A warm frontal boundary emanating from a surface low pressure system in South Central South Dakota, and draped across West Central Wisconsin, was the catalyst for scattered severe thunderstorms on this date.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 MPX wrote it up.
A warm frontal boundary emanating from a surface low pressure system in South Central South Dakota, and draped across West Central Wisconsin, was the catalyst for scattered severe thunderstorms on this date.
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 Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 3, 11:41 AM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 1241 PM CDT SUN AUG 3 2008 .AVIATION... /18Z TAF ISSUANCE/ SMALL THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX BETWEEN THE NORTHERN SUBURBS OF THE TWIN CITIES AND DULUTH MOVING ENE. ACTIVITY IS ALONG A SHORT WAVE TRACKING ACROSS EASTERN MN. 700 MB TEMPERATURES ABOVE 14 DEG C TO THE SSW OF THE TWIN CITIES HELPING TO CAP ANY DEVELOPMENT IN THAT DIRECTION FOR THE TIME BEING. MORE RIPPLES IN THE UPPER FLOW ACROSS THE DAKOTAS. ACTIVITY OVER THE EASTERN DAKOTAS IS ALONG A SURFACE FRONT AND ANOTHER SHORT WAVE ALOFT. THE FRONT AND ACTIVITY WILL SPREAD INTO WESTERN MN THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO EASTERN MN AND WEST CENTRAL WI EARLY TONIGHT. HAVE INDICATED SOME TEMPO GROUPS TO TRY AND TIME THE BEST CHANCES FOR THUNDER. THE FRONT WILL BE OVER THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN CWA MONDAY MORNING. A VERY BAGGY PRESSURE PATTERN AND DEW POINTS IN THE MIDDLE 60S TO LOWER 70S STILL EXPECTED FROM KSTC AND KRWF ON EASTWARD. NAM BUFKIT HYDROLAPSE INCREASING FROM 4 G/KG BETWEEN THE SURFACE AND 500 FEET EARLY MONDAY MORNING. HENCE...THERE IS PRETTY HIGH POTENTIAL FOR STATUS AND FOG. EXPECT VISIBILITIES IN THE 1 TO 3 MILE RANGE WITH CEILING BETWEEN 500 AND 1500 FEET. && .DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 350 AM CDT SUN AUG 3 2008/ CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL TODAY IS MAIN CONCERN FOR THE SHORT TERM. LATEST SC MESOSCALE ANALYSIS INDICATING VERY WARM MID LEVEL TEMPS INTO SW MN/+18C AT H7 AT THIS TIME. THIS HELPING RETARD NEBRASKA CONVECTION SOMEWHAT. STILL HAVE 30-40KT H85 FLOW INTO SOUTHWEST MN WITH CONTINUATION OF MODERATE H85 MOISTURE TRANSPORT. INSTABILITY GRADIENT STILL REMAINS OVER THE SOUTHWEST CWA...WITH FCST ELEVATED CAPE AROUND 1200 J/KG TO MOVE NORTHEAST OVER THE EASTERN CWA THIS MORNING. WILL CONTINUE CHANCE TSRA AS THIS MOVES THROUGH. AS CAP BUILDS INTO THE SOUTHERN CWA LATER THIS MORNING...DO BELIEVE THIS WILL HOLD THROUGH THE DAY. ANOTHER WAVE MOVING ACROSS NORTH DAKOTA THIS MORNING COULD AFFECT NORTHWEST CWA DURING THE MORNING. 00Z 4KM NMM WRF REFLECTIVITY PATTERN DID SHOW THIS AND WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD ONTO SOME CHANCE POPS INTO THE AFTERNOON...AS AREA REMAINS ON THE EDGE OF THE CAP. TEMP FCST TROUBLESOME AS BELIEVE CLOUDS AND SHOWER THREAT WILL LIMIT HEATING POTENTIAL OVER A GOOD CHUNK OF THE CWA. STILL BELIEVE CHANCE OF LOWER 90S INTO SC MN AS WEAKENING CONVECTION MOVES OUT OF THAT AREA AND CAPPED ATMOS CLEARS. SEVERE POTENTIAL IS PRESENT WITH VERY STEEP LAPSE RATES MOVING ACROSS REGION THIS MORNING. DEEP LAYER SHEAR STILL 30-40KTS OVER THE AREA AS WELL. COULD SEE SOME HAIL AS THE STORMS MOVE THROUGH THIS MORNING. MODELS CONTINUE TREND OF DEVELOPING MCS OVER THE CENTRAL/EASTERN CWA OVERNIGHT. THIS SCENARIO LOOKS GOOD. INITIAL DEVELOPMENT MAY BE LIMITED BY CAP OVER THE SOUTHWEST...BUT BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS FROM MORNING CONVECTION COULD PLAY A ROLL...ALONG WITH DIFFERENTIAL TEMPERATURE ADV ALONG THICKER CLOUD EDGE. SEVERE WEATHER/HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS A THREAT...ALONG WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED TORNADO EARLY IN DEVELOPMENT...NEAR SFC WARM FRONT OR OUTFLOW BNDRY. HEAVY RAIN ALSO POSSIBLE WITH PWATS OVER 2 INDICATED AS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. WILL MENTION LIKELY POPS OVER THE EASTERN CWA DURING THE NIGHT TONIGHT. MONDAY SHOULD SEE A RELATIVE MIN IN ACTIVITY...ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING AS MCS EXITS THE AREA. COULD HAVE ANOTHER MCV...WITH STRONG SUBSIDENCE IN ITS WAKE...AFFECTING ANY REDEVELOPMENT. WILL CONTINUE WHIT CHANCE POPS INTO THE AFTERNOON OVER THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE CWA. THUNDER CHANCES CONTINUE INTO MONDAY NIGHT AS FRONT...UPPER TROUGH MOVES THROUGH. WILL HOLD ONTO SLGT CHANCE POPS INTO TUE MORNING FOR THE MOST PART AS BELIEVE MAIN SFC BNDRY SHOULD HAVE EXITED TO THE SOUTHEAST OF THE CWA BY THAT TIME. