Alert archive / Wisconsin / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 53, NWS Milwaukee, WI

July 31, 2003Dane County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 31, 2003, 4:18 PM CDT for Dane County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 42 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: Jul 31, 2003, 4:18 PM CDT (21:18 UTC)
Expired: Jul 31, 2003, 5:00 PM CDT
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Dane County, WI

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:20 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 31, 12:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 173 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 502 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -116 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 856 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 136 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 135 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

444 
WUUS53 KMKX 312118
SVRMKX
WIC025-312200-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
418 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SULLIVAN HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN DANE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN

* UNTIL 500 PM CDT

* AT 418 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR COTTAGE GROVE...OR ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTH OF
  SUN PRAIRIE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MARSHALL AT 435 PM CDT.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND DEADLY
LIGHTNING. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY

LAT...LON 4322 8934 4304 8933 4302 8902 4326 8903

$$

ZAJDEL

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.

NWS Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 31, 3:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 3:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
300 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2003

FCST FOCUS ON UPPER LOW INTO MON.

CLOSED OFF UPR LOW WL ROTATE OVR RGN THRU MON. AMS WL RMN UNSTBL
THRU PD...SPCLY DURING AFTN HEATING. WL KEEP CHC TSTMS GOING
THRU PD. MODELS IN FAIR AGRMT WITH POPS AND TEMPS.

.MKX...NONE.

MK

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 31, 5:00 AM CDT, 11 hours 18 minutes before

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-011000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
500 AM CDT THU JUL 31 2003

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING OVER ALL OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. LARGE
HAIL AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE THE PRIMARY HAZARD...AN
ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE.  A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH AHEAD OF
AN UPPER LOW OVER NORTHERN MINNESOTA WILL BRING MORE SCATTERED
THUNDERSTORMS.  SOME OF THE STORMS WILL CONTAIN HEAVY RAINFALL.
ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN IS NOT ANTICIPATED...A FEW AREAS
COULD EXPERIENCE SOME URBAN OR LOW LAND FLOODING DUE TO THE SLOW
MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN ON FRIDAY.
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS ARE POSSIBLE.
THE UPPER LOW WILL REACH NORTHERN WISCONSIN FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
STEEP LAPSE RATES FROM THE COLD AIR ALOFT...AND WARM MOIST AIR IN
LOW LEVELS...WILL RESULT IN A CONTINUATION OF A MODERATELY UNSTABLE
AIRMASS.  SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY THROUGH
MONDAY AS THE UPPER LOW CONTINUES ITS SLOW MOVEMENT INTO LOWER
MICHIGAN.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTER GROUPS MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND
AGAIN FRIDAY.

HENTZ

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 31, 2:18 PM CDT, 2 hours before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
218 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0150 AM    REEDSBURG                 WI   .25 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   SAUK                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0151 AM    OXFORD                    WI   .25 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   MARQUETTE                      REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0210 AM    RIPON                     WI   .25 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   FOND DU LAC                    REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

Local storm report, Jul 31, 2:23 PM CDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
218 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2003...CORRECTION FOR TIMES

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0150 PM    REEDSBURG                 WI   .25 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   SAUK                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0151 PM    OXFORD                    WI   .25 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   MARQUETTE                      REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0210 PM    RIPON                     WI   .25 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   FOND DU LAC                    REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

Local storm report, Jul 31, 2:24 PM CDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
224 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1250 PM    2 NW OXFORD               WI   .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   MARQUETTE                      REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

0204 PM    4 NE HOWARDS GROVE        WI   1 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   SHEBOYGAN                      REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

Local storm report, Jul 31, 3:56 PM CDT, 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
356 PM CDT THU JUL 31 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0256 PM    2 S DODGEVILLE            WI   .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   IOWA                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

0310 PM    HOLLANDALE                WI   .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   IOWA                           REPORTED BY HOLLANDALE
                                          POST OFFICE.

0334 PM    3 W NEW GLARUS            WI   .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/03   GREEN                          REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 31, 12:44 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Marquette	76 min
Jul 31, 1:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Iowa, Sauk	79 min
Jul 31, 2:05 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Sheboygan	55 min
Jul 31, 2:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Fond du Lac	74 min
Jul 31, 2:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Milwaukee	54 min
Jul 31, 2:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Dane, Green	77 min
Jul 31, 3:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Rock	62 min
Jul 31, 4:20 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	MKX		85 min
Jul 31, 4:20 PM CDT	Special Marine Warning	MKX		85 min
Jul 31, 5:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Jefferson, Waukesha	50 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Wisconsin, 2003 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.