Wisconsin, 2006

Hail and Heavy Rain in Wisconsin, April 16, 2006

April 16, 2006 · NWS MKX · 2 events in 1 county or zone

A cluster of strong to severe thunderstorms moved through Dane County, leaving behind hail stones pea-size to nickle-size, and some heavy rains that resulted in urban and small stream flooding. Rainfall amounts around an inch occurred in the Madison area and nearby communites within a one to two hour period early Sunday afternoon.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 strong to severe thunderstorms moved through Dane County, leaving behind hail stones pea-size to nickle-size, and some heavy rains that resulted in urban and small stream flooding. Rainfall amounts around an inch occurred in the Madison area and nearby communites within a one to two hour period early Sunday afternoon. Specifically, 0.75 inch was measured in Middleton, and 1.19 inches fell in Stoughton (WWTP). This resulted in water quickly flooding low spots on roads in the area from Middleton to Madison to Stoughton. Water depths reached vehicle floorboards, and some cars stalled. There were no major vehicle accidents, but some minor fender-benders were noted.

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 Apr 16, 3:40 AM CST, 8 hours 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 3:40 AM CST, 8 hours 20 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
440 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

.DISCUSSION...FORECAST FOCUS ON PRECIPITATION CHANCES TODAY...THEN
TEMPERATURE TRENDS EARLY NEXT WEEK.

WV/IR SATELLITE IMAGERY AT 08Z SHOWING A NICELY WOUND UP...BUT
VERTICALLY STACKED LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CENTERED OVER FAR WRN IA.
LOCAL RADARS SHOWING A BAND OF SHRWS AND TSTMS LIFTING NEWD INTO
SWRN AND S-CENTRAL WI...WITH SEVERAL METARS IN FAR WRN CWA REPORTING
OCCNL MOD RAIN. FURTHER EAST...LOW LEVEL CIRCULATION AROUND THE LOW
CONTINUING TO PRODUCE A PERSISTENT SELY FLOW OFF THE LAKE...WITH
MODEL SOUNDINGS (CONFIRMED BY ACARS DATA) INDICATING AN EXTREMELY
DRY AIRMASS BELOW 800MB. THUS PRECIP ECHOES CONTINUING TO FALL APART
AS THEY INTERACT WITH THIS VERY DRY AIR.

THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE TODAY CONTINUES TO BE AREAL COVERAGE OF
PRECIPITATION. MODELS INDICATING STRONG UPPER LEVEL FORCING AND LOW
LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MORNING SHOWERS
GRADUALLY WEAKENING AFTER 12Z SUN...AS UPPER LOW FILLS AND SHIFTS
SEWD. THUS...FEEL THE BEST CHANCE FOR SHRWS AND TSTMS WILL BE OVR
SRN AND SWRN PTNS OF CWA WHERE BEST COMBO OF MOISTURE/LIFT WILL
OCCUR. FARTHER E/NE...BELIEVE THE DRY ELY FLOW OFF THE LAKE WILL
CONTINUE HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON PRECIP FORMATION. BOTTOM
LINE...WENT CATEGORICAL POPS SWRN ZONES...AND GRADUALLY TAPERED POPS
INTO THE HIGH CHANCE CATEGORY FAR NERN ZONES. MODELS STILL
INDICATING MARGINAL ELEVATED INSTABILITY TODAY...SO WILL KEEP
THUNDER IN FORECAST EXCEPT ACRS NERN COUNTIES. NO SEVERE WX IS
ANTICIPATED. PERSISTENT CLOUD COVER AND SHWRS...ALONG WITH A STIFF
EASTERLY BREEZE WITH KEEP CONDITIONS COOL AND DAMP THIS
AFTN...GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE COOLER MAV TEMPS FOR HIGHS. AS
MENTIONED ABOVE...UPPER LOW CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AND SHIFT SEWD
TONIGHT...WITH SKIES GENERALLY BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY AFTER
MIDNIGHT.

HIGHLY AMPLIFIED UPR RIDGE THEN BUILDS OVR THE GREAT LAKES ON MON
AND TUE. SFC HIGH OVER THE HUDSON BAY WILL PROVIDE A COOL ELY FLOW
OFF THE LAKE...AND WILL KEEP DEWPOINTS ON THE LOW SIDE...WHICH MAY
CAUSE SOME FIRE WX CONCERNS. TEMPS WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 60S
INLAND...WITH 40S/50S ALONG THE LAKE.

&&

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

FOWLE
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 16, 8:55 AM CST, 3 hours 5 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
955 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-170900-
COLUMBIA-DANE-DODGE-FOND DU LAC-GREEN-GREEN LAKE-IOWA-JEFFERSON-
KENOSHA-LAFAYETTE-MARQUETTE-MILWAUKEE-OZAUKEE-RACINE-ROCK-SAUK-
SHEBOYGAN-WALWORTH-WASHINGTON-WAUKESHA-
955 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
WISCONSIN...SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTH
CENTRAL WISCONSIN. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE SOME LARGE HAIL
UP TO AROUND INCH. MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN
BELOW SEVERE LEVELS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

LMZ643>646-665-170900-
SHEBOYGAN TO WINTHROP HARBOR ILLINOIS-
400 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT. EAST TO
NORTHEAST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 KNOTS AND WAVES
WILL INCREASE TO 3 TO 5 FEET.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY NIGHT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 16, 8:17 AM CST, 3 hours 43 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
917 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0855 AM     HAIL             BRODHEAD                42.62N 89.38W
04/16/2006  E0.25 INCH       GREEN              WI   PUBLIC

&&

MBK
Local storm report, Apr 16, 8:26 AM CST, 3 hours 34 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
926 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0845 AM     HAIL             2 S BRODHEAD            42.59N 89.38W
04/16/2006  E0.50 INCH       GREEN              WI   PUBLIC

&&

MBK
Local storm report, Apr 16, 9:21 AM CST, 2 hours 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1021 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1015 AM     HAIL             VERONA                  42.99N 89.54W
04/16/2006  E0.88 INCH       DANE               WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            NICKEL SIZED HAIL IN VERONA

&&

PJS
Local storm report, Apr 16, 9:36 AM CST, 2 hours 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1036 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1015 AM     HAIL             7 SW MIDDLETON          43.03N 89.60W
04/16/2006  E0.50 INCH       DANE               WI   STORM CHASER

&&

PJS
Local storm report, Apr 16, 10:28 AM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1128 AM CDT SUN APR 16 2006

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1128 AM     HAIL             W SAUK CITY             43.27N 89.73W
04/16/2006  E0.88 INCH       SAUK               WI   COUNTY OFFICIAL

&&

PJS

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 heavy rain, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Dane

When
April 16, 12:00 PM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Dane County, Middleton
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.067, -89.418 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Dane

When
April 16, 10:01 PM CST to 10:06 PM CST
Where
Dane County, Verona
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
42.983, -89.533

Roads and lawns were covered white.

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, April 2006

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: 5497059, 5497058.