Wisconsin, 1997

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

July 1 to 2, 1997 · NWS MKX · 6 events in 5 counties and zones

Large hail, high winds, and lightning let loose over south-central Wisconsin causing damage to trees and power lines with 45 minute power outages in Reedsburg (Sauk Co) and a lightning induced home fire just northeast of Reedsburg. Hail pummeled the area east of Rewey (Iowa Co) destroying crops and damaging property.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$132,000
Crop damage
$200,000
Events
6

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.

Large hail, high winds, and lightning let loose over south-central Wisconsin causing damage to trees and power lines with 45 minute power outages in Reedsburg (Sauk Co) and a lightning induced home fire just northeast of Reedsburg. Hail pummeled the area east of Rewey (Iowa Co) destroying crops and damaging property. As the storms moved east lightning struck a home in Brookfield (Waukesha Co) burning the attic, garage, and breezeway. The Main Street bridge in the city of Racine(Racine Co) was also struck by lightning, shorting out the motor that operated the lift and thereby disabling the draw bridge.

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:15 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 lightning, 2 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sauk

When
July 1, 11:15 PM CST
Where
Sauk County, Reedsburg
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
43.530, -90.000

Lightning, Sauk

When
July 1, 11:20 PM CST
Where
Sauk County, 4 mi NE of Reedsburg
Property damage
$6,000
Coordinates
43.427, -89.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Lafayette

When
July 2, 12:00 AM CST
Where
Lafayette County, Belmont
Measured
2 in hail
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
42.730, -90.330

Hail, Iowa

When
July 2, 12:10 AM CST to 12:15 AM CST
Where
Iowa County, Rewey to 3 mi E of Rewey
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$10,000
Crop damage
$200,000
Coordinates
42.850, -90.330

Lightning, Waukesha

When
July 2, 2:15 AM CST
Where
Waukesha County, Brookfield
Property damage
$105,000
Coordinates
43.018, -88.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Racine

When
July 2, 2:45 AM CST
Where
Racine County, Racine
Property damage
$100
Coordinates
42.730, -87.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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.
Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5612263, 5612264, 5612266, 5612265, 5612267, 5612268.