Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 7, NWS La Crosse, WI

July 21, 2020Vernon County, Wisconsin; Houston County, Minnesota

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this tornado warning at Jul 21, 2020, 5:46 PM CDT for Vernon County, Wisconsin; Houston County, Minnesota. It was in force for 30 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
Jul 21, 2020, 5:46 PM CDT (22:46 UTC)
Expired
Jul 21, 2020, 6:16 PM CDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Houston County, MN, Vernon County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 16 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:45 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
Jul 21, 5:51 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG2 W Brownsville, MNREPORT OF A BARN WITH A TIN ROOF TAKEN OFF. PASSED ALONG THAT OTHER BARNS IN THE AREA WERE POSSIBLY DAMAGED.
Jul 21, 5:56 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD1 W Brownsville, MN
Jul 21, 5:59 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 50Stoddard, WI40 TO 50 MPH WIND - SOME HAIL.
Jul 21, 6:00 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDStoddard, WIDELAYED REPORT. VIA VIDEO SHARED ON WXOWS SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWED A FUNNEL CLOUD FROM THE STODDARD AREA.
Jul 21, 6:02 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 Nw Stoddard, WIFUNNEL CLOUD OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 226 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2020-07-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 148 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2020-07-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 159 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
148 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-84 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1094 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
159 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
214 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

893 
WFUS53 KARX 212246
TORARX
MNC055-WIC123-212330-
/O.NEW.KARX.TO.W.0007.200721T2246Z-200721T2330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
546 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

The National Weather Service in La Crosse has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  East central Houston County in southeastern Minnesota...
  Northwestern Vernon County in southwestern Wisconsin...

* Until 630 PM CDT.
    
* At 546 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Brownsville, or 7 miles southwest of La Crosse,
  moving southeast at 15 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...
  Brownsville around 555 PM CDT.
  Stoddard around 615 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include County
Roads K And O.

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 4370 9133 4374 9133 4371 9116 4360 9116
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 298DEG 12KT 4372 9132 

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

$$

Rieck
3 follow-up statements
569 
WWUS53 KARX 212300
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
600 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

MNC055-WIC123-212330-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-200721T2330Z/
Houston MN-Vernon WI-
600 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL HOUSTON AND NORTHWESTERN VERNON COUNTIES...
    
At 559 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado 
was located near Stoddard, or 9 miles south of La Crosse, moving 
southeast 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...
  Stoddard around 605 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include County
Roads K And O.

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 4370 9133 4374 9133 4371 9116 4360 9116
TIME...MOT...LOC 2259Z 303DEG 18KT 4368 9125 

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

$$

Rieck
038 
WWUS53 KARX 212308
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
608 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

MNC055-212317-
/O.CAN.KARX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-200721T2330Z/
Houston MN-
608 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL HOUSTON COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

LAT...LON 4367 9127 4371 9127 4373 9126 4371 9116
      4360 9116
TIME...MOT...LOC 2307Z 303DEG 18KT 4366 9121 

$$

WIC123-212330-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-200721T2330Z/
Vernon WI-
608 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN VERNON COUNTY...
    
At 607 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Stoddard, or 10 miles south of La Crosse, moving
southeast 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 tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
northwestern Vernon County, including the following locations...
County Roads K And O.

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 4367 9127 4371 9127 4373 9126 4371 9116
      4360 9116
TIME...MOT...LOC 2307Z 303DEG 18KT 4366 9121 

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

$$

Rieck
882 
WWUS53 KARX 212316
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
616 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

WIC123-212326-
/O.CAN.KARX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-200721T2330Z/
Vernon WI-
616 PM CDT Tue Jul 21 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN VERNON COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
                
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.  However small hail and
gusty winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

LAT...LON 4367 9127 4371 9127 4373 9126 4371 9116
      4360 9116
TIME...MOT...LOC 2313Z 298DEG 12KT 4363 9116 

$$

Rieck

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 2020Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2020Every tornado warning in 2020Tornadoes in 2020

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.