Hail, Buffalo
- When
- September 30, 4:25 PM CST
- Where
- Buffalo County, 10 mi N of Waumandee
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 44.450, -91.700
Tornadoes and Hail in Wisconsin, September 30, 2002
A tornado touched down 2 miles southwest of the town of Chelsea (Taylor County). The tornado caused damage to a residence near the intersection of Fox Avenue and Settlement Road.
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
- $36,000
- Crop damage
- $8,000
- 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 tornado touched down 2 miles southwest of the town of Chelsea (Taylor County). The tornado caused damage to a residence near the intersection of Fox Avenue and Settlement Road. A barn and numerous trees were also downed. There were no injuries or deaths reported. The tornado was on the ground for about one-half mile and was approximately 100 yards wide as it moved northeast. The parent thunderstorm continued northeast after the tornado lifted, causing numerous funnels and sporadic tree damage from about 1.5 miles southwest of Chelsea, through 3 miles east of Westboro (Taylor County). These downburst winds were estimated at 60 to 70 mph. However, no further tornadoes were confirmed along this path. Another tornado touched down briefly in a field just south of Loyal (Clark County), but did no damage. Spotters, law enforcement officials and amateur radio operators also reported hail ranging in size from dimes to as large as golf balls.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 30, 2:35 PM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 30, 2:35 PM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 335 PM CDT MON SEP 30 2002 PRIMARY FOCUS WILL BE ON RAIN CHANCES AND TEMPERATURES. AT LATE AFTERNOON...STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW ESTABLISHED OVER THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. TEMPERATURES ACROSS MOST OF OUR FORECAST AREA WERE UNSEASONABLY WARM...WITH RECORD OR NEAR RECORD VALUES IN THE 80S. WARM FRONT HAS PUSHED INTO NORTHERN WI...WHILE COLD FRONT WAS ADVANCING ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. DRIER AIR BEGINNING TO SWEEP IN FROM WESTERN SECTIONS OF IOWA AND MINNESOTA. STRONG CAP IN PLACE OVER ALL BUT NORTH CENTRAL WI ZONES...BUT MID LEVEL INSTABILITY STILL PRODUCING SCATTERED SHRA/TSRA IN SOUTHEAST MN/NORTHEAST IOWA. SCATTERED CONVECTION EXITING NORTH CENTRAL WI...MOVING RAPIDLY NORTHEAST. IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE...WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATED SHORT WAVE MOVING INTO SOUTHWEST MN AS SHOWN BY LATEST RUC MODEL. SEPTEMBER 30TH 12Z MODELS HAD FAIRLY GOOD INITIALIZATION AND WERE IN GOOD AGREEMENT ON UPPER LEVEL AND SURFACE FEATURES. MODELS NOT DOING VERY WELL WITH CONVECTION DEVELOPING CURRENTLY IN MID LEVEL INSTABILITY AXIS FROM NORTHEAST IOWA INTO SOUTHEAST MN. IN FACT...ETA WAS DRY...WITH AVN HINTING AT CONVECTION THIS EVENING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA AHEAD OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT. PREFER THE AVN WITH RESPECT TO DETAILS OF THIS EVENING...THEN ETA QPF PREFERRED THROUGH THE REST OF THE FORECAST PACKAGE. LATEST RUC...AS WELL AS ETA AND AVN...INDICATED MOISTURE CONVERGENCE AHEAD OF APPROACHING COLD FRONT. THIS SHOULD TRIGGER SCATTERED CONVECTION THIS EVENING OVER MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA. WIND SHEAR OF 35-40KTS MAINLY CONFINED TO 0-3KM LAYER...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHERN WI. SURFACE BASED CAPES IN THE RUC MODEL RANGED FROM 1000-2500 J/KG...WITH THE HIGHEST INSTABILITY OVER NORTHERN WI. UPON COORDINATION WITH SPC AND OTHER OFFICES...WILL ADD SEVERE POTENTIAL FOR NORTHERN HALF OF FORECAST AREA FOR THIS EVENING. FORCING AND INSTABILITY WILL BE SWEPT EASTWARD...EXITING ABOUT 03Z...WITH QUIET WEATHER THEREAFTER REST OF THE NIGHT. FRONT MOVES THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...BUT WILL STALL OUT AS UPPER FLOW REMAINS SOUTHWESTERLY AND ANOTHER WAVE BEGINS DEVELOPING OVER THE PLAINS. THIS WAVE WILL BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY AFTERNOON INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. STRONG FORCING IN THE FORM OF ISENTROPIC LIFT AT THE 305K LEVEL...DEEP Q-G CONVERGENCE...AND PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES REACHING 1.5 INCHES SUGGESTS HEAVY RAIN POTENTIAL TUESDAY NIGHT. THUS...ADDED THIS TO APPROPRIATE ZONES. FRONT SLIDES FURTHER SOUTH ON WEDNESDAY...WITH NORTHERLY SURFACE FLOW BRINGING MUCH COOLER CONDITIONS. TIME/HEIGHT CROSS SECTIONS INDICATED 70 PERCENT OF HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITY IN THE LOWER LEVELS...WHICH RESULTS IN MOSTLY CLOUDY SKIES. DRY WEATHER EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY...BEFORE NEXT WAVE PUSHES FRONT BACK NORTH. AS THIS OCCURS...ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD AFFECT THE FORECAST AREA THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. THEREFORE...INCREASED RAIN CHANCES INTO THE LIKELY CATEGORY MOST ZONES DURING THIS TIME FRAME. 850MB TEMPERATURES STILL WARM FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR...WITH ETA INDICATING 15C-18C ON TUESDAY. THERE SHOULD BE AMPLE SUNSHINE DURING THE MORNING BEFORE CLOUDS MOVE IN. AS A RESULT...TEMPERATURES SHOULD REACH VALUES CLOSE TO ETA 2M VALUES...AS WELL AS ETA...AVN AND NGM MOS GUIDANCE. PREVIOUS FORECASTER ON THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT RAISED HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR TUESDAY AND WE RAISED ANOTHER CATEGORY. THUS... MAXIMUMS ANTICIPATED TO RANGE FROM LOWER 70S IN NORTHERN WI TO ABOUT 80 IN SOUTHWEST WI AND ADJACENT PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA. TEMPERATURES FOR REST OF THE FORECAST APPEARED REASONABLE...WITH READINGS ON A COOLING TREND. COORDINATED WITH SPC...MKX...MPX. .LSE...NONE. THOMPSON
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Sep 30, 10:59 AM CST, 5 hours 26 minutes before
IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034- 041>044-053>055-061-301700- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED LOCATION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1159 AM CDT MON SEP 30 2002 HAZARD - SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. TIMING - THIS AFTERNOON. LOCATION - NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. DISCUSSION - AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING OUT OF NORTHWEST IOWA THIS MORNING WILL CAUSE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA THROUGH 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON...AND THROUGH THE AFTERNOON IN CLARK...TAYLOR...BUFFALO...TREMPEALEAU...AND JACKSON COUNTIES IN CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE IN CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS IN THE EXCESS OF 58 MPH. SPOTTER INFORMATION - SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. ******* THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ISSUED BY WFO LA CROSSE WILL BE SENT USING A DIFFERENT IDENTIFIER BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002. THE NEW IDENTIFIER IS... WMO HEADING... FLUS43 KARX AWIPS ID... MKEHWOARX THE NEW IDENTIFIER IS RESERVED FOR THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ONLY. THE PRODUCT WILL ALSO BE ISSUED DAILY INSTEAD OF EVENT DRIVEN AND INCLUDE INFORMATION OUT TO SEVEN DAYS. BOYNE
Special weather statement, Sep 30, 1:44 PM CST, 2 hours 41 minutes before
IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034- 041>044-053>055-061-301700- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED LOCATION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 244 PM CDT MON SEP 30 2002 HAZARD - SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. TIMING - THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LOCATION - NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. DISCUSSION - AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVING OUT OF NORTHWEST IOWA WILL PRODUCE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE IN CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS IN THE EXCESS OF 58 MPH. SPOTTER INFORMATION - SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. ******* THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ISSUED BY WFO LA CROSSE WILL BE SENT USING A DIFFERENT IDENTIFIER BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 2002. THE NEW IDENTIFIER IS... WMO HEADING... FLUS43 KARX AWIPS ID... MKEHWOARX THE NEW IDENTIFIER IS RESERVED FOR THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ONLY. THE PRODUCT WILL ALSO BE ISSUED DAILY INSTEAD OF EVENT DRIVEN AND INCLUDE INFORMATION OUT TO SEVEN DAYS. BOYNE
