Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 24, 2007

Name: Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 24, 2007
Start: 2007-05-24T13:22
End: 2007-05-24T14:50
Location: Wisconsin

May 24, 2007 · NWS MKX · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $83,000
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 MKX wrote it up.

A pre-frontal squall line evolved into two separate north-south lines of thunderstorms that moved east to west across parts of south-central Wisconsin. Within the lines there were short bowing-segments. Afternoon instability was limited due to a large amount of clouds ahead of the thunderstorms.

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 May 24, 10:37 AM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 24, 10:37 AM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1137 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

.UPDATE...
ISSUED WIND ADVISORY FOR MOST OF CWA AS WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE PROPAGATES
NWD ALONG THE FRONT THEREBY INCREASING THE PRESSURE GRADIENT OVER
SRN WI. 925 MB WINDS CURRENTLY AROUND 35 KTS ARE PROGGED TO
INCREASE TO 40 KTS THIS AFTERNOON. THIS USUALLY WILL ALLOW 45 MPH
WIND GUSTS TO OCCUR AT THE SFC...GIVEN THE VERY WARM AND WELL-
MIXED AIRMASS.

INTENSIFYING LINE OF STORMS OVER IA WILL MOVE EAST INTO SRN WI
THIS AFTERNOON. STEEP LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES...EVAPORATIVE
COOLING...AND MOMENTUM TRANSFER OF STRONG WINDS ABOVE THE SURFACE
WILL PROVIDE A SEVERE WIND THREAT WITH THE STORMS.

&&

.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR WIZ046-047-051-
052-057>060-063>066-069>072.

&&

GEHRING

Hazardous weather outlook, May 24, 11:30 AM CST, 1 hour 52 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1230 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-250915-
MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE-
WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE-
LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA-
1230 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT FOR STRONG SOUTH WINDS
GUSTING TO AROUND 45 MPH.

AIR QUALITY ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT FOR OZAUKEE AND
SHEBOYGAN COUNTIES DUE TO HIGH LEVELS OF PARTICULATE POLLUTION.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER RISKS WILL BE LARGE HAIL TO
GOLF BALL SIZE...AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND
SATURDAY EVENING.

THERE IS A CHANCE OF MORE THUNDERSTORMS MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

LMZ643>646-665-250915-
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-
1230 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. THE
MAIN SEVERE WEATHER RISKS WILL BE LARGE HAIL TO GOLF BALL SIZE...AND
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 60 KNOTS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND
SATURDAY EVENING.

THERE IS A CHANCE OF MORE THUNDERSTORMS MEMORIAL DAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS MAY BE REACHED SATURDAY AND SATURDAY
NIGHT.

FOWLE
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MKX

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 24, 12:02 PM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
102 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

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

1251 PM     HIGH SUST WINDS  5 SSE MILWAUKEE         43.00N 87.93W
05/24/2007  M31.00 MPH       MILWAUKEE          WI   ASOS

            KMKE ASOS 2-MIN SUSTAINED WIND

1255 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST BARNEVELD               43.01N 89.90W
05/24/2007  M46.00 MPH       IOWA               WI   MESONET

            FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SITE.

&&

JCRAVEN

Local storm report, May 24, 12:07 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
107 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

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

1217 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 6 WNW SPRING GREEN      43.21N 90.18W
05/24/2007  M47 MPH          SAUK               WI   ASOS

            KLNR METAR PK WND 21041/1717

&&

JCRAVEN

Local storm report, May 24, 12:30 PM CST, 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
130 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

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

0109 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG FONTANA                 42.55N 88.58W
05/24/2007                   WALWORTH           WI   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN...SOME TAKING DOWN ELECTRIC WIRES AS WELL. 8
            OTHER REPORTS OF TREES AND WIRES DOWN ACROSS WALWORTH
            COUNTY INCLUDING EAST TROY AND LAKE GENEVA AREAS.

&&

JCRAVEN

Local storm report, May 24, 12:47 PM CST, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
147 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

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

0135 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 4 NNW BARABOO           43.52N 89.77W
05/24/2007  M47 MPH          SAUK               WI   AWOS

            KDLL AWOS 1835Z 21025G41KT

&&

JCRAVEN

Local storm report, May 24, 1:07 PM CST, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
207 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

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

0112 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST 5 SSE MILWAUKEE         43.00N 87.93W
05/24/2007  M45 MPH          MILWAUKEE          WI   ASOS

            KMKE PK WND 21039/1812

&&

JCRAVEN

Local storm report, May 24, 1:11 PM CST, 11 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
211 PM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

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

0156 PM     HIGH SUST WINDS  6 W KENOSHA             42.58N 87.97W
05/24/2007  M32 MPH          KENOSHA            WI   ASOS

            KENW ASOS 2-MIN WIND

&&

JCRAVEN

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 114 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sauk

When: May 24, 1:22 PM CST
Where: Sauk County, 1 mi NNW of Spring Green
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.193, -90.078

Large trees were uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sauk

When: May 24, 1:45 PM CST to 1:55 PM CST
Where: Sauk County, Lake Delton
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.580, -89.780

Large trees were uprooted. One vehicle was damaged when a tree fell on it. A couple electrical transfomers were damaged by felled trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When: May 24, 1:48 PM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where: Columbia County, Wisconsin Dells
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.630, -89.770

Large trees were uprooted across the city of Wisconsin Dells.

Thunderstorm Wind, Columbia

When: May 24, 2:00 PM CST
Where: Columbia County, 3 mi N of Portage
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.593, -89.450

Large trees were uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind, Marquette

When: May 24, 2:15 PM CST
Where: Marquette County, Westfield
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 43.880, -89.480

Large trees were uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind, Marquette

When: May 24, 2:15 PM CST
Where: Marquette County, 1 mi SW of Endeavor
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.690, -89.484

Large trees were uprooted.

Thunderstorm Wind, Green Lake

When: May 24, 2:50 PM CST
Where: Green Lake County, Berlin
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.970, -88.930

Large trees were uprooted and several power-lines were damaged/felled.

What these are

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

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, May 2007

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: 35735, 35736, 35738, 35740, 35731, 35732, 35741.