Wisconsin, 1996

Damaging Wind in Wisconsin, April 19, 1996

April 19, 1996 · NWS MKX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

As the bow echo tore east/northeast through Kenosha county on the way to Pleasant Prairie, its powerful west/southwest winds, estimated to be 80 to 100 mph, leveled or damaged several more barns and machine sheds. In addition, major building damage was sustained at St.

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
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$1.1 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS MKX wrote it up.

As the bow echo tore east/northeast through Kenosha county on the way to Pleasant Prairie, its powerful west/southwest winds, estimated to be 80 to 100 mph, leveled or damaged several more barns and machine sheds. In addition, major building damage was sustained at St. Benedicts Abby on Benet Lake. The city of Pleasant Prairie was hard hit as many buildings sustained damage, and numerous large trees were pushed over. The storm continued through the south part of the city of Kenosha, pushing some cars sideways, pulling down power lines, and felling large trees. In scattered spots along the damage path, small hail accumulated to a depth of 6 to 12 inches. On the backside of the bow echo there were numerous reports of an easterly wind gust of 40 to 50 mph.

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:21 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kenosha

When
April 19, 10:22 PM CST
Where
Kenosha County, Pleasant Prairie
Property damage
$1.1 million
Coordinates
42.550, -87.930

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, April 1996

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: 5546636.