Alert archive / Wisconsin / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2004
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 65, NWS La Crosse, WI
NWS La Crosse, WI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 21, 2004, 1:46 PM CDT for Vernon County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 44 min. 5 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- May 21, 2004, 1:46 PM CDT (18:46 UTC)
- Expired
- May 21, 2004, 2:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 44 min
- Issued by
- NWS La Crosse, WI
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Vernon County, WI
The radar
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 59 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:48 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2:16 PM CDT | HAIL 0.75 | 1 W Hillsboro, WI | |
| May 21, 2:16 PM CDT | HAIL 0.75 | 1 W Hillsboro, WI | |
| May 21, 2:16 PM CDT | HAIL 0.75 | 1 W Hillsboro, WI | |
| May 21, 2:16 PM CDT | HAIL 0.75 | 1 W Hillsboro, WI | |
| May 21, 2:16 PM CDT | HAIL 0.75 | 1 W Hillsboro, WI |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 10:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 6.8 hours before the alert went out and 219 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
- 1440 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 53 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 82 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 196 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
953
WUUS53 KARX 211846
SVRARX
WIC123-211930-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
145 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A
* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
VERNON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
* UNTIL 230 PM CDT
* AT 145 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR DETECTED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING LARGE HAIL OVER HIGHWAY 82 AND COUNTY A...OR
ABOUT 18 MILES EAST OF VIROQUA. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING
EAST AT 25 MPH.
* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
WHITE CITY AND DILLY AROUND 150 PM CDT...
MOUNT TABOR AROUND 155 PM CDT...
TRIPPVILLE AROUND 200 PM CDT...
HILLSBORO AROUND 205 PM CDT...
THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
HAIL. THIS STORM HAS PRODUCED A SWATH OF QUARTER TO PING PONG SIZED
HAIL FROM DE SOTO...TO RETREAT...TO LIBERTY POLE...TO 7 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF VIROQUA...SINCE 1245 PM. FOR YOUR PROTECTION...MOVE TO
AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS AND
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
PLEASE REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE
AND TELL THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 4357 9038 4356 9066 4350 9067 4346 9075
4358 9084 4372 9053 4372 9032 4361 9032
$$
BAUMGARDTWhat 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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 21, 3:15 AM CDT, 10 hours 31 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 21, 3:15 AM CDT, 10 hours 31 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
315 AM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004
.SHORT TERM...THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT
FORECAST CONCERNS REMAIN CENTERED ON EXACT POSITION OF EAST-WEST
ORIENTED FRONT ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST AND RESULTANT RAIN CHANCES
AND POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY QPF NEXT FEW DAYS ACROSS OUR FORECAST AREA.
EARLY MORNING SURFACE ANALYSIS HAD FRONT EXTENDING FROM NORTHERN
ILLINOIS ALONG THE IOWA/MISSOURI BORDER TO KANSAS/NEBRASKA BORDER
AREA. CONVECTION ACTIVE NORTH OF THE FRONT WHERE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE
TRANSPORT AND 30-40KT 850MB JET FOCUSED. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY
SUGGESTS SEVERAL SHORT WAVES EMBEDDED IN SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT...
WHICH WAS FEEDING PLENTIFUL MOISTURE INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST.
00Z MAY 21ST MODEL INITIALIZATION LOOKED REASONABLE. GFS AND ETA
REMAINED IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT ON TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF MCS
ACTIVITY TO IMPACT OUR FORECAST AREA TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
BIGGEST QUESTION WILL BE HOW FAR NORTHWARD THE SURFACE FRONT RETURNS
DURING THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS. BASED ON PAST EXPERIENCE WITH SIMILAR
SCENARIOS...FORECAST FRONTAL POSITION COULD BE TOO FAR NORTH...SINCE
MCS ACTIVITY TENDS TO SUPPRESS NORTHWARD MOVEMENT.
IN THIS SAME VEIN...BETWEEN 60-72HRS...GFS AND ETA DIVERGED ON
PLACEMENT OF SURFACE WAVE...WITH GFS FURTHER NORTH. BASED ON
DPROG/DT...GFS APPEARED TO HAVE A MORE CONSISTENT SOLUTION IN THIS
TIME FRAME. BIGGEST IMPACT ON THE FORECAST WILL BE WHETHER PORTIONS
OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL BE IN THE WARM SECTOR ON SUNDAY...WHICH GFS
DOES SUPPORT. LOW CONFIDENCE LENDS TO MAINTAINING DATABASE AS IS...
WHICH SUGGESTS WET WEATHER CONTINUES THROUGH THE WEEKEND...WHILE
TEMPERATURE FORECAST WILL BE PROBLEMATIC.
