Thunderstorm Wind, Iowa
- When
- August 17, 1:27 AM CST to 1:50 AM CST
- Where
- Iowa County, Highland
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph)
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 43.050, -90.383
Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, August 17, 2000
A cluster of severe thunderstorms moved east/southeast across parts of south-central Wisconsin during the pre-dawn hours. Downburst winds gusting to 52 to 56 knots (60 to 65 mph) toppled large trees.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $21,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
A cluster of severe thunderstorms moved east/southeast across parts of south-central Wisconsin during the pre-dawn hours. Downburst winds gusting to 52 to 56 knots (60 to 65 mph) toppled large trees. Some of the tree debris pulled down a few power lines which resulted in the loss of electrical power to dozens of customers. In addition, highway signs in Dodgeville were blown down by the powerful winds. Synoptically, low pressure was over southwest Iowa with a warm front extending east to east-central Iowa. The responsible storms initially developed over northwest Iowa. Unstable, moist air with surface dewpoints in the lower to mid 70s was found south of the warm front. During the time of the downburst winds, surface temperatures over southwest and south-central Wisconsin were around 60!
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Lafayette
- When
- August 17, 1:50 AM CST
- Where
- Lafayette County, 2 mi SW of Shullsburg
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.550, -90.267
Thunderstorm Wind, Green
- When
- August 17, 2:15 AM CST to 2:25 AM CST
- Where
- Green County, Monroe
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.600, -89.633
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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding in Colorado, August 17, 2000
- Rip Current in California, August 17, 2000
- Flood and Damaging Wind in Arizona, August 17, 2000
- Flooding and Hail in Indiana, August 17, 2000
- Damaging Wind in Illinois, August 17, 2000
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, August 17, 2000
- Damaging Winds in Indiana, August 17, 2000
- Damaging Wind in Wisconsin, August 17, 2000
- Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in California, August 17, 2000
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, August 17, 2000
- Damaging Wind in Virginia, August 17, 2000
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, August 17, 2000
More
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2000Every state in 2000This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, August 2000
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: 5172700, 5172701, 5172702.