Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Watches in 2017
Tornado Watch 233
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 17, 2017, 3:13 PM CDT for 8 counties in Iowa; 7 counties in Minnesota; 54 counties in Wisconsin. It was in force for 9 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 17, 2017, 3:13 PM CDT (20:13 UTC)
- Expired
- May 18, 2017, 12:13 AM CDT
- In force
- 9 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
- Largest hail expected
- 2 in
- Strongest gust expected
- 60 kt
All 69 counties
Allamakee County, IA, Chickasaw County, IA, Clayton County, IA, Fayette County, IA, Floyd County, IA, Howard County, IA, Mitchell County, IA, Winneshiek County, IA, Dodge County, MN, Fillmore County, MN, Houston County, MN, Mower County, MN, Olmsted County, MN, Wabasha County, MN, Winona County, MN, Adams County, WI, Brown County, WI, Buffalo County, WI, Calumet County, WI, Chippewa County, WI, Clark County, WI, Columbia County, WI, Crawford County, WI, Dane County, WI, Dodge County, WI, Dunn County, WI, Eau Claire County, WI, Fond du Lac County, WI, Grant County, WI, Green County, WI, Green Lake County, WI, Iowa County, WI, Jackson County, WI, Jefferson County, WI, Juneau County, WI, Kenosha County, WI, Kewaunee County, WI, La Crosse County, WI, Lafayette County, WI, Langlade County, WI, Lincoln County, WI, Manitowoc County, WI, Marathon County, WI, Marquette County, WI, Menominee County, WI, Milwaukee County, WI, Monroe County, WI, Oconto County, WI, Outagamie County, WI, Ozaukee County, WI, Pepin County, WI, Pierce County, WI, Portage County, WI, Racine County, WI, Richland County, WI, Rock County, WI, Sauk County, WI, Shawano County, WI, Sheboygan County, WI, Taylor County, WI, Trempealeau County, WI, Vernon County, WI, Walworth County, WI, Washington County, WI, Waukesha County, WI, Waupaca County, WI, Waushara County, WI, Winnebago County, WI, Wood County, WI
The radar
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 38 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:13 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 SPC expected
The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.
- Two or more tornadoes
- 40%
- One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes
- 20%
- Ten or more severe wind reports
- 40%
- One or more gusts of 65 knots or more
- 10%
- Ten or more severe hail reports
- 40%
- One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more
- 30%
- Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports
- 90%
Warnings issued inside it
72 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 3:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Forest, Langlade, Oneida, Vilas | 49 min |
| May 17, 3:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Chickasaw, Fayette, Howard, Winneshiek | 52 min |
| May 17, 3:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac, Green Lake | 47 min |
| May 17, 3:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Langlade, Menominee, Shawano | 41 min |
| May 17, 3:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Fillmore, Olmsted, Winona | 40 min |
| May 17, 4:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Clayton, Fayette | 44 min |
| May 17, 4:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Winnebago | 20 min |
| May 17, 4:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Fillmore, Houston | 48 min |
| May 17, 4:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Allamakee | 38 min |
| May 17, 4:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Winona | 46 min |
| May 17, 4:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Winona | 49 min |
| May 17, 4:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Houston | 38 min |
| May 17, 5:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Crawford, Grant, Richland, Vernon | 39 min |
| May 17, 5:09 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ARX | La Crosse | 20 min |
| May 17, 5:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | La Crosse, Monroe | 51 min |
| May 17, 5:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau | 49 min |
| May 17, 5:31 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ARX | Jackson | 24 min |
| May 17, 5:43 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Richland, Vernon | 33 min |
| May 17, 5:46 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ARX | Richland, Vernon | 17 min |
| May 17, 5:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Clark, Jackson | 38 min |
| May 17, 5:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Jackson, Juneau, Monroe | 65 min |
| May 17, 5:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Floyd | 32 min |
| May 17, 5:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Sauk | 18 min |
| May 17, 6:04 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ARX | Clark, Jackson | 23 min |
| May 17, 6:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Wood | 55 min |
| May 17, 6:07 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ARX | Jackson, Juneau, Monroe | 16 min |
| May 17, 6:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Chickasaw | 34 min |
| May 17, 6:12 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Rock | 33 min |
| May 17, 6:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Mitchell | 44 min |
| May 17, 6:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Howard | 37 min |
| May 17, 6:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Marathon, Wood | 67 min |
| May 17, 6:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Adams | 34 min |
| May 17, 6:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Clark | 31 min |
| May 17, 6:35 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Fillmore, Mower | 40 min |
| May 17, 6:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Clark, Taylor | 66 min |
| May 17, 6:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Jefferson, Rock, Walworth | 35 min |
| May 17, 6:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Clayton, Fayette | 64 min |
| May 17, 6:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Winneshiek | 46 min |
| May 17, 6:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Howard | 10 min |
| May 17, 6:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Adams | 14 min |
| May 17, 6:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Marathon, Portage, Wood | 63 min |
| May 17, 7:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Winneshiek | 75 min |
| May 17, 7:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona | 36 min |
| May 17, 7:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge, Jefferson, Washington, Waukesha | 34 min |
| May 17, 7:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Lincoln, Marathon | 50 min |
| May 17, 7:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Milwaukee, Racine, Waukesha | 16 min |
| May 17, 7:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Houston, Winona | 41 min |