TODAY...LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT...ALONG WITH STRONG ISENTROPIC
LIFT IN THE 300K-310K...AND ELEVATED INSTABILITY OF 1000-2000 J/KG
SUGGESTS WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL STILL A POSSIBILITY AS WELL...WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER
VALUES OF 1.5 INCHES. ALL OF THIS ALREADY REFLECTED WELL IN DATABASE
AND ONLY CHANGE WAS TO INCLUDE CATEGORICAL RAIN PROBABILITIES OVER
THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. WE BELIEVE OUR FORECAST AREA CAN HANDLE
RAINFALL TODAY...BUT ADDITIONAL EXCESSIVE RAINFALL POTENTIAL FOR
TONIGHT SHOULD CAUSE RUNOFF PROBLEMS.
TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...EAST-WEST ORIENTED FRONT REMAINS A CONCERN
FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AS IT WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR ADDITIONAL SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES...WITH LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT IMPINGING ON THE FRONT AND PRECIPITABLE
WATER VALUES OF 1.0-1.5 INCHES. AS MENTIONED EARLIER...ADDITIONAL
EXCESSIVE RAINFALL ANTICIPATED TONIGHT SHOULD CAUSE RUNOFF PROBLEMS.
THUS...ISSUED A FLOOD WATCH FOR ENTIRE FORECAST AREA FOR TONIGHT.
ADDITIONAL HEADLINES MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH THE WEEKEND FOR HYDROLOGIC
CONCERNS.
.LONG TERM...MONDAY THRU THURSDAY
NO CHANGES ANTICIPATED FOR THIS TIME FRAME AS UNSETTLED WEATHER
PATTERN LOOKS TO CONTINUE.
&&
.ARX...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT...NORTHEAST IOWA...IOWA ZONES 008>011...
IOWA ZONES 018-019-029-030.
MN...FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT...SOUTHEAST MN...MINNESOTA ZONES 079...
MINNESOTA ZONES 086>088...094>096.
WI...FLOOD WATCH TONIGHT...SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL WI...
WISCONSIN ZONES 017...029...032>034...041>044...
WISCONSIN ZONES 053>055...061.
&&
THOMPSONHazardous weather outlook, May 21, 11:00 AM CDT, 2 hours 46 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1100 AM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034- 041>044-053>055-061-220900- ADAMS-ALLAMAKEE-BUFFALO-CHICKASAW-CLARK-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-DODGE- FAYETTE-FILLMORE-FLOYD-GRANT-HOUSTON-HOWARD-JACKSON-JUNEAU-LA CROSSE- MITCHELL-MONROE-MOWER-OLMSTED-RICHLAND-TAYLOR-TREMPEALEAU-VERNON- WABASHA-WINNESHIEK-WINONA- 1100 AM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...AND CENTRAL INTO SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT AMPLE INSTABILITY AND SUFFICIENT WIND SHEAR NORTH OF WARM FRONT COULD PRODUCE A FEW SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN TONIGHT. THE PRIMARY MAIN THREAT SHOULD BE LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN COULD BE ONGOING THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SATURDAY. MEANWHILE...THE FRONT WILL CONTINUE LIFTING NORTHWARD...THEN BECOME QUASI-STATIONARY OVER THE AREA. WITH THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE...PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND. DEPENDING UPON THE LOCATION OF THE FRONT SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE. IN ADDITION LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO STILL A CONCERN WITH THE ALREADY SATURATED SOILS IN SOME LOCATIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY ALSO BE NEEDED THROUGH THE WEEKEND. IN ADDITION...RAINFALL REPORTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THOMPSON/RIECK
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 21, 12:29 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1229 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1224 PM HAIL 4 E SPRING VALLEY 43.69N 92.31W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH FILLMORE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
04Local storm report, May 21, 12:55 PM CDT, 51 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1255 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1246 PM HAIL DE SOTO 43.43N 91.20W
05/21/2004 1.00 INCH VERNON WI POST OFFICE
&&
04Local storm report, May 21, 1:04 PM CDT, 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
104 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1258 PM HAIL RETREAT 43.45N 91.08W
05/21/2004 1.50 INCH VERNON WI FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
&&
04Local storm report, May 21, 1:18 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
118 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0113 PM HAIL 7 SE VIROQUA 43.49N 90.79W
05/21/2004 1.75 INCH VERNON WI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
04Local storm report, May 21, 1:21 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
121 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0111 PM HAIL LIBERTY POLE 43.48N 90.90W
05/21/2004 0.75 INCH VERNON WI EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
04The office that day
Everything else NWS La Crosse, WI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 12:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Vernon | 56 min |
| May 21, 2:04 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Juneau | 56 min |
| May 21, 2:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Crawford | 33 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Wisconsin, 2004Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2004
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.