Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2020

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Milwaukee, WI

May 23, 2020Rock County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at May 23, 2020, 5:15 PM CDT for Rock County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 31 min. 1 report 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 23, 2020, 5:15 PM CDT (22:15 UTC)
Expired: May 23, 2020, 5:46 PM CDT
In force: 31 min
Issued by: NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Observed
Hail: 1.0 in

County Rock County, WI

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:15 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 23, 5:26 PM CDT	TORNADO	4 Se Janesville, WI

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 23, 12:33 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 172 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 145 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -133 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 859 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 148 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 198 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

683 
WFUS53 KMKX 232215
TORMKX
WIC105-232300-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0004.200523T2215Z-200523T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
515 PM CDT Sat May 23 2020

The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Eastern Rock County in south central Wisconsin...

* Until 600 PM CDT.

* At 515 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located near Clinton, or
  near Janesville, moving northeast at 20 mph.

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Weather spotters confirmed tornado.

  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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Janesville, Milton, Tiffany, Johnstown Center, Avalon, Shopiere,
  Afton and Emerald Grove.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. 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 4258 8909 4281 8898 4273 8878 4265 8877
      4252 8893
TIME...MOT...LOC 2215Z 211DEG 19KT 4260 8895 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

ROGERS

2 follow-up statements

429 
WWUS53 KMKX 232234
SVSMKX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
534 PM CDT Sat May 23 2020

WIC105-232300-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-200523T2300Z/
Rock WI-
534 PM CDT Sat May 23 2020

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN ROCK COUNTY...
    
At 533 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Janesville, moving northeast at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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.

Locations impacted include...
Janesville, Milton, Avalon, Johnstown Center and Emerald Grove. 

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 4264 8906 4281 8898 4273 8878 4265 8877
      4257 8887
TIME...MOT...LOC 2233Z 211DEG 19KT 4269 8888 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

ROGERS

495 
WWUS53 KMKX 232246
SVSMKX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
546 PM CDT Sat May 23 2020

WIC105-232255-
/O.CAN.KMKX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-200523T2300Z/
Rock WI-
546 PM CDT Sat May 23 2020

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN ROCK 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.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT for south central
and southeastern Wisconsin.

LAT...LON 4264 8906 4281 8898 4273 8878 4265 8877
      4257 8887
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 211DEG 19KT 4275 8883 

$$

ROGERS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 22, 11:36 PM CDT	Dense Fog Advisory	MKX	Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan and 3 more	9 hr
May 23, 3:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Rock	52 min
May 23, 4:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MKX	Rock	25 min
May 23, 4:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	MKX	Lafayette	35 min
May 23, 4:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MKX	Rock	47 min
May 23, 4:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	MKX	Rock	40 min
May 23, 5:12 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	MKX	Rock	28 min
May 23, 5:39 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	MKX	Rock	3 hr

Nearby

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