Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2005

Tornado Warning 29, NWS Milwaukee, WI

August 18, 20054 counties in Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Aug 18, 2005, 5:21 PM CDT for 4 counties in Wisconsin. It was in force for 54 min. 9 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
Aug 18, 2005, 5:21 PM CDT (22:21 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 2005, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Columbia County, WI, Dane County, WI, Iowa County, WI, Sauk County, WI

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 94 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:21 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 18, 5:45 PM CDTTORNADO2 Sw Merrimac, WITORNADO ON THE GROUND.
Aug 18, 5:52 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG1 Nw Merrimac, WIPOSSIBLE TORNADO. STORM DAMAGE REPORTED ALONG HWY 12. TREES AND VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED.
Aug 18, 5:55 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 Nw Lodi, WI
Aug 18, 6:03 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 Nw Black Earth, WIBETWEEN BLACK EARTH AND MAZOMANIE.
Aug 18, 6:03 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDN Lodi, WI
Aug 18, 6:03 PM CDTTORNADOLodi, WITORNADO ON THE GROUND AT THIS TIME.
Aug 18, 6:03 PM CDTTORNADOMerrimac, WITORNADO ON THE GROUND ALONG THE WISCONSIN RIVER.
Aug 18, 6:18 PM CDTTORNADO3 N Lodi, WITORNADO ON THE GROUND.
Aug 18, 6:20 PM CDTTORNADO3 N Dane, WITORNADO ON THE GROUND WITH DEBRIS.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 18, 2:50 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 179 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 2005-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 206 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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 2005-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 66 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
206 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-38 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
995 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
66 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
90 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.

000 
WFUS53 KMKX 182221
TORMKX
WIC021-025-049-111-182315-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0029.050818T2221Z-050818T2315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
521 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MILWAUKEE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  COLUMBIA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN
  SAUK COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN
  IOWA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN
  DANE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT

* AT 516 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 12 MILES WEST OF
  BARABOO...OR ABOUT 9 MILES SOUTH OF REEDSBURG...MOVING EAST AT 45
  MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  PRAIRIE DU SAC...SAUK CITY AROUND 535 PM CDT...
  LAKE WISCONSIN AROUND 540 PM CDT...
  LODI AND CROSS PLAINS AROUND 545 PM CDT...
  POYNETTE AND MIDDLETON AROUND 550 PM CDT...
  DEFOREST AROUND 555 PM CDT...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4351 8999 4316 9009 4297 8901 4334 8903

$$

REM
6 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS53 KMKX 182227
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
526 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

WIC021-025-049-111-182315-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-050818T2315Z/
COLUMBIA-SAUK-IOWA-DANE-
526 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR DANE...IOWA...
SAUK AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES...

AT 521 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A LINE OF TORNADO PRODUCING STORMS.  THESE TORNADO PRODUCING
STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM ALONG A LINE 
EXTENDING FROM WISCONSIN DELLS TO MOUNT HOREB...MOVING EAST AT 50 
MPH.

TORNADO PRODUCING STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  OKEE...HARMONY GROVE AND LAKE WISCONSIN BY 535 PM CDT...
  MIDDLETON...LODI AND DANE BY 540 PM CDT...
  WAUNAKEE...SHOREWOOD HILLS...POYNETTE AND MADISON BY 545 PM CDT...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4351 8999 4316 9009 4297 8901 4334 8903

$$

MBK
000 
WWUS53 KMKX 182233
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
531 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

WIC021-025-049-111-182315-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-050818T2315Z/
COLUMBIA-SAUK-IOWA-DANE-
531 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR DANE...IOWA...
SAUK AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES...

AT 527 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A LINE OF TORNADO
PRODUCING STORMS.  THESE TORNADO PRODUCING STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG 
A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTH OF BARABOO TO NEAR SPRING 
GREEN...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

TORNADO PRODUCING STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  MIDDLETON...LODI AND DANE BY 540 PM CDT...
  WAUNAKEE...SHOREWOOD HILLS...POYNETTE AND MADISON BY 545 PM CDT...
  TOKEN CREEK...MORRISONVILLE AND WINDSOR BY 550 PM CDT...

TRAINED SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR SPRING GREEN AT 525 
PM...AND ANOTHER TORNADO NEAR COUNTY HIGHWAY C IN SAUK COUNTY...EAST 
OF LELAND.

DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO. CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF A
TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING. IF NO SAFE
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVER
YOUR HEAD.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4351 8999 4316 9009 4297 8901 4334 8903

$$

MBK
000 
WWUS53 KMKX 182240
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
538 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

WIC021-025-049-111-182315-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-050818T2315Z/
COLUMBIA-SAUK-IOWA-DANE-
538 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR DANE...IOWA...
SAUK AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES...

