Wisconsin, 1997

Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Wisconsin, September 16, 1997

September 16, 1997 · NWS MKX · 19 events in 11 counties and zones

Several fast moving,, short lines of thunderstorms packing severe winds pushed east through many south-central Wisconsin counties and blew over large trees or broke large tree limbs out of trees. Some power lines were also pulled down by the broken limbs.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
$68,000
Crop damage
None recorded
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 MKX wrote it up.

Several fast moving,, short lines of thunderstorms packing severe winds pushed east through many south-central Wisconsin counties and blew over large trees or broke large tree limbs out of trees. Some power lines were also pulled down by the broken limbs. In Shullsburg, (Lafayette Co) a 20 by 40 foot building caved in and a small shed was destroyed. A chicken house was blown down near Monticello in Green county. About 11000 customers lost power due to the downed power lines or other lightning strikes. Four different homes were struck by lightning in Muskego (Waukesha Co). One home had fire damage to its roof and gable, while the other three experienced minor fires and smoke damage. Elsewhere, lightning struck a lakeshore guest home on Browns Lake (Racine Co) east of Burlington, resulting in severe fire damage. Lightning also struck a home on the shore of Bohner's Lake south of Burlington, resulting in a minor roof fire. Lightning was also busy in the city of Fond du Lac (Fond du Lac Co) where it struck two different transformers within an hour, leaving 3722 custormers without electricity.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 110 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:06 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 thunderstorm wind, 8 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette

When
September 16, 6:06 PM CST
Where
Lafayette County, Shullsburg
Property damage
$13,000
Coordinates
42.570, -90.230

Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette

When
September 16, 6:20 PM CST
Where
Lafayette County, South Wayne
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
42.570, -89.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Iowa

When
September 16, 6:30 PM CST to 6:40 PM CST
Where
Iowa County, Rewey to 1 mi E of Rewey
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
42.850, -90.420

Thunderstorm Wind, Sauk

When
September 16, 6:40 PM CST
Where
Sauk County, Reedsburg
Property damage
$200
Coordinates
43.530, -90.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Green

When
September 16, 6:40 PM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where
Green County, 4 mi S of Monticello
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
42.680, -89.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When
September 16, 6:45 PM CST
Where
Dane County, Brooklyn
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
42.850, -89.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Iowa

When
September 16, 6:50 PM CST
Where
Iowa County, Ridgeway
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
43.000, -89.980

Lightning, Fond du Lac

When
September 16, 6:52 PM CST
Where
Fond du Lac County, Fond du Lac
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
43.754, -88.488 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Green

When
September 16, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Green County, Browntown
Property damage
$200
Coordinates
42.580, -89.820

Thunderstorm Wind, Marquette

When
September 16, 7:05 PM CST to 7:20 PM CST
Where
Marquette County, Westfield to 3 mi SW of Neshkoro
Property damage
$2,000
Coordinates
43.920, -89.530

Thunderstorm Wind, Rock

When
September 16, 7:20 PM CST
Where
Rock County, Janesville
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
42.680, -89.020

Thunderstorm Wind, Green Lake

When
September 16, 7:30 PM CST
Where
Green Lake County, Princeton
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
43.850, -89.120

Lightning, Fond du Lac

When
September 16, 7:44 PM CST
Where
Fond du Lac County, Fond du Lac
Property damage
$3,000
Coordinates
43.754, -88.488 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Waukesha

When
September 16, 8:25 PM CST
Where
Waukesha County, Muskego
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
43.018, -88.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Waukesha

When
September 16, 8:35 PM CST
Where
Waukesha County, Muskego
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
43.018, -88.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Waukesha

When
September 16, 8:38 PM CST
Where
Waukesha County, Muskego
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
43.018, -88.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Waukesha

When
September 16, 8:40 PM CST
Where
Waukesha County, Muskego
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
43.018, -88.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Racine

When
September 16, 8:40 PM CST
Where
Racine County, 2 mi E of Burlington
Property damage
$30,000
Coordinates
42.730, -87.812 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Lightning, Racine

When
September 16, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Racine County, 4 mi S of Burlington
Property damage
$1,000
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.

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, September 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: 5616521, 5616522, 5616523, 5616525, 5616527, 5616536, 5616524, 5616534, 5616526, 5616537, 5616538, 5616539, 5616535, 5616528, 5616529, 5616530, 5616531, 5616532, 5616533.