A broken like of thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front headed into western Wisconsin during the late afternoon hours. With a moderately unstable airmass and decent directional shear, some storms took on supercellular characteristics.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS MKX wrote it up.
A broken like of thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front headed into western Wisconsin during the late afternoon hours. With a moderately unstable airmass and decent directional shear, some storms took on supercellular characteristics. One such storm produced a tornado in Sauk County, 4.5 miles south-southwest of Devils Lake, just west of STH 12 on the west side of the Badger Army Amo Plant, in the Bluffview area. The tornado was brief and weak. No significant damage was noted. The line progressed east across most of southern Wisconsin during the early evening, producing areas of large hail and damaging straight-line winds which uprooted large trees or broke large tree branches out of trees. In Rock County, scattered large trees were uprooted, which in turn blocked several roads. About a half-dozen homes were lightly damaged due to trees or tree branches crashing down on them. Heavy rainfall in the Madison area led to urban-type flooding. Lightning strikes and/or tree limbs hitting power lines resulted in about 2900 customers losing electrical power, mostly in the Fort Atkinson (Jefferson Co.) and Delafield (Waukesha Co.) areas.
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 May 24, 12:30 PM CST, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 130 PM CDT WED MAY 24 2006 .DISCUSSION...FORECAST FOCUS ON POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. CONVECTION IN THE EAST EARLY THIS AFTERNOON IS ELEVATED AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE EARLIER CONVECTION THAT WAS OVR ERN IA THIS MORNING. H5 S/W WITH THIS AS WELL AS SOME H8 TEMP ADVECTION AND LLV MOISTURE FLUX CONVERGENCE. IMPRESSIVE SINCE LLVS VRY DRY AND RATHER COOL IN THE EAST...BUT THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO REACH ANY SIGGY DEPTH. ONCE CELL WENT OVR THE RDA AND PRODUCED BRIEF VERY TROPICAL- LIKE RAINFALL. LATEST OBSERVATIONS CONFIRM NAM/S INABILITY TO RESOLVE THE SFC DWPNTS. NAM SHOWING DWPNTS EARLY THIS AFTN REACHING INTO THE LOWER 70S ACRS THE WRN CWA AND THIS IS ABOUT 8 DEG TOO HIGH. THIS HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON MODEL DERIVED INSTABILITY AND QPF...ERGO TOO MUCH OF BOTH. PLUME OF HIGHEST DWPNTS...MID/UPR 60S...HAS ITS AXIS RUNNING FM SCNTRL/SE IA NORTH ACRS SE TIP OF MN INTO NW WI. FOCUS IS ON SFC TROF ARCHING FM LOW PRES CENTER OVR WCNTRL MN. THE TROF STRETCHES FM LOW INTO SE MN BACK INTO SCNTRL IA. TEMPS RIGHT AHEAD OF IT ARE WARMING...BUT MAYBE NOT AS MUCH AS EXPECTED DUE TO DVLPMNT OF SC IN WARM SECTOR. NAM WITH ADJUSTED SFC DWPNTS SHOWS MLCAPES OVR MSN BY 00Z GETTING TO NEAR 1500J/KG...BUT THERE IS A CAP WITH CIN VALUES OF -100J/KG. WEAKER CAP TO THE WEST SHOULDN/T INHIBIT CONVECTION MUCH AND ONCE GOING...THE CAP FOR SOME DISTANCE EAST WILL EASILY BE OVERCOME. IT MAY JUST INDICATE THE STRUGGLE THE CONVECTION SHOULD HAVE AS IT REACHES DRIER AND SLIGHTER COOLER CONDITIONS IN THE FAR EAST. BEST BULK SHEAR VALUES OVR SCNTRL WI AT 00Z REACHING 35KTS...BETTER THAN PREVIOUS RUN. BUT...ONE BIG PROBLEM MAY BE THE FACT THAT THE WINDS ARE VEERING TO SW ALONG THE FNT WITH THE BEST SHEAR AND HELICITY REMAINING WELL OUT AHEAD OF IT. WB ZERO HEIGHTS 9-10KFT SUPPORTING POTENTIAL FOR LARGE HAIL. SOUNDING TOOLKIT SHOWS THETA-E DIFFERENTIAL OF OVR 27K BETWEEN THE MID LEVELS AND THE SFC SUPPORTING STRONG POTENTIAL FOR DOWNBURST WINDS. SPC EARLIER THIS MORNING UPGRADED MOST OF SCNTRL TO MDT ACRS THE WRN CWA WITH SLIGHT RISK OVR ALL BUT THE FAR