Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 48, NWS Milwaukee, WI

May 15, 2026Iowa County, Lafayette County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at May 15, 2026, 11:55 PM CDT for Iowa County, Lafayette County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 35 min. 3 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, 2026, 11:55 PM CDT (04:55 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 2026, 12:30 AM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Iowa County, WI, Lafayette County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 129 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:59 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 16, 12:36 AM CDTTSTM WND GST 581 Ene Dodgeville, WICorrects previous non-tstm wnd gst report from 1 ENE Dodgeville. Mesonet station AP090 Madison.
May 16, 12:36 AM CDTNON-TSTM WND GST 581 Ene Dodgeville, WIMesonet station AP090 Madison.
May 16, 12:40 AM CDTTSTM WND DMGDodgeville, WIDelayed report - several reports of downed trees across Dodgeville WI, including multiple on power lines.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 15, 10:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 00:00Z, 4.9 hours before the alert went out and 138 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, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2026-05-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 392 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2026-05-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 75 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
392 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-247 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1683 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
75 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
214 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

415 
WFUS53 KMKX 160455
TORMKX
WIC049-065-160530-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0048.260516T0455Z-260516T0530Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1155 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Lafayette County in south central Wisconsin...
  Southwestern Iowa County in south central Wisconsin...

* Until 1230 AM CDT.

* At 1154 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located 7 miles north of Platteville, moving east 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...
  Mineral Point and Belmont around 1200 AM CDT.
  Dodgeville around 1210 AM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
London, Platte Mounds, Rewey, Calamine, and Linden.

Other landmarks included are the following Location Iowa-Grant
School.
 
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 4293 9043 4298 9011 4273 9011 4271 9043
TIME...MOT...LOC 0454Z 260DEG 37KT 4285 9043 

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

$$

MRC
1 follow-up statement
336 
WWUS53 KMKX 160510
SVSMKX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1210 AM CDT Sat May 16 2026

WIC049-065-160530-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0048.000000T0000Z-260516T0530Z/
Lafayette WI-Iowa WI-
1210 AM CDT Sat May 16 2026

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1230 AM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN LAFAYETTE AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA COUNTIES...

At 1210 AM CDT, a severe squall line capable of producing both
tornadoes and extensive straight line wind damage was located over
Mineral Point, moving east 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.

This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
northwestern Lafayette and south central Iowa Counties, including the
following locations... London, Calamine, and Linden.

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 4298 9011 4273 9011 4272 9033 4295 9028
TIME...MOT...LOC 0510Z 263DEG 45KT 4288 9014 

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

$$

MRC

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 15, 11:39 PM CDT, 16 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect through 5 AM CDT from Iowa to Milwaukee Counties southward. This is primarily for damaging winds and isolated hail up to 1 inch in diameter. North of the watch, rain and thunderstorms are still possible, but are not expected to become severe.
  • Isolated thunderstorm development Saturday afternoon and evening, with more widespread rain and storms overnight Saturday. A storm or two could become severe, but confidence is not high at this time.
  • Active start to next week, with multiple rounds of showers and storms expected. Some storms could be severe & produce locally heavy rainfall.
  • Trending quieter & cooler Wednesday into Thursday.
Area forecast discussion, May 15, 11:39 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
1139 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect through 5 AM CDT from
  Iowa to Milwaukee Counties southward. This is primarily for
  damaging winds and isolated hail up to 1 inch in diameter.
  North of the watch, rain and thunderstorms are still possible,
  but are not expected to become severe.

- Isolated thunderstorm development Saturday afternoon and
  evening, with more widespread rain and storms overnight
  Saturday. A storm or two could become severe, but confidence
  is not high at this time.

- Active start to next week, with multiple rounds of showers
  and storms expected. Some storms could be severe & produce
  locally heavy rainfall.

- Trending quieter & cooler Wednesday into Thursday.

&&

.SHORT TERM...
Issued 1140 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

Tonight through Sunday:

850 mb LLJ will strengthen existent storms as they progress
southeastward tonight along and south of the I-94 corridor late
tonight through early Saturday morning. A Severe Thunderstorm
Watch is in effect for Iowa County through Milwaukee County
southward. With storms already developing linear structure,
expecting the hail threat to be lower than previously
forecasted, although a few cores may become strong enough to
produce 1 inch in diameter hail. Cloud bases do remain high,
around 4000 ft, and combined with a stable to moist adiabatic
airmass in the low levels, expecting very low tornado threat.
An isolated tornado DOES remain possible in scenarios with an
easterly bowing segment and strong rear inflow jet. Storms are
expected to maintain intensity through the Lake Michigan
Counties, but confidence decreases farther east. Regardless of
intensity, expecting storms to exit offshore by 5 AM CDT.