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
8 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Buffalo
- When
- September 30, 4:30 PM CST
- Where
- Buffalo County, Waumandee
- Measured
- 1.25 in hail
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Crop damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 44.300, -91.700
Hail, Taylor
- When
- September 30, 4:45 PM CST
- Where
- Taylor County, Gilman
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.167, -90.800
Hail, Taylor
- When
- September 30, 5:04 PM CST
- Where
- Taylor County, Perkinstown
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 45.200, -90.633
Hail, Trempealeau
- When
- September 30, 5:10 PM CST
- Where
- Trempealeau County, Ettrick
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 44.167, -91.267
Hail, Jackson
- When
- September 30, 5:10 PM CST
- Where
- Jackson County, Franklin
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 44.217, -91.117
Tornado, Taylor
- When
- September 30, 5:45 PM CST to 5:50 PM CST
- Where
- Taylor County, 2 mi SW of Chelsea
- Rating
- F0
- Path length
- 0.5 mi
- Path width
- 100 yd
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Crop damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 45.267, -90.350
Thunderstorm Wind, Taylor
- When
- September 30, 5:50 PM CST
- Where
- Taylor County, 2 mi NE of Chelsea
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 45.300, -90.283
Thunderstorm Wind, Taylor
- When
- September 30, 5:58 PM CST
- Where
- Taylor County, 3 mi E of Westboro
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph)
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 45.350, -90.233
Hail, Clark
- When
- September 30, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Clark County, 5 mi SW of Loyal
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Property damage
- $750
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.683, -90.567
Thunderstorm Wind, Clark
- When
- September 30, 6:00 PM CST
- Where
- Clark County, 5 mi SW of Loyal
- Measured
- 58 kt (67 mph)
- Property damage
- $700
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.683, -90.567
Tornado, Clark
- When
- September 30, 6:02 PM CST to 6:05 PM CST
- Where
- Clark County, 7 mi S of Loyal
- Rating
- F0
- Path length
- 0.2 mi
- Path width
- 50 yd
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 44.633, -90.500
Hail, Clark
- When
- September 30, 6:15 PM CST
- Where
- Clark County, 7 mi E of Loyal
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Property damage
- $4,000
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 44.733, -90.350
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Tornado
- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
- 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
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Michigan, September 30, 2002
- Tornadoes and Hail in Wisconsin, September 30, 2002
- Volcanic Ash in Puerto Rico, September 30, 2002
- Hail in Wisconsin, September 30, 2002
- Marine Hail in Lake Huron, September 30, 2002
- Damaging Winds in Oregon, September 30, 2002
- Marine Hail in Lake Michigan, September 30, 2002
- Volcanic Ash in U.S. Virgin Islands, September 30, 2002
- Marine Thunderstorm Wind in Gulf of Mexico, September 30, 2002
- Hail in Nebraska, September 30, 2002
- Hail in Nebraska, September 30, 2002
- Hail in Nebraska, September 30, 2002
More
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Wisconsin, 2002Warnings in Wisconsin, September 2002
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: 5318121, 5318122, 5318123, 5318124, 5318125, 5318126, 5318127, 5318128, 5318208, 5318210, 5318212, 5318209, 5318211.