Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 21, NWS Milwaukee, WI

July 16, 2025Sauk County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Jul 16, 2025, 12:41 PM CDT for Sauk County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 34 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
Jul 16, 2025, 12:41 PM CDT (17:41 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 2025, 1:15 PM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

County Sauk County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 97 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 17:42 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 16, 12:17 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 5.7 hours before the alert went out and 201 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 2025-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 647 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, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 12:00Z on 2025-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 52 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
647 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-28 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
881 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
52 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
67 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

220 
WFUS53 KMKX 161741
TORMKX
WIC111-161815-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0021.250716T1741Z-250716T1815Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1241 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Sauk County in south central Wisconsin...

* Until 115 PM CDT.

* At 1241 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located 9 miles east of Richland Center, 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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Plain, Lime Ridge, and Hill Point.

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 4350 9019 4352 9017 4332 8992 4322 9019
TIME...MOT...LOC 1741Z 230DEG 19KT 4334 9020 

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

$$

QUIGLEY
3 follow-up statements
444 
WWUS53 KMKX 161753
SVSMKX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1253 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

WIC111-161815-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-250716T1815Z/
Sauk WI-
1253 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 PM CDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL SAUK COUNTY...

At 1252 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 12 miles southwest of Reedsburg, 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.

Locations impacted include...
Lime Ridge and Hill Point.

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 4350 9019 4352 9017 4336 8997 4330 9019
TIME...MOT...LOC 1752Z 230DEG 19KT 4338 9013 

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

$$

QUIGLEY
636 
WWUS53 KMKX 161803
SVSMKX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
103 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

WIC111-161815-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-250716T1815Z/
Sauk WI-
103 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 PM CDT FOR WEST
CENTRAL SAUK COUNTY...

At 102 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 9 miles southwest of Reedsburg, 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.

Locations impacted include...
Lime Ridge and Hill Point.

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 4352 9017 4336 8997 4335 9017
TIME...MOT...LOC 1802Z 230DEG 19KT 4341 9008 

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

$$

QUIGLEY
607 
WWUS53 KMKX 161808
SVSMKX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
108 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

WIC111-161818-
/O.EXP.KMKX.TO.W.0021.000000T0000Z-250716T1815Z/
Sauk WI-
108 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL SAUK COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
115 PM CDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and has exited the warned area. Therefore, the warning will
be allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 600 PM CDT for south central
Wisconsin.

LAT...LON 4352 9017 4336 8997 4335 9017
TIME...MOT...LOC 1808Z 230DEG 19KT 4342 9006 

$$

QUIGLEY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 16, 12:01 PM CDTSmall Craft AdvisoryMKX33 hr
Jul 16, 12:04 PM CDTBeach Hazards StatementMKXKenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan33 hr
Jul 16, 12:10 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXIowa35 min
Jul 16, 12:29 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedMKXIowa31 min
Jul 16, 12:38 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXGreen37 min
Jul 16, 12:56 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatMKXDane, Iowa, Sauk49 min
Jul 16, 12:59 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDane, Green, Rock46 min
Jul 16, 1:27 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedMKXColumbia, Dane, Sauk21 min
Jul 16, 2:05 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDane, Jefferson25 min
Jul 16, 2:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXMarquette51 min
Jul 16, 2:48 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Sauk42 min
Jul 16, 3:04 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDodge, Fond du Lac26 min
Jul 16, 3:16 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Marquette29 min
Jul 16, 3:17 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXMarquette3 hr
Jul 16, 3:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXColumbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson38 min
Jul 16, 3:24 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDodge36 min
Jul 16, 3:25 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Dodge35 min
Jul 16, 3:28 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXFond du Lac32 min
Jul 16, 3:30 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Dane, Dodge30 min
Jul 16, 3:41 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMKX81 min
Jul 16, 3:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXColumbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake41 min
Jul 16, 4:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXDodge, Jefferson, Waukesha34 min
Jul 16, 4:23 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMKX3 hr
Jul 16, 4:27 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXFond du Lac33 min
Jul 16, 4:36 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXFond du Lac101 min
Jul 16, 4:44 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXWaukesha16 min
Jul 16, 4:59 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXOzaukee, Sheboygan, Washington61 min
Jul 16, 5:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXSheboygan35 min
Jul 16, 5:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXOzaukee, Washington27 min
Jul 16, 5:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXSheboygan25 min
Jul 16, 5:38 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMKXSheboygan3 hr

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.