Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, June 21, 1997

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, June 21, 1997
Start: 1997-06-21T02:15
End: 1997-06-21T07:00
Location: Wisconsin

June 21, 1997 · NWS MKX · 11 events in 6 counties and zones

Early morning severe thunderstorms descended upon southern Wisconsin causing scattered tree and power line damage. ).

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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: 1
Property damage: $11,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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.

Early morning severe thunderstorms descended upon southern Wisconsin causing scattered tree and power line damage. One large hail report was noted in Dousman (Waukesha Co.). A 67 mph wind was reported at Marshall (Dane Co.). Lightning also played a role in the weather havoc when a young woman was struck at a charity track meet held at the Sussex Hamilton High School in Waukesha County. She was treated at a local hospital and released. In Walworth County trees were downed on a garage and sail boat in East Troy . Lowland flooding was reported near some of the lakes surrounding East Troy due to the heavy rains accompanying the thunderstorms.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette

When: June 21, 2:15 AM CST
Where: Lafayette County, Benton
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 42.570, -90.380

Thunderstorm Wind, Iowa

When: June 21, 2:40 AM CST
Where: Iowa County, 1 mi N of Dodgeville
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 42.980, -90.130

Hail, Waukesha

When: June 21, 3:44 AM CST
Where: Waukesha County, Dousman
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Coordinates: 43.020, -88.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When: June 21, 3:49 AM CST
Where: Dane County, 6 mi E of Madison
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 43.070, -89.300

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When: June 21, 4:05 AM CST
Where: Dane County, 2 mi N of Stoughton
Property damage: $100
Coordinates: 42.950, -89.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When: June 21, 4:07 AM CST
Where: Dane County, Marshall
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph)
Property damage: $300
Coordinates: 43.170, -89.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When: June 21, 4:25 AM CST to 4:35 AM CST
Where: Jefferson County, Lake Mills
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $3,000
Coordinates: 43.080, -88.900

Lightning, Waukesha

When: June 21, 5:30 AM CST
Where: Waukesha County, 1 mi E of Sussex
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 43.018, -88.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Waukesha

When: June 21, 5:30 AM CST
Where: Waukesha County, Hartland
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 43.100, -88.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette

When: June 21, 5:39 AM CST
Where: Lafayette County, Gratiot
Property damage: $1,000
Coordinates: 42.580, -90.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Walworth

When: June 21, 7:00 AM CST
Where: Walworth County, East Troy
Property damage: $2,000
Coordinates: 42.780, -88.400

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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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, June 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: 5602430, 5602431, 5602435, 5602432, 5602437, 5602433, 5602434, 5602439, 5602440, 5602436, 5602438.