Wisconsin, 1989

Tornadoes and Hail in Wisconsin, May 24, 1989

May 24, 1989 · NWS MKE · 63 events in 30 counties and zones

50 thunderstorm wind, 10 tornado, 3 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
6
Property damage
$1.4 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
63

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

50 thunderstorm wind, 10 tornado, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jackson

When
May 24, 4:25 PM CST
Where
Jackson County
Coordinates
44.320, -91.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Wood

When
May 24, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Wood County
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates
44.300, -90.130

Thunderstorm Wind, Wood

When
May 24, 5:25 PM CST
Where
Wood County
Coordinates
44.380, -89.820

Thunderstorm Wind, Adams

When
May 24, 5:25 PM CST
Where
Adams County
Coordinates
44.120, -89.950

Tornado, Adams

When
May 24, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Adams County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
43.950, -89.930

Hail, Wood

When
May 24, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Wood County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
44.480, -89.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Portage

When
May 24, 5:50 PM CST
Where
Portage County
Coordinates
44.450, -89.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Waushara

When
May 24, 6:10 PM CST
Where
Waushara County
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
44.220, -89.480

Thunderstorm Wind, Waushara

When
May 24, 6:15 PM CST
Where
Waushara County
Coordinates
44.030, -89.520

Thunderstorm Wind, Waushara

When
May 24, 6:25 PM CST
Where
Waushara County
Coordinates
44.180, -89.250

Tornado, Green Lake

When
May 24, 6:30 PM CST
Where
Green Lake County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
23 yd
Coordinates
43.970, -89.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Waupaca

When
May 24, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Waupaca County
Coordinates
44.620, -88.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Chippewa

When
May 24, 7:06 PM CST
Where
Chippewa County
Coordinates
44.970, -91.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When
May 24, 7:29 PM CST
Where
Columbia County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
43.550, -89.450

Tornado, Chippewa

When
May 24, 7:30 PM CST
Where
Chippewa County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
45.020, -91.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Fond du Lac

When
May 24, 7:35 PM CST
Where
Fond du Lac County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
43.800, -88.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Fond du Lac

When
May 24, 7:55 PM CST
Where
Fond du Lac County
Coordinates
43.820, -88.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Marathon

When
May 24, 8:05 PM CST
Where
Marathon County
Coordinates
44.950, -90.270

Tornado, Winnebago

When
May 24, 8:10 PM CST
Where
Winnebago County
Rating
F1
Path length
1.2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
43.970, -88.550

Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe

When
May 24, 8:20 PM CST
Where
Monroe County
Coordinates
43.750, -90.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Portage

When
May 24, 8:30 PM CST
Where
Portage County
Coordinates
44.520, -89.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Marathon

When
May 24, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Marathon County
Coordinates
44.970, -89.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When
May 24, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Grant County
Coordinates
42.970, -90.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Portage

When
May 24, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Portage County
Coordinates
44.470, -89.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When
May 24, 8:55 PM CST
Where
Grant County
Coordinates
42.980, -90.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Richland

When
May 24, 9:00 PM CST
Where
Richland County
Coordinates
43.300, -90.220

Tornado, Calumet

When
May 24, 9:05 PM CST
Where
Calumet County
Rating
F1
Path length
0.3 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
44.070, -88.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Shawano

When
May 24, 9:05 PM CST
Where
Shawano County
Coordinates
44.730, -89.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Waupaca

When
May 24, 9:12 PM CST
Where
Waupaca County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
44.350, -89.070

Tornado, Manitowoc

When
May 24, 9:15 PM CST
Where
Manitowoc County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
44.320, -87.750

Tornado, Fond du Lac

When
May 24, 9:25 PM CST
Where
Fond du Lac County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$25,000
Coordinates
43.830, -88.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Outagamie

When
May 24, 9:30 PM CST
Where
Outagamie County
Measured
76 kt (87 mph)
Coordinates
44.270, -88.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Outagamie

