Hail, Florence
- When
- July 20, 4:10 PM CST
- Where
- Florence County, Long Lake
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.833, -88.667
Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 20, 2003
Thunderstorms that developed in unstable air across northern Wisconsin produced severe weather as they moved through north-central Wisconsin and the Door Peninsula. ).
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
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 7
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 GRB wrote it up.
Thunderstorms that developed in unstable air across northern Wisconsin produced severe weather as they moved through north-central Wisconsin and the Door Peninsula. Dime size hail fell at Long Lake (Florence co.) and Armstrong Creek (Forest co.). Strong winds downed trees and some power lines. A wind gust of 63 mph (55 knots) was measured by an amateur radio operator on the east side of Sturgeon Bay (Door co.).
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 Green Bay, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 20, 1:30 PM CST, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 20, 1:30 PM CST, 2 hours 40 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 230 PM CDT SUN JUL 20 2003 TIME AT A PREMIUM WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FOR ABOUT THE NRN 1/2 OF THE FCST AREA AND CONVECTION BEGINNING TO FIRE. LARGE SCALE PATTERN WL UNDERGO AMPLIFICATION EARLY IN THE FCST CYCLE AS STG SHRTWV DIGS SE INTO ERN U.S. MEAN TROF POSN. PATTERN SHOULD FLATTEN DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THE FCST CYCLE. BEST CHC OF PCPN WL BE TNGT AS STG SHRTWV DIGS SE ACRS THE AREA. STG DESTABILIZATION N OF THE DEBRIS FIELD FM LAST NGTS MCS WL LIKELY SUPPORT SOME SVR STORMS ACRS THE N. HODOGRAPHS FAVOR SPLITTING STORMS...AND THAT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED NEAR ESC. PRIMARY THREAT EARLY WL BE LARGE HAIL...WITH THE THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS INCREASING LATER IF CONVECTION CAN BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AND ORGANIZE INTO AN MCS. ONLY MINOR CHGS TO THE REST OF THE FCST. SECONDARY COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO WORK S ACRS THE AREA TOMORROW...SO CONTD CHC OF SHOWERS. MODELS SHOWED ONLY MARGINAL SUPPORT FOR SHOWERS TUE...BUT DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH A DRY FCST GIVEN DEEP UPR TROF JUST E OF THE AREA. MED RANGE MODELS WERE FASTER TO DEAMPLIFY THE PATTERN THAN YDA. 00Z GFS DID NOT SUPPORT KEEPING PCPN FRI...BUT 12Z GFS AND ECMWF DID. SO...KEPT CHC FRI AND SAT. MOST LIKELY SCENARIO WOULD SEEM TO BE FOR THE SYSTEM TO BE E OF THE AREA BY SUN...SO WENT WITH DRY WX THEN. COORD W MKE. .GRB...NONE. SKOWRONSKI WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/GRB
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 20, 11:00 AM CST, 5 hours 10 minutes before
WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-211700- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 1200 PM CDT SUN JUL 20 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH-CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE APPROACH OF A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE AND A COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...WILL COMBINE WITH AN UNSTABLE AIRMASS TO PRODUCE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST THIS AFTERNOON. THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO THEN MOVE SOUTHEAST TOWARD NORTHEAST WISCONSIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK THAT SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. KALLAS WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/GRB
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 1:20 PM CST, 2 hours 50 minutes before
LMZ521-522-541-WIZ005-010>013-018>022-073-074-202100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 220 PM CDT SUN JUL 20 2003 HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE SEVERE WEATHER WATCH INFORMATION FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. THE FOLLOWING ARE UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9 PM...... VILAS COUNTY... ONEIDA COUNTY... FOREST COUNTY... FLORENCE COUNTY... MARINETTE COUNTY... LINCOLN COUNTY... LANGLADE COUNTY... MENOMINEE COUNTY... OCONTO COUNTY... DOOR COUNTY... GREEN BAY-WASHINGTON ISLAND TO GREEN BAY... LAKE MICHIGAN-WASHINGTON ISLAND TO STURGEON BAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE WATCH AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON. INITIALLY...THE PRIMARY THREAT IS EXPECTED TO BE LARGE HAIL. AS STORMS BECOME MORE NUMEROUS DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING... THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED RISK OF DAMAGING WINDS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO...OR COMMERCIAL OR CABLE TELEVISION FOR LATER UPDATES ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION. SKOWRONSKI WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/GRB
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 3:00 PM CST, 1 hour 10 minutes before
WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-202200- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 400 PM CDT SUN JUL 20 2003 HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE SEVERE WEATHER WATCH INFORMATION FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. THE FOLLOWING ARE UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9 PM... VILAS COUNTY... ONEIDA COUNTY... FOREST COUNTY... FLORENCE COUNTY... MARINETTE COUNTY... LINCOLN COUNTY... LANGLADE COUNTY... MENOMINEE COUNTY... OCONTO COUNTY... DOOR COUNTY... GREEN BAY-WASHINGTON ISLAND TO GREEN BAY... LAKE MICHIGAN-WASHINGTON ISLAND TO STURGEON BAY. AT 400 PM...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL AND NORTH NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE STORMS CONTINUED TO GRADUALLY INCREASE. ALTHOUGH THE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER WAS GREATEST IN COUNTIES COVERED BY THE WATCH...THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER EXISTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. ANYONE ENGAGED IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS EVENING SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG WINDS AND HAIL. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO...OR COMMERCIAL OR CABLE TELEVISION FOR LATER UPDATES ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION. SKOWRONSKI WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/GRB
Special weather statement, Jul 20, 3:40 PM CST, 30 minutes before
LMZ521-522-541>543-WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050- 073-074-202300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 440 PM CDT SUN JUL 20 2003 HERE IS A SUMMARY OF THE SEVERE WEATHER WATCH INFORMATION FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. THE FOLLOWING ARE UNDER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 9 PM... VILAS COUNTY... ONEIDA COUNTY... FOREST COUNTY... FLORENCE COUNTY... MARINETTE COUNTY... LINCOLN COUNTY... LANGLADE COUNTY... MENOMINEE COUNTY... OCONTO COUNTY... DOOR COUNTY... MARATHON COUNTY... SHAWANO COUNTY... WOOD COUNTY... PORTAGE COUNTY... WAUPACA COUNTY... OUTAGAMIE COUNTY... BROWN COUNTY... KEWAUNEE COUNTY... WAUSHARA COUNTY... WINNEBAGO COUNTY... CALUMET COUNTY... MANITOWOC COUNTY... GREEN BAY-WASHINGTON ISLAND TO THE CITY OF GREEN BAY... LAKE MICHIGAN-WASHINGTON ISLAND TO SHEBOYGAN. AT 445 PM...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO DEVELOP ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. THE COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF THE STORMS CONTINUED TO STEADILY INCREASE. ANYONE ENGAGED IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS EVENING SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH STRONG WINDS AND HAIL. BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF THUNDERSTORMS AFFECT YOUR AREA OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO...OR COMMERCIAL OR CABLE TELEVISION FOR LATER UPDATES ON THIS WEATHER SITUATION. SKOWRONSKI WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/GRB
The radar
The Marquette radar (KMQT), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:10 UTC.
Event by event
5 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Forest
- When
- July 20, 4:40 PM CST
- Where
- Forest County, Armstrong Creek
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 45.617, -88.450
Thunderstorm Wind, Door
- When
- July 20, 5:28 PM CST to 5:40 PM CST
- Where
- Door County, Sturgeon Bay
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 44.833, -87.383
Thunderstorm Wind, Vilas
- When
- July 20, 5:40 PM CST
- Where
- Vilas County, Boulder Jct
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 46.117, -89.633
Thunderstorm Wind, Vilas
- When
- July 20, 5:50 PM CST
- Where
- Vilas County, Conover
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 46.050, -89.250
Thunderstorm Wind, Oneida
- When
- July 20, 6:38 PM CST
- Where
- Oneida County, 12 mi NE of Rhinelander
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 45.750, -89.233
Thunderstorm Wind, Vilas
- When
- July 20, 9:09 PM CST
- Where
- Vilas County, Eagle River
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 45.917, -89.250
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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in California, July 20, 2003
- Tornado in Iowa, July 20, 2003
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, July 20 to 21, 2003
- Tornado in Iowa, July 20, 2003
- Lightning Strike in South Dakota, July 20, 2003
- Heat in Oklahoma, July 20, 2003
- Hail and Damaging Winds in North Dakota, July 20, 2003
- Flash Flood and Hail in Iowa, July 20 to 21, 2003
- Hail in Nebraska, July 20, 2003
- Tornado and Hail in Michigan, July 20 to 22, 2003
- Tornado and Hail in Nebraska, July 20, 2003
- Tornado in Iowa, July 20, 2003
More
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, July 2003
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: 5379206, 5379207, 5379208, 5379209, 5379210, 5379278, 5379277.