Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Milwaukee, WI

July 1, 1991Washington County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Jul 1, 1991, 3:19 PM CDT for Washington County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 41 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 1, 1991, 3:19 PM CDT (20:19 UTC)
Expired
Jul 1, 1991, 4:00 PM CDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Whole counties

County Washington County, WI

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 124 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 1991-07-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 1991-07-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 235 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
670 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
235 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
255 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMKE 012019
TORMKE
WIC089-131-012115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
319 PM CDT MON JUL 1 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO AND SPECIAL MARINE WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  415 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN
 
   ...OZAUKEE COUNTY...WASHINGTON COUNTY
 
AND THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN
 
 
AT 315 PM...GERMANTOWN POLICE REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND IN
THE GERMANTOWN AREA. THE SEVERE STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
 
SOME TOWNS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE MEQUON...CEDARBURG
AND THIENSVILLE.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

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 1, 1:23 PM CDT, 1 hour 56 minutes before
WIZ012-013-016-017-019-020-011930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
120 PM CDT MON JUL 1 1991

...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS STARTING TO DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTH/CENTRAL
WISCONSIN...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT 120 PM SHOWED A DEVELOPING LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTH/CENTRAL WISCONSIN.  THESE STORMS EXTENDED
FROM NEAR MARKESAN IN GREEN LAKE COUNTY THROUGH MADISON TO NEAR MONROE
IN GREEN COUNTY.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH.

THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL PUSH INTO FOND DU LAC...DODGE AND JEFFERSON
COUNTIES BETWEEN 1.45 AND 2.15 PM THIS AFTERNOON.  THESE STORMS SHOULD
INTENSIFY THIS AFTERNOON...AND PRODUCE STRONG WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL.

PERSONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THE APPROACH
OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
/
KAVINSKY/HAASE
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 1:29 PM CDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
WIZ015-019-011950-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
120 PM CDT MON JUL 1 1991

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS SOUTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

AT 115 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS
SOUTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN WEST OF A LINE FROM RIPON...OR 55 MILES
NORTHEAST OF MADISON...TO 10 MILES WEST OF MADISON...TO 15 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF DARLINGTON...OR 45 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF MADISON.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM LODI...OR 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF
MADISON...TO PORTAGE OR 25 MILES NORTH OF MADISON.  THE AREA OF STORMS
WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH.

RESIDENTS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR BRIEF HEAVY
DOWNPOUR&S AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS FOR THE HOUR OR TWO.

PIERCE
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 2:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
WIZ012-013-016-017-019-020-012000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
200 PM CDT MON JUL 1 1991

...LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 2 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO
SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.  THE LINE OF STORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR RIPON IN
WESTERN FOND DU LAC COUNTY TO NEAR STOUGHTON IN DANE COUNTY.  ANOTHER
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR KEWASKUM OR 15 MILES NORTHWEST
OF WEST BEND.

THE LINE OF STORMS WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF DODGE...JEFFERSON AND FOND
DU LAC COUNTIES THROUGH 2.45 PM.  OTHER ISOLATED STORMS WILL AFFECT
NORTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY AND POSSIBLY THE REST OF SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN
aTHIS AFTERNOON.  THESE STORMS WILL RESULT STRONG WIND GUSTS...HEAVY
RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL.

PERSONS ACROSS SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON.

KAVINSKY
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 2:39 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
WIZ012-013-016-017-019-020-012000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
237 PM CDT MON JUL 1 1991

...LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 235 PM...WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS FROM
WEST OF FOND DU LAC TO JUNEAU IN DODGE COUNTY TO LAKE MILLS IN JEFFERSON
COUNTY.   THE LINE IS MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

AT 215 PM THE SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED 40 TO 45 MPH WINDS AND STREET
FLOODING IN WATERLOO...WHICH IS IN NORTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY.

THE LINE OF STORMS WILL AFFECT FOND DU LAC..DODGE AND JEFFERSON COUNTIES
THROUGH 315 PM AND WILL THEN MOVE INTO WASHINGTON AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL PRODUCE TORRENTIAL RAINS...FREQUENT DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING...HIGH WINDS AND HAIL.
<
PERSONS IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE
WEATHER.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF
WISCONSIN UNTIL 9 PM CDT.

HAASE
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 3:02 PM CDT, 17 minutes before
WIZ012-013-016-017-019-020-012100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
300 PM CDT MON JUL 1 1991

...LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...

AT 255 PM...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM JUST EAST
OF THE CITY OF FOND DU LAC...TO HARTFORD IN WASHINGTON COUNTY...BACK TO
THE SOUTHWEST TO FORT ATKINSON IN JEFFERSON COUNTY.  THE LINE HAS A
HISTORY OF PRODUCING ESTIMATED WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND TORRENTIAL RAIN.

THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH WITH STORMS DEVELOPING ON THE
SOUTHERN END.

STORMS WILL AFFECT ALL OF SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN DURING THE NEXT COUPLE
HOURS AT LEAST.

WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...HAIL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAINS
CAN BE EXPECTED.  PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD GO TO A
PLACE OF SAFETY.  BOATERS ON LAKE MICHIGAN SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOR
NOW.
^
STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

STUREY
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 3:19 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
WIZ011-015-012300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
220 PM CDT MON JUL 1 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9PM CDT...

AT 215 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR DETECTED A THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPING IN SOUTHERN JUNEAU COUNTY JUST SOUTHEAST OF MAUSTON..OR
ABOUT 50 MILES NORTHWEST OF MADISON.  RADAR SHOWED THAT THE STORM
WAS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY DOUNPOURS AND SMALL HAIL AS IT MOVES TO THE
EAST-NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHERN ADAMS COUNTY.  RESIDENTS OF SOUTHERN
ADAMS COUNTY SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING WINDS
AND HAIL FROM THIS STORM.  REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO HEAVY DOWNPOURS
CAN BE EXPECTED AS THIS STORM MOVES THROUGH THE AREA.

MOONEY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 1, 3:19 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXOzaukee56 min
Jul 1, 3:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXWaukesha63 min
Jul 1, 3:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXJefferson28 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.