Wisconsin, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, June 20, 1998

June 20, 1998 · NWS ARX · 13 events in 4 counties and zones

A clusters of storms hit southwest Wisconsin with damaging wind gusts and large hail. Numerous large trees were blown down and there was minor damage sustained to farm buildings.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$130,000
Crop damage
$155,000
Events
13

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 ARX wrote it up.

A clusters of storms hit southwest Wisconsin with damaging wind gusts and large hail. Numerous large trees were blown down and there was minor damage sustained to farm buildings. Hail up to golf ball size was also reported.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Vernon

When
June 20, 4:21 PM CST
Where
Vernon County, Genoa
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.580, -91.220

Hail, Vernon

When
June 20, 4:40 PM CST
Where
Vernon County, Genoa
Measured
1.5 in hail
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.580, -91.220

Hail, Crawford

When
June 20, 4:54 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Gays Mills
Measured
0.75 in hail
Crop damage
$20,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.450, -90.730

Hail, Vernon

When
June 20, 4:55 PM CST
Where
Vernon County, Viroqua
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$40,000
Crop damage
$30,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.550, -90.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Vernon

When
June 20, 4:55 PM CST
Where
Vernon County, Viroqua
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.550, -90.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Vernon

When
June 20, 4:55 PM CST
Where
Vernon County, Retreat
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$15,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.450, -91.080

Hail, Crawford

When
June 20, 4:59 PM CST
Where
Crawford County, Mt Sterling
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.320, -90.930

Funnel Cloud, Vernon

When
June 20, 5:02 PM CST
Where
Vernon County, Westby
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.594, -90.834 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Grant

When
June 20, 5:13 PM CST
Where
Grant County, Boscobel
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$35,000
Crop damage
$45,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.130, -90.700

Hail, Grant

When
June 20, 5:30 PM CST
Where
Grant County, Blue River
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.180, -90.570

Hail, Richland

When
June 20, 5:34 PM CST
Where
Richland County, Port Andrew
Measured
0.75 in hail
Crop damage
$25,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.200, -90.570

Hail, Grant

When
June 20, 5:37 PM CST
Where
Grant County, Blue River
Measured
1.25 in hail
Property damage
$15,000
Crop damage
$35,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.180, -90.570

Hail, Richland

When
June 20, 6:16 PM CST
Where
Richland County, Cazenovia
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.520, -90.200

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.
Funnel Cloud
A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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, June 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: 5652588, 5652589, 5652590, 5652591, 5652592, 5652593, 5652594, 5652595, 5652596, 5652597, 5652598, 5652599, 5652600.