Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 81, NWS Milwaukee, WI
NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Aug 18, 2026, 4:48 PM CDT for Columbia County, Sauk County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 42 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
- Aug 18, 2026, 4:48 PM CDT (21:48 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 18, 2026, 5:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 42 min
- Issued by
- NWS Milwaukee, WI
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.75 in
Counties Columbia County, WI, Sauk County, WI
The radar
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 112 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 4:48 PM CDT | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ene Reedsburg, WI | Delayed report of broken limbs and down trees in Reedsburg. Time estimated from radar. |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2:48 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 332 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
- 1301 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -78 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 956 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 50 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 72 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 88 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.9
The text
As transmitted.
978
WFUS53 KMKX 182148
TORMKX
WIC021-111-182230-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0081.260818T2148Z-260818T2230Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
448 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
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 530 PM CDT.
* At 447 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Reedsburg, moving east at 45 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...
Baraboo, Wisconsin Dells, Lake Delton, and West Baraboo around 455
PM CDT.
Lake Wisconsin around 505 PM CDT.
Portage around 510 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Rock
Springs, Okee, North Freedom, Devils Lake St Park, and Merrimac.
Other landmarks included are the following Locations Mirror Lake
State Park, Gibraltar Rock Natural Area County Park, Pine Island
State Wildlife Area, and Kilbourn Dam.
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 9005 4364 8946 4329 8960 4353 9009
TIME...MOT...LOC 2147Z 290DEG 40KT 4357 8994
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
SHEPPARD1 follow-up statement
436
WWUS53 KMKX 182205
SVSMKX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
505 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
WIC021-111-182230-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0081.000000T0000Z-260818T2230Z/
Columbia WI-Sauk WI-
505 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR WESTERN
COLUMBIA AND NORTHEASTERN SAUK COUNTIES...
At 504 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Lake Delton, or near Wisconsin Dells, moving east at
40 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This dangerous storm will be near...
Baraboo around 510 PM CDT.
Portage around 515 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include Devils
Lake St Park, Okee, and Merrimac.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 4364 8982 4364 8946 4329 8960 4341 8985
TIME...MOT...LOC 2204Z 286DEG 34KT 4356 8976
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
SHEPPARDThe office that day
Everything else NWS Milwaukee, WI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2:44 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MKX | Dodge | 61 min |
| Aug 18, 3:57 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Sauk | 78 min |
| Aug 18, 3:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Green Lake, Marquette | 76 min |
| Aug 18, 4:11 PM CDT | Special Marine Warning | MKX | 2 hr | |
| Aug 18, 4:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Green Lake, Marquette | 48 min |
| Aug 18, 4:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac, Sheboygan | 38 min |
| Aug 18, 4:56 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge, Fond du Lac | 49 min |
| Aug 18, 5:07 PM CDT | Areal Flood Advisory | MKX | Green Lake, Marquette | 3 hr |
| Aug 18, 5:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dane, Sauk | 52 min |
| Aug 18, 5:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Fond du Lac | 33 min |
| Aug 18, 5:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge, Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Washington | 63 min |
| Aug 18, 5:42 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson | 63 min |
| Aug 18, 5:45 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Columbia, Dane, Dodge | 18 min |
| Aug 18, 5:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dodge, Washington | 36 min |
| Aug 18, 6:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and 1 more | 67 min |
| Aug 18, 6:28 PM CDT | Special Marine Warning | MKX | 2 hr | |
| Aug 18, 6:33 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Washington, Waukesha | 42 min |
| Aug 18, 6:42 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Waukesha | 33 min |
| Aug 18, 6:51 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Milwaukee | 23 min |
| Aug 18, 6:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Milwaukee, Racine, Waukesha | 51 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.