EAST. STILL EXPECT SOME CONVECTION TO FIRE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT IT SHOULD DIMINISH AS IT REACHES EASTERN WISCONSIN AND MEETS WITH THE DIRURNAL COOLING OF THE EVENING. NEARLY STACKED SYSTEM ROLLS OVERHEAD FOR THURSDAY WITH LIKELY SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. CORE OF THIS LOW NOT THAT COOL SO TEMPS STILL EXPECTED TO REACH NEAR 70. DRIER ON FRIDAY WITH THE UPPER RIDGE BUILDING FOR THE WEEKEND. THE DOOR OPENS FOR THE HEAT BY SUNDAY AS THE MAIN WAA AND UPR JET SHIFT NORTH SATURDAY NIGHT. BUMPED TEMPS INTO THE UPPER 80S FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY AND WOULDN/T BE SURPRISED TO SEE SOME 90S SHOWING UP LATE IN THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. UNSEASONABLY WARM WEATHER TO CONTINUE INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && DAVIS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 1155 AM CDT WED MAY 24 2006 WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-250930- MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE- WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE- LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA- 1155 AM CDT WED MAY 24 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTH-CENTRAL WISCONSIN...GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM MONTELLO...TO MADISON...TO JANESVILLE. SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. A POTENT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED WEAK COLD FRONT OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS WILL SHIFT EASTWARD TOWARD SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON. A WARM AND MOIST AIRMASS SPREADING NORTHWARD AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WEST OF MADISON THIS AFTERNOON...SPREADING EASTWARD INTO SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN BY EVENING. STRONG AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH...LARGE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS...AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES ON THIS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT...INCLUDING POSSIBLE WEATHER WATCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AND THURSDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT. LMZ643>646-665-250930- SHEBOYGAN TO PORT WASHINGTON- PORT WASHINGTON TO NORTH POINT LIGHTHOUSE- NORTH POINT LIGHTHOUSE TO WIND POINT- WIND POINT TO WINTHROP HARBOR ILLINOIS- WISCONSIN ADJACENT OPEN WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN TO MID LAKE- 1155 AM CDT WED MAY 24 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED WATERSPOUTS WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES ON THIS SEVERE WEATHER THREAT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AND THURSDAY EVENING. FOWLE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 325 PM CDT WED MAY 24 2006 WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-242100- MARQUETTE WI-GREEN LAKE WI-FOND DU LAC WI-SHEBOYGAN WI-COLUMBIA WI- SAUK WI-DODGE WI-WASHINGTON WI-OZAUKEE WI-WAUKESHA WI-MILWAUKEE WI- GREEN WI-ROCK WI-JEFFERSON WI-IOWA WI-WALWORTH WI-LAFAYETTE WI- RACINE WI-KENOSHA WI-DANE WI- 325 PM CDT WED MAY 17 2006 THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN UNTIL 10 PM. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM EAST OF DULUTH MINNESOTA TO JUST EAST OF LA CROSSE TO WEST OF DUBUQUE IOWA WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON. IT WILL REACH THE MADISON AREA BY 6 PM. ANY OF THE STORMS CAN BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS CAN POP UP AHEAD OF THE LINE OF STORMS...SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT. EVENTUALLY THE STORMS WILL MOVE EAST TO THE GREEN BAY TO MILWAUKEE TO KENOSHA AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS. KAPELA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 405 PM CDT WED MAY 24 2006 WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-242200- MARQUETTE WI-GREEN LAKE WI-FOND DU LAC WI-SHEBOYGAN WI-COLUMBIA WI- SAUK WI-DODGE WI-WASHINGTON WI-OZAUKEE WI-WAUKESHA WI-MILWAUKEE WI- GREEN WI-ROCK WI-JEFFERSON WI-IOWA WI-WALWORTH WI-LAFAYETTE WI- RACINE WI-KENOSHA WI-DANE WI- 405 PM CDT WED MAY 17 2006 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN UNTIL 10 PM. COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THIS WATCH ARE COLUMBIA...DANE...GREEN...GREEN LAKE...IOWA... LAFAYETTE... MARQUETTE...ROCK..AND SAUK. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM EAST OF EAU CLAIRE TO EAST OF LA CROSSE TO JUST NORTH OF DUBUQUE IOWA. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON. IT WILL REACH THE WISCONSIN DELLS TO MADISON AREA BY 6 PM OR THEREAFTER. ANY OF THE STORMS CAN BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS CAN POP UP AHEAD OF THE LINE OF STORMS...SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT. EVENTUALLY THE STORMS WILL MOVE EAST TO THE GREEN BAY TO MILWAUKEE TO KENOSHA AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS. KAPELA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 440 PM CDT WED MAY 24 2006 WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-242230- MARQUETTE WI-GREEN LAKE WI-FOND DU LAC WI-SHEBOYGAN WI-COLUMBIA WI- SAUK WI-DODGE WI-WASHINGTON WI-OZAUKEE WI-WAUKESHA WI-MILWAUKEE WI- GREEN WI-ROCK WI-JEFFERSON WI-IOWA WI-WALWORTH WI-LAFAYETTE WI- RACINE WI-KENOSHA WI-DANE WI- 440 PM CDT WED MAY 17 2006 A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN UNTIL 10 PM. COUNTIES INCLUDED IN THIS WATCH ARE COLUMBIA...DANE...GREEN...GREEN LAKE...IOWA... LAFAYETTE... MARQUETTE...ROCK..AND SAUK. A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM WEST OF MARSHFIELD TO RICHLAND CENTER TO DUBUQUE IOWA. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. IT WILL REACH THE WISCONSIN DELLS AREA AFTER 7 PM AND THE MADISON AREA AFTER 7 PM. ANY OF THE STORMS CAN BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS CAN POP UP AHEAD OF THE LINE OF STORMS...SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT. EVENTUALLY THE STORMS WILL MOVE EAST TO THE GREEN BAY TO MILWAUKEE TO KENOSHA AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS. KAPELA
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 103 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:00 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 2 hail, 1 tornado, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning struck a garage in the city of Kenosha, resulting in a small fire and slight damage. The time is only an estimate, it could have been a hour or two earlier.
A brief tornado spun up 4.5 miles southwest of Devils Lake and did no damage. The tornado was rated an F0.
Heavy rains fell in the Madison area during the late afternoon of May 24th as storms rolled through the area. Between 1700CST and 1800CST, 1.31 inches of rain fell at Madison's Traux Field, which contributed to a new daily record of 1.51 inches for the date. Water quickly accumulated in low areas on some Madison roads, and in some cases, the water level reached vehicle floor boards. The deepest water was reported to be 18 inches. The urban flooding started about 1730CST and ended about 1830CST. About 25 vehicles stalled in the deep water.
Trees down.
Trees down.
Lightning striking the ground next to a home shattered its windows.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Wisconsin, 2006Warnings in Wisconsin, May 2006
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: 5510766, 5505554, 5505553, 5505552, 5505556, 5505555, 5510763, 5505563, 5505558, 5505564, 5505559, 5505560, 5505561, 5505557, 5510764, 5505562, 5510765.