Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 1 to 2, 1997

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 1 to 2, 1997
Start: 1997-07-01T23:20
End: 1997-07-02T03:10
Location: Wisconsin

July 1 to 2, 1997 · NWS GRB · 19 events in 5 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms raced across much of central Wisconsin during the late night hours of July 1-2. Hail and wind gusts to 80 mph damaged crops and property.

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: $15,000
Crop damage: $3,000
Events: 19

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 GRB wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms raced across much of central Wisconsin during the late night hours of July 1-2. Hail and wind gusts to 80 mph damaged crops and property. In Marshfield (Wood co.) a tree fell onto a house, damaging the roof. Heavy rain in Marshfield caused manhole covers to pop off, resulting in minor street flooding. One-half inch hail, driven by strong winds, damaged crops west of Rosholt (Portage co.). Thunderstorm winds blew a tree onto a house, damaging the corner of the house's roof, and the truck parked beside it. Two mobile homes were damaged in the Kronenwetter township (Marathon co.) when gusty winds blew down trees. A barn and shed were destroyed in Tigerton (Shawano co.) when thunderstorm winds blew through.

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:20 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 thunderstorm wind, 9 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Marathon

When: July 1, 11:20 PM CST to 11:26 PM CST
Where: Marathon County, Spencer
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.770, -90.280

Thunderstorm Wind, Wood

When: July 1, 11:35 PM CST
Where: Wood County, Bakerville
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates: 44.630, -90.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Marathon

When: July 1, 11:37 PM CST
Where: Marathon County, Spencer
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 44.770, -90.280

Hail, Marathon

When: July 1, 11:40 PM CST
Where: Marathon County, 7 mi S of Abbotsford
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.850, -90.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Wood

When: July 1, 11:45 PM CST
Where: Wood County, Marshfield
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 44.670, -90.170

Hail, Marathon

When: July 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where: Marathon County, Stratford
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.970, -90.070

Hail, Wood

When: July 2, 12:20 AM CST
Where: Wood County, Auburndale
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.630, -90.000

Hail, Portage

When: July 2, 12:45 AM CST
Where: Portage County, Junction City
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.580, -89.750

Hail, Wood

When: July 2, 12:45 AM CST
Where: Wood County, Milladore
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.600, -89.850

Hail, Marathon

When: July 2, 12:55 AM CST
Where: Marathon County, Bevent
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 44.770, -89.380

Hail, Marathon

When: July 2, 1:01 AM CST
Where: Marathon County, 2 mi N of Bevent
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 44.800, -89.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Portage

When: July 2, 1:05 AM CST
Where: Portage County, 3 mi W of Rosholt
Crop damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 44.630, -89.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Portage

When: July 2, 1:15 AM CST
Where: Portage County, Stevens Pt
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 44.520, -89.570

Hail, Marathon

When: July 2, 1:15 AM CST
Where: Marathon County, Hatley
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 44.880, -89.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Shawano

When: July 2, 1:15 AM CST
Where: Shawano County, Wittenberg
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 44.820, -89.150

Thunderstorm Wind, Marathon

When: July 2, 1:27 AM CST
Where: Marathon County, 5 mi SE of Rothschild
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 44.830, -89.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Shawano

When: July 2, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Shawano County, Tigerton
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 44.730, -89.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Waupaca

When: July 2, 1:40 AM CST
Where: Waupaca County, Marion
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 44.670, -88.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Waupaca

When: July 2, 3:10 AM CST
Where: Waupaca County, Waupaca
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 44.350, -89.070

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, July 1997

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: 5606263, 5606264, 5606265, 5606266, 5606267, 5606268, 5606273, 5606269, 5606274, 5606270, 5606271, 5606272, 5606275, 5606276, 5606277, 5606278, 5606279, 5606280, 5606281.