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && RAH/DWE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 107 PM CDT SUN AUG 3 2008 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 041100- DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS- BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA- KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON- YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA- REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH- WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-POLK-BARRON-RUSK- ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE- 107 PM CDT SUN AUG 3 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. DURING MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN MINNESOTA INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN. SOME OF THESE MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WINDS. VERY LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN SOUTHERN AND WESTERN MINNESOTA. THESE WILL EXPAND NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS MUCH OF THE REMAINDER OF THE OUTLOOK AREA THROUGH THE EVENING AND INTO EARLY OVERNIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY BE SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE PRIMARY THREATS. ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...THERE IS A AN ADDITIONAL THREAT FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES...MAINLY BETWEEN 5 PM AND 10 PM. THE THUNDERSTORM THREAT IS DUE TO AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND ASSOCIATED FRONTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND MONDAY EVENING. THE COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA ON MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED DURING THE DAY AND EVENING ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. SOME OF THESE MAY BE SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE PRIMARY THREAT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED IN PARTS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
146 PM CDT SUN AUG 03 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0145 AM HAIL 7 NW CAMBRIDGE 45.64N 93.34W
08/03/2008 M0.75 INCH ISANTI MN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
SPRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
149 PM CDT SUN AUG 03 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0149 AM HAIL 4 N CAMBRIDGE 45.62N 93.24W
08/03/2008 M1.00 INCH ISANTI MN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
SPRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
202 PM CDT SUN AUG 03 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0145 PM HAIL 7 NW CAMBRIDGE 45.64N 93.34W
08/03/2008 M0.75 INCH ISANTI MN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
SPRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
203 PM CDT SUN AUG 03 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0156 PM HAIL 1 ENE GRANDY 45.64N 93.17W
08/03/2008 M1.00 INCH ISANTI MN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
SPRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
208 PM CDT SUN AUG 03 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0156 PM HAIL PRINCETON 45.57N 93.59W
08/03/2008 M0.88 INCH MILLE LACS MN BROADCAST MEDIA
&&
SPRPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
237 PM CDT SUN AUG 03 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0230 PM HEAVY RAIN 4 NE RUSH CITY 45.72N 92.91W
08/03/2008 M2.60 INCH CHISAGO MN TRAINED SPOTTER
HEAVY RAIN RESULTING IN 2.60 INCHES OF RAIN IN 2.5 HOURS
&&
SPRThe Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:48 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple reports of trees and power lines downed in and near the city.
Widespread tree damage.
Power lines snapped near Cumberland just north of Highway 48. Several homes damaged along Highway 48, just east of Cumberland. One home at 1142 Highway 48 received extensive damage to roof and portion of wall. Many trees and power lines downed in this region. Some information obtained through the Cumberland Advocate newspaper.
Pine trees and power poles downed near Rice Lake.
Reports of a roof being ripped off a house two miles south of Rice Lake along with many trees downed throughout the area. An attached garage in the Meadow Creek area was damaged and a foundation support wall was moved over three feet.
Many trees toppled, power pole downed, and some trees blocking Highway 8.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, August 2008
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: 133227, 133298, 133228, 133230, 133231, 133232.