Tornado and Hail in Wisconsin, July 16, 2004

Name: Tornado and Hail in Wisconsin, July 16, 2004
Start: 2004-07-16T07:53
End: 2004-07-16T17:00
Location: Wisconsin

July 16, 2004 · NWS MKX · 24 events in 11 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: $57,000
Crop damage: $20,000
Events: 24

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.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed continuously throughout the day as a surface trough pushed into south-central and southeast Wisconsin. Several of these storms pulsed to severe levels and produced damaging winds and large hail. Trees and power lines were toppled by the powerful winds. In addtion, several funnel clouds were reported across Columbia, Jefferson, Dodge, Washington, and Fond du Lac county, and one weak tornado spun up 2.6 miles southwest of Wyocena and dissipated at 5.5 miles northeast of Poynette. Refer to the individual tornado report for more details. Numerous reports of trees damage were noted as a result from damaging winds from Sauk County, to Dane, Columbia, and Marquette counties. More damage resulted when hail pelted cars across parts of Sauk, Dane, Green, and Waukesha counties. Two to three inches of rain fell within a two hour timespan (WSR-88D estimate) resulting in urban flooding in the Middleton to Madison area. Brief water depths of 1 to 3 feet slowed traffic or stalled cars.

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 Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 16, 2:01 AM CST, 5 hours 52 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 2:01 AM CST, 5 hours 52 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
301 AM CDT FRI JUL 16 2004

.DISCUSSION...FORECAST FOCUS ON PCPN CHANCES TODAY AND QUIET WX
AFTERWARD.

IN THE SHORT TERM...SCT SHOWERS/TSTORMS ONGOING ALONG WK SFC TROF
FM NE WI TO SRN MN. AT UPPER LVLS...WK VORT MAX OVR SRN WI WITH A
SLIGHTLY STRONGER SHORTWAVE MOVING INTO NRN MN. TROF LINE IS PROGGED
TO MOVE ACROSS CWA LATE THIS AM INTO EARLY AFT WHILE APPROACHING
SHORTWAVE WILL LAG BEHIND AND REACH SE WI BY 00Z. FCST SOUNDINGS
INDICATE LITTLE TO NO CAP AND 1000 J/KG OF CAPE LATE THIS AM INTO THE
AFT. WET BULB ZERO HTS AROUND 9.5 KFT SO SOME HAIL IS POSSIBLE.
EXPECT SCT STORMS ALONG TROF LINE BUT ALSO BEHIND AS VORT MAX
APPROACHES. VORT MAX WILL BE SLOW TO EXIT SO WILL CONTINUE CHANCE
INTO THE EVENING.

THE RIDGE IN THE WEST AND TROF IN THE EAST WILL CONTINUE INTO THE
WEEKEND. THIS RESULTS IN A SW TO NE ORIENTED SFC HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE
FM THE PANHANDLE OF TEXAS NEWD INTO SE CANADA. GUIDANCE TEMPS IN
FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH SUNDAY AND LOOK REASONABLE. EXPECT
E-NELY ONSHORE FLOW ALONG LAKE MICHIGAN THROUGH THE WEEKEND.

&&

.MKX...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE

GEHRING

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 16, 4:35 AM CST, 3 hours 18 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
535 AM CDT FRI JUL 16 2004

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-171000-
COLUMBIA-DANE-DODGE-FOND DU LAC-GREEN-GREEN LAKE-IOWA-JEFFERSON-
KENOSHA-LAFAYETTE-MARQUETTE-MILWAUKEE-OZAUKEE-RACINE-ROCK-SAUK-
SHEBOYGAN-WALWORTH-WASHINGTON-WAUKESHA-
535 AM CDT FRI JUL 16 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHERN WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

LOCALLY DENSE FOG WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO 1/4 TO 1/2 MILE
THROUGH 8 AM IN THE WISCONSIN RIVER VALLEY AREA OF NORTHERN
IOWA...SOUTHERN SAUK...AND NORTHWESTERN DANE COUNTIES. THERE IS A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING IN
THE COUNTIES OF LAFAYETTE...GREEN...ROCK...WALWORTH...RACINE...AND
KENSOHA. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE.
OTHERWISE...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE
REMAINDER OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTER GROUPS WILL BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

