Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Milwaukee, WI

August 18, 2015Waukesha County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Aug 18, 2015, 9:33 PM CDT for Waukesha County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 27 min. 4 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, 2015, 9:33 PM CDT (02:33 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 2015, 10:00 PM CDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

County Waukesha County, WI

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 27 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:37 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, 9:37 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG2 Sw Big Bend, WITREE DAMAGE REPORTED ALONG COUNTY ROAD L. POSSIBLE TORNADO. RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 18, 9:37 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG3 Sw Big Bend, WIDOWNED POWER LINES AND TREE DAMAGE. SMALL PATCH OF FLATTENED CORN STALKS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
Aug 18, 9:48 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG2 Ssw Waukesha, WITREE DAMAGE REPORTED IN SOUTHWEST WAUKESHA. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
Aug 18, 9:48 PM CDTTORNADO2 Ssw Waukesha, WIEF-0 TORNADO CONFIRMED IN WAUKESHA NEAR INTERSECTION OF GENESEE ROAD AND WISCONSIN 59. PRIMARILY TREE DAMAGE ALONG PATH.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 00:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 174 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 00:00Z on 2015-08-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 197 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 2015-08-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 64 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
197 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-20 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
747 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
64 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
81 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

617 
WFUS53 KMKX 190233
TORMKX
WIC133-190300-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0008.150819T0233Z-150819T0300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
933 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN WAUKESHA COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN...

* UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
    
* AT 932 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER BIG BEND...OR NEAR MUKWONAGO...MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

  IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
           SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. 
           DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE 
           DAMAGE IS LIKELY. 

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MUSKEGO AROUND 955 PM CDT.
  WAUKESHA...NEW BERLIN AND PEWAUKEE AROUND 1000 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4284 8834 4304 8833 4303 8807 4284 8807
TIME...MOT...LOC 0232Z 208DEG 19KT 4287 8824 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

WOOD
4 follow-up statements
326 
WWUS53 KMKX 190240
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
940 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

WIC133-190300-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150819T0300Z/
WAUKESHA WI-
940 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN WAUKESHA COUNTY...
    
AT 939 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER BIG BEND...OR NEAR MUSKEGO...MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  WAUKESHA...NEW BERLIN AND PEWAUKEE AROUND 955 PM CDT.
  BROOKFIELD AROUND 1000 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4284 8834 4304 8833 4303 8807 4284 8807
TIME...MOT...LOC 0239Z 192DEG 27KT 4292 8823 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

HALBACH
469 
WWUS53 KMKX 190249
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
949 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

WIC133-190300-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150819T0300Z/
WAUKESHA WI-
949 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN WAUKESHA COUNTY...
    
AT 949 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER WAUKESHA...MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  PEWAUKEE AROUND 955 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4284 8834 4304 8833 4303 8807 4284 8807
TIME...MOT...LOC 0249Z 180DEG 25KT 4298 8823 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

HALBACH
679 
WWUS53 KMKX 190250
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
950 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

WIC133-190300-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150819T0300Z/
WAUKESHA WI-
950 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
WAUKESHA COUNTY...
    
AT 950 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER WAUKESHA...MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  PEWAUKEE AROUND 955 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A
MOBILE HOME...OR IN A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL
SHELTER AND PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4296 8830 4304 8833 4303 8817 4295 8819
TIME...MOT...LOC 0250Z 180DEG 25KT 4299 8823 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

HALBACH
840 
WWUS53 KMKX 190258
SVSMKX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
958 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

WIC133-190308-
/O.EXP.KMKX.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-150819T0300Z/
WAUKESHA WI-
958 PM CDT TUE AUG 18 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL WAUKESHA COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
1000 PM CDT...
                
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER APPEARS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

LAT...LON 4296 8830 4304 8833 4303 8817 4295 8819
TIME...MOT...LOC 0257Z 208DEG 19KT 4299 8823 

$$

HALBACH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 18, 7:04 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXRock26 min
Aug 18, 8:07 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXWaukesha38 min
Aug 18, 9:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXRacine, Walworth26 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 2015Every tornado warning in 2015Tornadoes in 2015

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.