Lingering light showers are possible after storms exit Saturday,
with clearing conditions through the rest of the day. Low
pressure developing in the central High Plains will bring warm
frontogenesis back into the Upper Midwest late Saturday
afternoon into Saturday night. If storms develop early enough on
Saturday (HRRR favors this solution with MUCAPE around 1000 J/kg),
probabilities for an isolated severe thunderstorm increase.
However, confidence is low (1 out of 5, or Marginal on the SPC
scale). More widespread rain and storms are expected to develop
during the overnight hours along this wing of frontogenesis.
Ingredients are not favorable for severe weather overnight, with
minimal MUCAPE and mid-level lapse rates only near 6 degrees
C/km as the surface front lingers just to the south.

Early Sunday morning, warm front finally lifts northward
through southern Wisconsin, bringing increasing instability and
shear. With overrunning precipitation, still not anticipating
any organization, but storms may become briefly surface based.
Southeasterly winds expected throughout the day Sunday, keeping
a wide temperature margin from the Lake Michigan and central
Wisconsin (low to mid 70s) to southwestern and inland counties
(low to mid 80s). Sunday afternoon, low pressure ejects into the
central Plains, bringing an additional frontogenesis region to
southwestern Wisconsin. Severe storms may become possible Sunday
afternoon into Sunday evening in this region, but confidence in
timing and placement remains in question (slower low
progression would result in less severe potential).

MH

&&

.LONG TERM...
Issued 1140 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

Sunday night through Thursday:

Synopsis: Longwave ridging will remain entrenched over the eastern
CONUS Sunday night through the beginning of next week as a broad
upper trough gradually migrates from the Great Basin to the Northern
Plains. The upper pattern will support persistent high pressure off
the Eastern Seaboard, with broad low pressure gradually building
from the Central Plains into the upper Mississippi River Valley. The
placement of surface features will support southwesterly winds and
well-above normal temperatures through the day Monday. Muggy
conditions will accompany the warm temperatures. Temperatures will
slowly begin to trend downward Tuesday as low pressure continues to
build from Michigan's Upper Peninsula into Ontario, sweeping a cold
front across southern Wisconsin. The warm/muggy conditions &
eastward progressing upper trough, surface low and cold front will
support a continued active pattern featuring multiple chances for
additional showers and thunderstorms Sunday night into Tuesday. Some
storms could be severe, with locally heavy rainfall also possible.
Conditions will trend quieter and cooler in the wake of the departed
cold front Wednesday through Thursday.

Monday: Widespread thunderstorm development is forecast from the
Central Plains into the mid-upper Mississippi Valley during the
afternoon/evening hours as upper troughing & a surface cold front
impinge upon a warm/moist & unstable air mass in place regionally.
An overlap of ample instability with abundant speed & directional
wind shear will be supportive for potentially substantial severe
weather hazards in thunderstorm development. Precipitable water
values in the 1.25-1.50"+ range will also be favorable for heavy
downpours & locally heavy rainfall in any convection. Certainty of
the severe weather forecast picture in the MKX CWA, however, remains
cloudier relative to areas further west, as influences from early
day showers/storms could impact the quality of the afternoon/evening
warm sector over southern Wisconsin. Further, a number of different
solutions regarding the forward progression of the ejecting upper
trough & mirroring surface features remain apparent in available
global/mesoscale forecast guidance. If slower solutions apparent in
some guidance win out, the corridor of peak severe potential would
trend further west/away from southern Wisconsin. Will thus be
monitoring forecast trends very closely through the weekend, as
small changes in expectations for early day storms and/or storm
system progression will have large ramifications on the potential
for severe weather in southern Wisconsin on Monday.

Tuesday: Could see shower/storm potential linger around the region,
particularly in the scenario of a slower storm system
evolution/delayed cold frontal arrival in southern Wisconsin.
Wouldn't be able to rule out a few stronger storms with additional
heavy rainfall in the event the cold front hangs up long enough &
instability can build back into parts of the area. Will be watching
trends over coming forecasts.

Quigley

&&

.AVIATION...
Issued 1140 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

VFR conditions expected through the remainder of tonight outside
of organized thunderstorms. A line of strong thunderstorms
is expected to progress west to east along and south of the I-94
corridor tonight. Confidence is high in widespread thunderstorm
activity all the way to Lake Michigan, and will amend as storms
move toward terminals for updated wind speed potential. LLWS
will continue ahead of these storms as winds remain southerly at
the surface, and will diminish after the strong storms move
eastward and winds turn west-northwesterly. Expect light rain
to continue with isolated lightning for a few hours after the
line of storms exits. MVFR conditions are possible within and
behind the storms.

Storms will exit into Lake Michigan by 5 AM CDT Saturday, with
expectations for skies to remain VFR and become clear into
Saturday afternoon. Northwesterly winds will continue through
the day. Additional clouds around 3500 ft may develop Saturday
late afternoon into Saturday evening as a warm front develops.
Precipitation chances increase into Saturday night (50-70%
chance), with lightning expected in the strongest cells. Winds
will also shift to southeasterly overnight.

