Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Green Bay, WI

May 15, 2025Marathon County, Wisconsin

NWS Green Bay, WI issued this tornado warning at May 15, 2025, 5:24 PM CDT for Marathon County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 51 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 2025, 5:24 PM CDT (22:24 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 2025, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
51 min
Issued by
NWS Green Bay, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

County Marathon County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 157 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:24 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 15, 3:05 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 170 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 2025-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2025-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -10 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1019 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
22 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

630 
WFUS53 KGRB 152224
TORGRB
WIC073-152315-
/O.NEW.KGRB.TO.W.0005.250515T2224Z-250515T2315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service GREEN BAY WI
Issued by National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
524 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

The National Weather Service in GREEN BAY has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Marathon County in central Wisconsin...

* Until 615 PM CDT.

* At 524 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Colby, or 21 miles south of Medford, moving
  northeast at 30 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...
  Abbotsford, Colby, Edgar, Athens, Hamburg, Unity, Milan, Cherokee,
  Little Chicago, March Rapids, Poniatowski, and Gad.

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 4503 9031 4504 9020 4512 9020 4512 8985
      4505 8981 4488 9001 4480 9031
TIME...MOT...LOC 2224Z 222DEG 24KT 4483 9037 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

WAGNER

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Green Bay, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 15, 4:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Marine Dense Fog Advisory for the nearshore areas of Lake Michigan through the early evening. A Small Craft Advisory
  • A broken line of strong thunderstorms will cross northern WI between 4 and 9 PM today. Some severe storms are likely with the passage of a cold front. All hazards possible over central WI and large hail possible over eastern WI.
  • Another period of showers and weak storms expected Friday with some potential for gusty winds with some of these showers/storms.
Area forecast discussion, May 15, 4:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Green Bay WI
Issued by National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
400 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Marine Dense Fog Advisory for the nearshore areas of Lake
  Michigan through the early evening. A Small Craft Advisory

- A broken line of strong thunderstorms will cross northern WI
  between 4 and 9 PM today. Some severe storms are likely with
  the passage of a cold front. All hazards possible over central
  WI and large hail possible over eastern WI.

- Another period of showers and weak storms expected Friday with
  some potential for gusty winds with some of these
  showers/storms.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 304 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

The Rest of this Afternoon through Friday Night:

A broken line of cellular storms has broken out, currently from
Eau Claire down to Madison WI. This is line is expected to
develop further and ramp up in intensity this evening. Hail and
gusty winds are expected, owing to SBCAPE around 2500 J/kg amid
effective shear around 40 knots. A couple tornadoes also look
possible, given effective SRH values around 200 m2/s2 over much
of NE WI, and an effective warm front parked from the Fox
Valley up through Marathon and Lincoln County. The peak timing
for storms looks to be from 5pm through 8pm this evening as the
broken line moves northeast. A Tornado Watch is out from now
through 10pm over much of our CWA.

Storms will quickly move through and a dry punch aloft will
clear out skies fairly quickly behind the storms. There will be
a bit of a lull overnight, but tomorrow, enhanced mixing will
lead to gusty southwest winds with some scattered gusts to 40
mph. A secondary shortwave pivoting around an upper level low
and lingering moisture will squeeze out some more scattered
thunderstorm activity in the afternoon. Very dry low levels and
the high based nature of the storms will cause the potential for
gusty winds with any storms that get established enough in the
environment.

Saturday through Wednesday

The upper low will linger into Saturday. Cooler conditions are
expected due to clouds and the cooler air aloft and highs will
top out in the low to mid 60. Diurnally driven scattered
showers may occur through the day. This upper low should move
east on Sunday, restoring relative high pressure, but clouds
will likely linger along with cooler temperatures as winds will
come around to northeasterly. By late in the extended period, a
large low pressure system is expected to approach the upper
Midwest Monday into Tuesday, bringing a prolonged period of
showery rain and clouds to the area. Winds will remain
northeasterly off of the lake, keeping our CWA cool with highs
in the 50s.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 304 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

Current conditions still largely remain VFR across the CWA with
SCT to CLR conditions most everywhere save for areas from west
of KGRB to KCWA where BKN040 is largely present. A line of
storms currently present, arching from KMSN to KMSP, and this
line should continue to develop and move northeast between now
and 03z this evening. These storms will feature gusty winds, and
large hail. Following storms, skies are expected to remain
clear overnight as a dry slot moves in, with mostly clear winds.

