Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 82, NWS Milwaukee, WI
NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this tornado warning at Aug 18, 2026, 5:45 PM CDT for Columbia County, Dane County, Dodge County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 18 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
- Aug 18, 2026, 5:45 PM CDT (22:45 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 18, 2026, 6:03 PM CDT
- In force
- 18 min
- Issued by
- NWS Milwaukee, WI
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.75 in
Counties Columbia County, WI, Dane County, WI, Dodge County, WI
The radar
The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 57 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:49 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.
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
Lincoln, IL (KILX), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 353 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
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1041 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 31 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 55 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 80 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
327
WFUS53 KMKX 182245
TORMKX
WIC021-025-027-182330-
/O.NEW.KMKX.TO.W.0082.260818T2245Z-260818T2330Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
545 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Southeastern Columbia County in south central Wisconsin...
Northeastern Dane County in south central Wisconsin...
Southwestern Dodge County in southeastern Wisconsin...
* Until 630 PM CDT.
* At 544 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 7 miles south of Rio, or 10 miles west of Columbus,
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...
Columbus and Fall River around 550 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include East
Bristol, Danville, and Otsego.
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 4336 8891 4320 8898 4320 8901 4331 8934
4342 8926
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 287DEG 35KT 4334 8923
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
SHEPPARD2 follow-up statements
498
WWUS53 KMKX 182252
SVSMKX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
552 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
WIC021-025-027-182330-
/O.CON.KMKX.TO.W.0082.000000T0000Z-260818T2330Z/
Columbia WI-Dane WI-Dodge WI-
552 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN COLUMBIA...NORTHEASTERN DANE AND SOUTHWESTERN DODGE
COUNTIES...
At 552 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Columbus, moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Tornado.
SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.
IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
likely.
This dangerous storm will be near...
Columbus and Fall River around 555 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include East
Bristol and Danville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.
&&
LAT...LON 4320 8898 4320 8901 4329 8928 4339 8908
4336 8891
TIME...MOT...LOC 2252Z 287DEG 35KT 4332 8913
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
$$
SHEPPARD849
WWUS53 KMKX 182303
SVSMKX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
603 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
WIC021-025-027-182312-
/O.CAN.KMKX.TO.W.0082.000000T0000Z-260818T2330Z/
Columbia WI-Dane WI-Dodge WI-
603 PM CDT Tue Aug 18 2026
...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN COLUMBIA...NORTHEASTERN DANE
AND SOUTHWESTERN DODGE COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
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 Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for
south central and southeastern Wisconsin.
&&
LAT...LON 4320 8898 4320 8901 4329 8928 4339 8908
4336 8891
TIME...MOT...LOC 2301Z 287DEG 35KT 4329 8899
$$
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, 4:48 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MKX | Columbia, Sauk | 42 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, 5:54 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.