Wisconsin, 1998

Lightning Strike in Wisconsin, April 15, 1998

April 15, 1998 · NWS MKX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Lightning struck a home on the shore of Lake Ripley in the Town of Oakland as thunderstorms rolled through the area. A fire resulted, but was quickly contained.

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
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$100,000
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.

Lightning struck a home on the shore of Lake Ripley in the Town of Oakland as thunderstorms rolled through the area. A fire resulted, but was quickly contained. Structural and smoke damage rendered the home unliveable for several weeks.

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 19 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:32 UTC.

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Event by event

1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Jefferson

When
April 15, 2:35 PM CST
Where
Jefferson County, 2 mi SE of Cambridge
Property damage
$100,000
Coordinates
43.021, -88.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

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 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, April 1998

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: 5636613.