When
May 24, 9:30 PM CST
Where
Outagamie County
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries
5 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
44.370, -88.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When
May 24, 9:30 PM CST
Where
Columbia County
Injuries
1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates
43.570, -89.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Manitowoc

When
May 24, 9:30 PM CST
Where
Manitowoc County
Coordinates
44.150, -87.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Outagamie

When
May 24, 9:35 PM CST
Where
Outagamie County
Coordinates
44.520, -88.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Iowa

When
May 24, 9:40 PM CST
Where
Iowa County
Coordinates
42.970, -90.080

Hail, Manitowoc

When
May 24, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Manitowoc County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
43.920, -88.030

Thunderstorm Wind, Brown

When
May 24, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Brown County
Coordinates
44.320, -88.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Brown

When
May 24, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Brown County
Coordinates
44.530, -87.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When
May 24, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Dane County
Coordinates
43.130, -89.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Kewaunee

When
May 24, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Kewaunee County
Coordinates
44.550, -87.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Calumet

When
May 24, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Calumet County
Coordinates
43.950, -88.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Sauk

When
May 24, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Sauk County
Coordinates
43.470, -89.730

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When
May 24, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Columbia County
Coordinates
43.550, -89.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When
May 24, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Columbia County
Coordinates
43.320, -89.520

Thunderstorm Wind, Manitowoc

When
May 24, 9:50 PM CST
Where
Manitowoc County
Coordinates
44.230, -87.800

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When
May 24, 9:55 PM CST
Where
Dane County
Measured
57 kt (66 mph)
Coordinates
43.180, -89.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When
May 24, 9:58 PM CST
Where
Dane County
Coordinates
43.200, -89.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Kewaunee

When
May 24, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Kewaunee County
Coordinates
44.330, -87.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When
May 24, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Columbia County
Coordinates
43.330, -89.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Sheboygan

When
May 24, 10:05 PM CST
Where
Sheboygan County
Coordinates
43.870, -87.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Manitowoc

When
May 24, 10:05 PM CST
Where
Manitowoc County
Coordinates
43.920, -88.030

Tornado, Dodge

When
May 24, 10:10 PM CST
Where
Dodge County
Rating
F1
Path length
1.5 mi
Path width
73 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
43.570, -88.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Dodge

When
May 24, 10:20 PM CST
Where
Dodge County
Coordinates
43.330, -88.800

Tornado, Dodge

When
May 24, 10:25 PM CST
Where
Dodge County
Rating
F1
Path length
2.2 mi
Path width
73 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
43.530, -88.500

Hail, Fond du Lac

When
May 24, 10:25 PM CST
Where
Fond du Lac County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
43.600, -88.280

Thunderstorm Wind, Dodge

When
May 24, 10:25 PM CST
Where
Dodge County
Coordinates
43.250, -88.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
May 24, 10:40 PM CST
Where
Washington County
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates
43.250, -88.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When
May 24, 10:43 PM CST
Where
Jefferson County
Coordinates
43.150, -88.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
May 24, 10:50 PM CST
Where
Washington County
Coordinates
43.420, -88.180

Tornado, Milwaukee

When
May 24, 11:10 PM CST
Where
Milwaukee County
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
23 yd
Property damage
$250,000
Coordinates
43.030, -87.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Waukesha

When
May 24, 11:35 PM CST
Where
Waukesha County
Coordinates
43.180, -88.100

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Thunderstorm Wind, Outagamie1989-05-24Direct

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1989Every state in 1989This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Wisconsin, 1989Warnings in Wisconsin, May 1989

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10161563, 10161564, 10162421, 10162422, 10162423, 10162424, 10162425, 10162426, 10162427, 10162428, 10162429, 10162430, 10162431, 10162432, 10162433, 10162434, 10162647, 10162648, 10162649, 10162650, 10162651, 10162652, 10162653, 10162654, 10162655, 10162656, 10162657, 10162658, 10162659, 10162660, 10162661, 10162662, 10162663, 10162664, 10162665, 10162666, 10162667, 10162668, 10162669, 10162670, and more.