Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2025
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Milwaukee, WI
NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at May 15, 2025, 4:18 PM CDT for Columbia County, Sauk County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 27 min. 4 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
- May 15, 2025, 4:18 PM CDT (21:18 UTC)
- Expired
- May 15, 2025, 4:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 27 min
- Issued by
- NWS Milwaukee, WI
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 1.25 in
Counties Columbia County, WI, Sauk County, WI
The radar
The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 101 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:21 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 15, 4:34 PM CDT | HAIL 1.5 | 6 Se Lake Delton, WI | |
| May 15, 4:35 PM CDT | HAIL 1.75 | 7 Ne Baraboo, WI | |
| May 15, 4:36 PM CDT | HAIL 1 | Portage, WI | |
| May 15, 4:42 PM CDT | TORNADO | 3 Sw Portage, WI | A NWS Storm Survey concludes an EF-U tornado occurred southwest of Portage. Multiple videos and calls demonstrate a brief touchdown along Interstate 39. Surveys could not find damage along any roadways, suggesting touchdown may have happened in the Baraboo Riv |
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 15, 3:05 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 163 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
- 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
The text
As transmitted.
444
WFUS53 KMKX 152118
TORMKX
WIC021-111-152145-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0004.250515T2118Z-250515T2145Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
418 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025
The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Western Columbia County in south central Wisconsin...
Northeastern Sauk County in south central Wisconsin...
* Until 445 PM CDT.
* At 417 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Baraboo, moving north at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and half dollar 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...
Baraboo, Portage, Prairie Du Sac, Lake Wisconsin, West Baraboo,
Bluffview, Merrimac, Interstate 90/94 Interchange, Okee, and Devils
Lake St Park.
Other landmarks included are the following Locations Gibraltar Rock
Natural Area County Park, Pine Island State Wildlife Area, Historic
Indian Agency House, and French Creek Wildlife Area.
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 4364 8930 4329 8964 4329 8971 4337 8988
4364 8968
TIME...MOT...LOC 2117Z 199DEG 29KT 4338 8975
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN
$$
BOXELL1 follow-up statement
109
WWUS53 KMKX 152124
SVSMKX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
424 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025
WIC021-111-152145-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-250515T2145Z/
Columbia WI-Sauk WI-
424 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM CDT FOR WESTERN
COLUMBIA AND EAST CENTRAL SAUK COUNTIES...
At 424 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Baraboo, moving northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado and two inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
Locations impacted include...
Baraboo, Portage, Lake Wisconsin, West Baraboo, Merrimac, Interstate
90/94 Interchange, Okee, and Devils Lake St Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 4333 8960 4334 8969 4341 8981 4364 8968
4364 8930
TIME...MOT...LOC 2124Z 209DEG 29KT 4342 8966
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...2.00 IN
$$
BOXELLThe office that day
Everything else NWS Milwaukee, WI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14, 8:20 PM CDT | Dense Fog Advisory | MKX | Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington and 1 more | 15 hr |
| May 15, 3:04 AM CDT | Gale Watch | MKX | 23 hr | |
| May 15, 3:04 AM CDT | Small Craft Advisory | MKX | 20 hr | |
| May 15, 3:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Iowa, Sauk | 47 min |
| May 15, 3:38 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dane, Iowa, Marquette, Sauk | 52 min |
| May 15, 3:44 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dane, Green | 46 min |
| May 15, 4:04 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Columbia, Sauk | 26 min |
| May 15, 4:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dane | 44 min |
| May 15, 4:18 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dane, Sauk | 57 min |
| May 15, 4:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Sauk | 21 min |
| May 15, 4:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Green Lake, Marquette | 65 min |
| May 15, 4:44 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Columbia, Green Lake, Marquette | 46 min |
| May 15, 4:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dane | 53 min |
| May 15, 5:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Washington, Waukesha | 43 min |
| May 15, 5:05 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge | 55 min |
| May 15, 5:26 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Dodge | 49 min |
| May 15, 5:34 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Green Lake | 26 min |
| May 15, 5:37 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac, Green Lake | 68 min |
| May 15, 5:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Washington, Waukesha | 50 min |
| May 15, 5:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Marquette | 42 min |
| May 15, 5:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge | 48 min |
| May 15, 5:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge, Jefferson, Waukesha | 44 min |
| May 15, 6:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Racine, Walworth, Waukesha | 43 min |
| May 15, 6:02 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Dodge, Fond du Lac, Washington | 28 min |
| May 15, 6:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac | 16 min |
| May 15, 6:14 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac | 50 min |
| May 15, 6:21 PM CDT | Special Marine Warning | MKX | 114 min | |
| May 15, 6:21 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Milwaukee, Ozaukee | 39 min |
| May 15, 6:23 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac, Sheboygan | 37 min |
| May 15, 6:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Milwaukee, Racine, Waukesha | 36 min |
| May 15, 6:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington | 79 min |
| May 15, 6:29 PM CDT | Special Marine Warning | MKX | 2 hr | |
| May 15, 6:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine | 48 min |
| May 15, 6:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Milwaukee | 24 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.