VFR ceilings return tomorrow afternoon with sfc wind gusts
becoming strong out of the southwest to 35 knots in spots. There
may be additional scattered thunderstorm development in the
afternoon with gusty winds being the primary threat.

&&

.MARINE...
Issued at 304 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

Marine dense fog will continue into this evening until
thunderstorms and a front pass during the early evening hours. A
small craft advisory will also continue into tonight on
southeast winds. Following the passage of the front, winds
should ease for a time overnight and then come around to
southwesterly by tomorrow at dawn. Gusty southwesterly winds are
then expected to pick up leading to a potential second period of
Small Craft Advisory conditions during tomorrow afternoon.

&&

.GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
MARINE...Dense Fog Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for LMZ521-522-
     541>543.
     Small Craft Advisory until 1 AM CDT Friday for LMZ522.
     Small Craft Advisory until 11 PM CDT this evening for LMZ542-
     543.

&&

DISCUSSION...
AVIATION...
MARINE...
Hazardous weather outlook, May 15, 3:08 PM CDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Green Bay WI
Issued by National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
308 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-162015-
Vilas-Oneida-Forest-Florence-Northern Marinette County-Lincoln-
Langlade-Menominee-Northern Oconto County-Door-Marathon-Shawano-
Wood-Portage-Waupaca-Outagamie-Brown-Kewaunee-Waushara-Winnebago-
Calumet-Manitowoc-Southern Marinette County-
Southern Oconto County-
308 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north-central and northeast
Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

A line of strong thunderstorms will cross northern WI between 4
and 9 PM this afternoon into tonight. Severe storms are likely
with all hazards possible over central WI and large hail possible
over eastern WI.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Thursday

Gusty southwest winds up to 45 mph are possible for the Fox
Valley on Friday. Showers and another round of storms may bring
gusty winds Friday afternoon.

Thunderstorms may return Tuesday into Wednesday of next week.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will be needed this afternoon and evening. Your
reports are appreciated.

LMZ521-522-541>543-162015-
The Bay of Green Bay south of a line from Cedar River MI to Rock
Island Passage-Lake Michigan from Washington Island to Sheboygan-
308 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwest Lake
Michigan and the waters of Green Bay.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

A Marine Dense Fog Advisory remains in effect through the early
evening.

Small Craft Advisory in effect this afternoon through much of the
evening for the southern portion of the Bay of Green Bay as well
as in the nearshore from Sturgeon Bay to Sheboygan.

Thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening. Some of
the storms could become severe. The primary hazard will be large
hail.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Thursday

Hazardous conditions for small craft are possible Friday through
Saturday due to high winds, particularly for Lake Michigan
nearshore waters.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 14, 8:14 PM CDTDense Fog AdvisoryGRBBrown, Door, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, Oconto15 hr
May 15, 4:06 AM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryGRB19 hr
May 15, 4:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBPortage, Wood55 min
May 15, 4:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBMarathon55 min
May 15, 5:11 PM CDTTornado WarningGRBPortage, Wood49 min
May 15, 5:12 PM CDTTornado WarningGRBMarathon, Wood48 min
May 15, 5:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBPortage, Waushara66 min
May 15, 5:46 PM CDTTornado WarningGRBMarathon, Portage44 min
May 15, 5:46 PM CDTTornado WarningGRBPortage, Waupaca, Waushara44 min
May 15, 5:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBLanglade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida, Portage, Wood39 min
May 15, 6:05 PM CDTTornado WarningGRBMarathon55 min
May 15, 6:16 PM CDTTornado WarningGRBPortage34 min
May 15, 6:17 PM CDTTornado WarningGRBLincoln17 min
May 15, 6:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatGRBLanglade, Lincoln, Marathon, Oneida55 min
May 15, 6:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningGRBPortage, Waupaca38 min
May 15, 6:39 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningGRB2 hr
May 15, 6:53 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningGRB112 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 2025Every tornado warning in 2025Tornadoes in 2025

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.