MH

&&

.MARINE...
Issued 1140 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

Low pressure around 29.1 inches exiting into the Hudson Bay will
keep gusty southerly winds across the Lake through early
Saturday morning. Expect winds to shift to become northwesterly
and light into Saturday as a front crosses the lake.
Thunderstorms are expected along this front, with a few
becoming strong with gusty erratic winds possible. Storms will
end shortly after sunrise. Lighter northwest winds continue
through Saturday, with light and variable winds overnight.
Sunday, low pressure around 29.2 inches will develop in the
central High Plains, shifting winds to easterly. Winds remain
easterly through Sunday, shifting to southwesterly and becoming
gusty Sunday night through Monday night as low pressure ejects
into the western Great Lakes region. A few strong thunderstorms
are possible on Monday as low pressure crosses Lake Superior.
Potential for a few strong thunderstorms remains into Tuesday as
low pressure lingers in the region.

MH

&&

.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
LM...Gale Warning...LMZ261-LMZ362-LMZ364-LMZ563 until 1 AM Saturday.

     Small Craft Advisory...LMZ643-LMZ644-LMZ645-LMZ646 until 4 AM
     Saturday.

&&

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Hazardous weather outlook, May 15, 2:27 PM CDT, 9 hours 28 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
227 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-161930-
Marquette-Green Lake-Fond du Lac-Sheboygan-Sauk-Columbia-Dodge-
Washington-Ozaukee-Iowa-Dane-Jefferson-Waukesha-Milwaukee-
Lafayette-Green-Rock-Walworth-Racine-Kenosha-
227 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of east central
Wisconsin, south central Wisconsin and southeast Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

A line of strong to severe thundestorms expected to develop and
push across southern WI overnight tonight after 10 PM.
Strong/damaging winds and some hail will be the main threats,
especially toward the WI/IL border.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Friday

Rounds of thunderstorms are expected Saturday night through
Tuesday. The best chance for strong to severe storms will be later
on Sunday and Monday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will be needed tonight. Overnight wind and
hail reports would be appreciated.

LMZ643>646-161930-
Sheboygan to Port Washington WI-
Port Washington to North Point Light WI-
North Point Light to Wind Point WI-
Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL-
227 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the nearshore waters from
Sheboygan Wisconsin to Winthrop Harbor Illinois.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Small craft conditions this evening/tonight.

There is a chance of thunderstorms tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Friday

There are chances for thunderstorms at times Saturday night
through Tuesday.

Periods of small craft conditions at times into early next week.

LMZ080-261-362-364-366-563-565-567-669-671-673-675-777-779-868-
870-872-874-876-878-161930-
Lake Michigan Michigan City IN to St. Joseph MI 5 NM offshore to
mid-line of lake.-
Lake Michigan from Seul Choix Point to Rock Island Passage 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan South of a line from Seul Choix Point to the
Mackinac Bridge and North of a line from Charlevoix MI to South
Fox Island 5NM offshore-
Lake Michigan from Charlevoix to Point Betsie MI 5NM Offshore to
mid lake-
Lake Michigan from Point Betsie to Manistee MI 5NM offshore to
Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Rock Island Passage to Sturgeon Bay WI 5NM
offshore to mid lake-
Lake Michigan from Sturgeon Bay to Two Rivers WI 5NM offshore to
Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Two Rivers to Sheboygan WI 5NM offshore to Mid
Lake-
Lake Michigan from Sheboygan to Port Washington WI 5NM offshore
to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Port Washington to North Point Light WI 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from North Point Light to Wind Point WI 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Wilmette Harbor to Michigan City in 5NM
offshore to Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Pentwater to Manistee MI 5NM offshore to Mid
Lake-
Lake Michigan from Whitehall to Pentwater MI 5NM offshore to Mid
Lake-
Lake Michigan from Grand Haven to Whitehall MI 5NM offshore to
Mid Lake-
Lake Michigan from Holland to Grand Haven MI 5NM offshore to Mid
Lake-
Lake Michigan from South Haven to Holland MI 5NM offshore to Mid
lake-
Lake Michigan from St Joseph to South Haven MI 5NM offshore to
Mid Lake-
227 PM CDT Fri May 15 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the open waters of Lake Michigan.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Southerly gales are expected for the northern third into tonight.
A Gale Warning remains in effect.

Thunderstorms are possible late tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Friday

Gales may be possible again Monday and Tuesday.

There are chances for thunderstorms at times Saturday night into
early next week.

www.weather.gov/mkx

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 11:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXIowa, Lafayette80 min
May 16, 12:07 AM CDTTornado WarningMKXLafayette23 min
May 16, 12:10 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXColumbia50 min
May 16, 12:15 AM CDTTornado WarningMKXIowa17 min
May 16, 12:19 AM CDTTornado WarningMKXLafayette26 min
May 16, 12:21 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXSauk39 min
May 16, 12:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXDane, Green, Rock66 min
May 16, 1:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXJefferson, Rock, Walworth54 min
May 16, 1:09 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXFond du Lac51 min
May 16, 1:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXFond du Lac, Sheboygan40 min
May 16, 1:33 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMKXKenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Waukesha57 min
May 16, 1:50 AM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMKX85 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.