KAPELA

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:50 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail, 3 funnel cloud, 1 tornado, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Sauk

When: July 16, 7:53 AM CST to 8:12 AM CST
Where: Sauk County, La Valle
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.583, -90.133

Thunderstorm Wind, Sauk

When: July 16, 8:07 AM CST
Where: Sauk County, Rock Spgs
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.483, -89.917

Thunderstorm Wind, Sauk

When: July 16, 8:19 AM CST
Where: Sauk County, North Freedom
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.467, -89.867

Hail, Sauk

When: July 16, 8:25 AM CST to 8:28 AM CST
Where: Sauk County, Leland
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.333, -89.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When: July 16, 9:43 AM CST to 11:43 AM CST
Where: Dane County, Belleville
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.850, -89.533

Hail, Green

When: July 16, 9:52 AM CST
Where: Green County, Dayton
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.817, -89.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Green

When: July 16, 9:52 AM CST
Where: Green County, Dayton
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.817, -89.500

Hail, Waukesha

When: July 16, 11:05 AM CST
Where: Waukesha County, Oconomowoc
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.117, -88.483

Hail, Waukesha

When: July 16, 11:27 AM CST
Where: Waukesha County, Delafield
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.067, -88.400

Funnel Cloud, Fond du Lac

When: July 16, 12:22 PM CST
Where: Fond du Lac County, 2 mi ESE of Fond du Lac
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 43.754, -88.488 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Fond du Lac

When: July 16, 12:34 PM CST
Where: Fond du Lac County, Fond du Lac
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 43.783, -88.450

Thunderstorm Wind, Marquette

When: July 16, 1:15 PM CST
Where: Marquette County, 7 mi SE of Endeavor
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.633, -89.367

Thunderstorm Wind, Ozaukee

When: July 16, 1:25 PM CST
Where: Ozaukee County, Belgium
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.500, -87.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When: July 16, 1:25 PM CST to 1:35 PM CST
Where: Columbia County, 4 mi NNW of Pardeeville
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.583, -89.317

Funnel Cloud, Dodge

When: July 16, 1:26 PM CST
Where: Dodge County, 4 mi NE of Iron Ridge
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 43.416, -88.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel Cloud, Washington

When: July 16, 1:29 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Allenton
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 43.369, -88.231 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Columbia

When: July 16, 1:40 PM CST to 1:42 PM CST
Where: Columbia County, 3 mi SW of Wyocena
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 30 yd
Property damage: $1,000
Crop damage: $20,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.467, -89.333

A weak F0 tornado (60 to 70 mph) spun up 2.6 miles southwest of Wyocena and traveled south-southeast for about one-half mile to a point about 5.5 miles northeast of Poynette. Specifically, it spun up about 0.4 mile north of the intersection of Phillips Rd. and Langdon Rd., and ended about 0.3 mile southeast of the same intersection. Trees were uprooted and crops were damaged. Some lawn furniture and other personal belongings were damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When: July 16, 2:20 PM CST to 2:25 PM CST
Where: Columbia County, 4 mi NE of Dekorra
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.500, -89.417

Thunderstorm Wind, Milwaukee

When: July 16, 2:34 PM CST
Where: Milwaukee County, Milwaukee Mtchell Ar
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 42.950, -87.900

Hail, Sauk

When: July 16, 2:35 PM CST
Where: Sauk County, Merrimac
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 43.367, -89.617

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When: July 16, 2:41 PM CST
Where: Dane County, Madison
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 43.067, -89.417

Hail, Dane

When: July 16, 2:41 PM CST
Where: Dane County, 3 mi NE of Madison
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.100, -89.367

Thunderstorm Wind, Dane

When: July 16, 2:56 PM CST
Where: Dane County, 5 mi NNE of Madison
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.133, -89.383

Heavy Rain, Dane

When: July 16, 3:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where: Dane County, Middleton
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.067, -89.418 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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.
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.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Wisconsin, 2004 Warnings in Wisconsin, July 2004

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: 5413102, 5413014, 5413013, 5413012, 5413121, 5413119, 5413120, 5413117, 5413118, 5413115, 5413116, 5413114, 5413112, 5413113, 5413109, 5413110, 5413111, 5413107, 5413011, 5413108, 5413105, 5413106, 5413104, 5413103.