| May 17, 7:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Iowa, Lafayette | 33 min |
| May 17, 7:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Wabasha | 59 min |
| May 17, 7:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Crawford, Grant, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Vernon | 61 min |
| May 17, 7:39 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Pepin, Pierce | 49 min |
| May 17, 7:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Langlade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida | 29 min |
| May 17, 7:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dane, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Sauk | 36 min |
| May 17, 7:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Langlade, Marathon, Menominee, Portage, Shawano, Waupaca | 61 min |
| May 17, 8:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Adams, Jackson, Juneau, Monroe | 54 min |
| May 17, 8:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Forest, Langlade, Oneida, Vilas | 37 min |
| May 17, 8:20 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dane, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Rock | 40 min |
| May 17, 8:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Marquette, Sauk | 38 min |
| May 17, 8:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock | 37 min |
| May 17, 8:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Marathon, Portage, Waushara, Wood | 44 min |
| May 17, 8:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dodge, Green Lake, Marquette | 50 min |
| May 17, 9:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Langlade, Menominee, Oconto | 16 min |
| May 17, 9:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge, Fond du Lac, Washington | 38 min |
| May 17, 9:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock, Walworth, Waukesha | 35 min |
| May 17, 9:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Calumet, Marathon, Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, Waupaca and 2 more | 49 min |
| May 17, 9:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Rock, Walworth | 31 min |
| May 17, 10:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Brown, Calumet, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Oconto, Outagamie and 1 more | 61 min |
| May 17, 10:28 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Walworth | 32 min |
| May 17, 10:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Langlade, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto | 28 min |
| May 17, 10:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Walworth | 27 min |
| May 17, 10:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GRB | Door, Kewaunee | 42 min |
| May 17, 10:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Kenosha, Racine, Walworth | 20 min |
Discussions around it
SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 216 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
- 737 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 37 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 3 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- -70 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
131
WWUS20 KWNS 172011
SEL3
SPC WW 172011
IAZ000-MNZ000-WIZ000-180400-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 233
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
310 PM CDT Wed May 17 2017
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
northeast Iowa
parts of southeast Minnesota
central and southern Wisconsin
* Effective this Wednesday afternoon and evening from 310 PM
until 1100 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include...
A couple tornadoes possible
Scattered large hail and isolated very large hail events to 2
inches in diameter possible
Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph possible
SUMMARY...Strong/severe thunderstorms continue to develop
over/spread into the area this afternoon as the airmass continues to
destabilize. Along with risk for large hail and locally damaging
winds, a few tornadoes will also be possible with the strongest
cells.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 90 statute miles
north and south of a line from 30 miles south southwest of Rochester
MN to 60 miles east southeast of Mosinee WI. For a complete
depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
(WOUS64 KWNS WOU3).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 231...WW 232...
AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 450. Mean
storm motion vector 22040.
...GossSPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 7:31 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Adams, Audubon, Benton, Black Hawk, Boone and 59 more | 59 min |
| May 16, 8:46 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Allamakee, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Butler, Cerro Gordo and 29 more | 5 hr |
| May 16, 9:43 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Adams, Audubon, Calhoun, Carroll, Cass and 16 more | 62 min |
| May 16, 11:48 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Allamakee, Black Hawk, Boone, Bremer, Butler and 28 more | 117 min |
| May 17, 11:39 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Boone, Carroll and 28 more | 66 min |
| May 17, 12:08 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Adair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Black Hawk, Boone and 64 more | 7 hr |
| May 17, 12:23 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Allamakee, Clayton | 97 min |
| May 17, 2:25 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Adams, Audubon, Boone, Calhoun, Carroll and 32 more | 65 min |
| May 17, 2:38 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler and 15 more | 97 min |
| May 17, 3:24 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Clinton, Davis, Delaware and 17 more | 66 min |
| May 17, 3:44 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Des Moines and 15 more | 9 hr |
| May 17, 6:05 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Allamakee, Benton, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Cedar and 18 more | 55 min |
| May 16, 9:14 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Wabasha | 61 min |
| May 17, 2:53 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Dakota, Faribault, Freeborn and 16 more | 6 hr |
| May 16, 9:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Adams, Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse and 14 more | 5 hr |
| May 17, 6:31 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adams, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Dodge, Eau Claire and 17 more | 89 min |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Wisconsin, 2017Tornado Watches in Iowa, 2017Tornado Watches in Minnesota, 2017Every tornado watch in 2017
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.