AT 538 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED 6 MILES NORTH OF
PRAIRIE DU SAC...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  OKEE...LAKE WISCONSIN...HARMONY GROVE AND LODI BY 545 PM CDT...
  ARLINGTON AND POYNETTE BY 555 PM CDT...
  MORRISONVILLE AND DEFOREST BY 600 PM CDT...
  EAST BRISTOL BY 610 PM CDT...

ANOTHER TORNADO-PRODUCING STORM WAS LOCATED IN THE SPRING GREEN 
AREA...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. A TORNADO WITH THIS STORM WAS REPORTED 
NEAR HIGHWAY 14 JUST EAST OF SPRING GREEN...IN NORTHEAST IOWA 
COUNTY. ARENA WILL EXPERIENCE THIS STORM AND TORNADO BY 545 PM.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4351 8999 4316 9009 4297 8901 4334 8903

$$

MBK
000 
WWUS53 KMKX 182250
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
548 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

WIC021-025-049-111-182315-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-050818T2315Z/
COLUMBIA-SAUK-IOWA-DANE-
548 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR DANE...IOWA...
SAUK AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES...

AT 543 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR PRAIRIE DU 
SAC...MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  LAKE WISCONSIN AND 8 MILES NORTH OF MARXVILLE BY 555 PM CDT...
  OKEE AND HARMONY GROVE BY 600 PM CDT...
  LODI BY 605 PM CDT...
  DANE BY 610 PM CDT...
  MORRISONVILLE...WAUNAKEE...6 MILES WEST OF DEFOREST AND 7 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF WINDSOR BY 615 PM CDT...

ANOTHER TORNADO-PRODUCING THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN EXTREME 
NORTHEAST IOWA COUNTY...EAST OF ARENA. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST 
SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL EXIT IOWA COUNTY BY 6 PM.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4351 8999 4316 9009 4297 8901 4334 8903

$$

MBK
000 
WWUS53 KMKX 182259
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
558 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

WIC021-025-049-111-182315-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-050818T2315Z/
COLUMBIA-SAUK-IOWA-DANE-
558 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR DANE...IOWA...
SAUK AND COLUMBIA COUNTIES...

AT 558 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR MERRIMAC...OR
ABOUT NEAR PRAIRIE DU SAC...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  OKEE AND LAKE WISCONSIN BY 610 PM CDT...
  LODI...HARMONY GROVE...6 MILES NORTHWEST OF DANE AND 9 MILES
  SOUTHWEST OF POYNETTE BY 615 PM CDT...

SPOTTERS REPORTED A POSSIBLE TORNADO NEAR MERRIMAC ON HIGHWAY 12 AT 
555 PM. VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED AND TREES WERE DOWN. 

SPOTTERS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD NEAR LODI IN COLUMBIA COUNTY AT 556 
PM.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 1100 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4351 8999 4316 9009 4297 8901 4334 8903

$$

MBK
000 
WWUS53 KMKX 182309
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
606 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

WIC049-182316-
/O.CAN.KMKX.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-050818T2315Z/
IOWA-
606 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR IOWA COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 1100 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4351 8999 4324 8985 4297 8901 4334 8903

$$

WIC021-025-111-182315-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0029.000000T0000Z-050818T2315Z/
COLUMBIA-SAUK-DANE-
609 PM CDT THU AUG 18 2005

...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR DANE...SAUK AND
COLUMBIA COUNTIES...

AT 605 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED TORNADOES NEAR 
MERRIMAC AND NEAR LODI. THESE TORNADOES APPEARED TO BE MOVING 
EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  OKEE BY 615 PM CDT...
  MORRISONVILLE BY 615 PM   CDT...

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. A TORNADO WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 1100 PM CDT THURSDAY EVENING FOR SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4351 8999 4324 8985 4297 8901 4334 8903

$$

MBK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 18, 7:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXIowa, Lafayette45 min
Aug 18, 7:57 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXGreen, Lafayette52 min
Aug 18, 4:37 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXSauk53 min
Aug 18, 5:07 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXIowa, Sauk23 min
Aug 18, 5:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXDane64 min
Aug 18, 5:47 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXMarquette43 min
Aug 18, 6:06 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Dane39 min
Aug 18, 6:29 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXJefferson61 min
Aug 18, 6:33 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXGreen Lake, Marquette35 min
Aug 18, 6:39 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDane36 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 2005Every tornado warning in 2005Tornadoes in 2005

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.