Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 24, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 15, 20254 counties in Wisconsin

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at May 15, 2025, 3:30 PM CDT for 4 counties in Wisconsin. It was in force for 30 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 15, 2025, 3:30 PM CDT (20:30 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 2025, 4:00 PM CDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

Counties Chippewa County, WI, Dunn County, WI, Eau Claire County, WI, Pepin County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 114 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:33 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
May 15, 3:58 PM CDTHAIL 12 Nw Elk Mound, WIReport from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 15, 12:46 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 143 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 2025-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 515 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 2025-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 148 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
515 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-91 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1098 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
148 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
141 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

567 
WFUS53 KMPX 152030
TORMPX
WIC017-033-035-091-152100-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0024.250515T2030Z-250515T2100Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
330 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Chippewa County in west central Wisconsin...
  Southeastern Dunn County in west central Wisconsin...
  Northwestern Eau Claire County in west central Wisconsin...
  Northeastern Pepin County in west central Wisconsin...

* Until 400 PM CDT.

* At 330 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a 
  tornado was located 8 miles east of Durand, or 18 miles south of 
  Menomonie, moving northeast at 50 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...
  Eau Claire, Menomonie, Lake Hallie, Colfax, Elk Mound, Rock Falls, 
  Caryville, Hoffman Hills Rec Area, Menomonie Airport and Tainter 
  Lake.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built 
building away from 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 4468 9193 4503 9185 4494 9146 4460 9166
      4460 9195
TIME...MOT...LOC 2029Z 202DEG 42KT 4464 9181

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

Dye
1 follow-up statement
879 
WWUS53 KMPX 152100
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
400 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

WIC017-033-035-091-152110-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-250515T2100Z/
Chippewa WI-Dunn WI-Eau Claire WI-Pepin WI-
400 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

...TORNADO WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR SOUTHWESTERN CHIPPEWA, 
SOUTHEASTERN DUNN, NORTHWESTERN EAU CLAIRE AND NORTHEASTERN PEPIN 
COUNTIES...

The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been 
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and 
a Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT for a portion of 
west central Wisconsin.

&&

LAT...LON 4468 9193 4503 9185 4494 9146 4460 9166
      4460 9195
TIME...MOT...LOC 2030Z 202DEG 42KT 4465 9181

$$

Dye

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 1:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXPierce35 min
May 15, 2:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXPepin, Pierce, Saint Croix44 min
May 15, 2:53 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXPierce22 min
May 15, 3:01 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXDunn, Pepin, Pierce14 min
May 15, 3:07 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXSaint Croix23 min
May 15, 3:15 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXDunn, Pepin, Pierce30 min
May 15, 3:25 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXPolk, Saint Croix35 min
May 15, 3:41 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXDunn20 min
May 15, 3:49 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXPolk26 min
May 15, 3:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBarron, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Rusk47 min
May 15, 4:05 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXChippewa, Eau Claire25 min
May 15, 4:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBarron, Polk29 min
May 15, 4:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBarron, Chippewa, Eau Claire, Rusk47 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.