Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Milwaukee, WI

April 2, 2026Rock County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Apr 2, 2026, 6:07 PM CDT for Rock County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 38 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
Apr 2, 2026, 6:07 PM CDT (23:07 UTC)
Expired
Apr 2, 2026, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

County Rock County, WI

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:11 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
Apr 2, 6:27 PM CDTHAIL 0.752 E Janesville, WI

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
Apr 2, 1:43 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 282 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-04-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 19 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, Lincoln, IL at 12:00Z on 2026-04-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 453 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
19 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-278 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
846 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
453 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
450 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

529 
WFUS53 KMKX 022307
TORMKX
WIC105-022345-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0002.260402T2307Z-260402T2345Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
607 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Eastern Rock County in south central Wisconsin...

* Until 645 PM CDT.

* At 607 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Beloit, moving northeast at 40 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.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Janesville around 610 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Lima
Center, Johnstown Center, and Afton.

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 4255 8919 4284 8880 4284 8877 4273 8878
      4252 8914
TIME...MOT...LOC 2307Z 216DEG 33KT 4260 8911 

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

$$

PATTERSON
1 follow-up statement
358 
WWUS53 KMKX 022332
SVSMKX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
632 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

WIC105-022345-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-260402T2345Z/
Rock WI-
632 PM CDT Thu Apr 2 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 645 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN ROCK COUNTY...

At 631 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Milton, moving northeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Weather spotters reported a funnel cloud.

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 tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
northeastern Rock County, including the following locations... Lima
Center and Johnstown Center.

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 4284 8880 4284 8877 4273 8878 4264 8894
      4267 8903
TIME...MOT...LOC 2331Z 216DEG 33KT 4278 8893 

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

$$

PATTERSON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 2, 11:46 AM CDTRiver Flood WatchMKXKenosha24 hr
Apr 2, 12:52 PM CDTMarine Dense Fog AdvisoryMKX6 hr
Apr 2, 5:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXRock57 min
Apr 2, 5:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXIowa, Lafayette47 min
Apr 2, 6:03 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXJefferson, Rock42 min
Apr 2, 6:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatMKXGreen, Lafayette30 min
Apr 2, 6:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXDane, Green, Iowa40 min
Apr 2, 6:39 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXJefferson, Rock, Walworth30 min
Apr 2, 6:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatMKXDane, Green, Jefferson, Rock32 min
Apr 2, 6:58 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXRock23 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.