETWEEN 830 AND 900 PM. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT IN THESE AREAS. PERSONS IN FOND DU LAC COUNTY SHOULD STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST STATEMENTS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH. FIELD
Special weather statement, May 24, 8:33 PM CDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 831 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN UNTIL MIDNIGHT... ...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING FROM FOND DU LAC TO JEFFERSON COUNTY... AT 830 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS... SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS...FROM EASTERN FOND DU LAC COUNTY SOUTHWARD THROUGH EASTERN DODGE AND EASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTIES. THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND 30 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING EASTERN FOND DU LAC...MUCH OF WASHINGTON...AND WESTERN AND CENTRAL WAUKESHA COUNTIES BETWEEN 830 AND 915 PM. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN UNTIL MIDNIGHT. PERSONS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS...LISTEN TO LATER STATEMENTS...AND NE PREPARED TO SEEK A PLACE OF SAFETY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. FIELD
Special weather statement, May 24, 9:10 PM CDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI 909 PM CDT WED MAY 24 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN UNTIL MIDNIGHT... ...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS HEADING TOWARD DODGE COUNTY... AT 907 PM WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS AND SMALL HAIL FROM SOUTHWEST FOND DU LAC COUNTY NEAR BRANDON TO NEAR POYNETTE IN CENTRAL COLUMBIA COUNTY. THIS LINE WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND 30 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING DODGE COUNTY BETWEEN NOW AND 1000 PM. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN UNTIL MIDNIGHT. PERSONS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS...LISTEN TO LATER STATEMENTS./..AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK A PLACE OF SAFETY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. FIELD
The office that day
Everything else NWS Milwaukee, WI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 8:41 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac | 19 min |
| May 24, 8:59 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac | 16 min |
| May 24, 9:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Marathon, Wood | 53 min |
| May 24, 9:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac | 55 min |
| May 24, 9:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Portage | 63 min |
| May 24, 10:31 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac | 20 min |
| May 24, 10:31 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Sheboygan | 29 min |
| May 24, 11:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Sheboygan, Washington | 60 min |
| May 24, 11:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Ozaukee | 61 min |
| May 24, 11:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Milwaukee, Waukesha | 62 min |
| May 25, 12:12 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Milwaukee | 33 min |
| May 25, 12:14 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Waukesha | 31 min |
| May 25, 12:17 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Kenosha, Racine | 58 min |
| May 25, 12:42 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Racine | 37 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Wisconsin, 1989Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1989
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.