Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 2, NWS La Crosse, WI

April 13, 2026Taylor County, Wisconsin

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this tornado warning at Apr 13, 2026, 6:20 PM CDT for Taylor County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 20 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
Apr 13, 2026, 6:20 PM CDT (23:20 UTC)
Expired
Apr 13, 2026, 6:40 PM CDT
In force
20 min
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
1.5 in

County Taylor County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 180 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:21 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.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 13, 3:11 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 269 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 2026-04-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 8 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 2026-04-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 124 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-259 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1506 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
124 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
229 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

184 
WFUS53 KARX 132320
TORARX
WIC119-140000-
/O.NEW.KARX.TO.W.0002.260413T2320Z-260414T0000Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
620 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

The National Weather Service in La Crosse has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Taylor County in north central Wisconsin...

* Until 700 PM CDT.

* At 619 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located 8 miles west of
  Chelsea, or 12 miles northwest of Medford, moving east at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado and ping pong ball 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.

* The tornado will be near...
  Chelsea around 630 PM CDT.
  Westboro around 635 PM CDT.
  Rib Lake around 640 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Camp
Forest Spring, Wood Lake, The Mondeaux Flowage, and North Twin Lake.

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 4522 9005 4524 9054 4533 9052 4538 9019
      4538 9004
TIME...MOT...LOC 2319Z 260DEG 24KT 4528 9049 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN

$$

JSB
3 follow-up statements
498 
WWUS53 KARX 132324 RRA
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
624 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

WIC119-140000-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260414T0000Z/
Taylor WI-
624 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN TAYLOR COUNTY...

At 623 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located over Chelsea, or 8 
miles north of Medford, moving east at 20 mph. This tornado has been 
skipping across northern Taylor County.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado and ping pong ball 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.

This tornado will be near...
  Chelsea around 630 PM CDT.
  Rib Lake around 635 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Camp
Forest Spring, Wood Lake, The Mondeaux Flowage, and North Twin Lake.

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 4522 9005 4524 9046 4530 9051 4538 9019
      4538 9004
TIME...MOT...LOC 2323Z 260DEG 19KT 4526 9037 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN

$$

JSB
136 
WWUS53 KARX 132331
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
631 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

WIC119-140000-
/O.CON.KARX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260414T0000Z/
Taylor WI-
631 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN TAYLOR COUNTY...

At 630 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Chelsea, or 9 miles north of Medford, moving east 
at 20 mph. This storm has been producing intermittent tornadoes 
across northern Taylor County.

HAZARD...Tornado and ping pong ball 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.

This dangerous storm will be near...
  Rib Lake around 635 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Camp
Forest Spring and Wood Lake.

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 4522 9005 4525 9039 4531 9042 4538 9019
      4538 9004
TIME...MOT...LOC 2330Z 260DEG 19KT 4527 9032 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.50 IN

$$

JSB
457 
WWUS53 KARX 132340
SVSARX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
640 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

WIC119-132350-
/O.CAN.KARX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260414T0000Z/
Taylor WI-
640 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN TAYLOR 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 1000 PM CDT for north central
Wisconsin.

&&

LAT...LON 4522 9005 4525 9039 4531 9042 4538 9019
      4538 9004
TIME...MOT...LOC 2339Z 260DEG 24KT 4528 9022 

$$

JSB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 12, 10:28 PM CDTFlood WatchARXJackson, Monroe4 min
Apr 12, 10:33 PM CDTRiver Flood WatchARXJackson23 hr
Apr 13, 2:23 AM CDTFlood WatchARXAdams, Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse and 5 more24 hr
Apr 13, 11:14 AM CDTRiver Flood WatchARXLa Crosse, Trempealeau18 hr
Apr 13, 11:16 AM CDTRiver Flood WatchARXJuneau10 hr
Apr 13, 11:23 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningARXAdams, Juneau6 days
Apr 13, 3:19 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementARXAdams26 min
Apr 13, 4:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXClark17 min
Apr 13, 4:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXBuffalo1 min
Apr 13, 4:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXBuffalo20 min
Apr 13, 5:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXClark42 min
Apr 13, 5:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXTaylor54 min
Apr 13, 5:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatARXClark24 min
Apr 13, 5:50 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedARXTaylor11 min
Apr 13, 5:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXBuffalo64 min
Apr 13, 6:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXTaylor42 min
Apr 13, 6:21 PM CDTTornado WarningARXTrempealeau24 min
Apr 13, 6:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatARXJackson33 min
Apr 13, 6:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXBuffalo, Trempealeau71 min
Apr 13, 6:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXClark67 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes in 2026

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.