Scattered thunderstorms in southeast Wisconsin generated cloud-to-ground lightning strikes that resulted in structural damage or fires.
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 MKX wrote it up.
Scattered thunderstorms in southeast Wisconsin generated cloud-to-ground lightning strikes that resulted in structural damage or fires.
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 Mar 31, 3:04 AM CST, 8 hours 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
404 AM CDT MON MAR 31 2008
.DISCUSSION...FCST FOCUS SQUARELY ON TODAY WITH DENSE FOG...HEAVY
RAIN/FLOODING...SEVERE POTENTIAL.
FAVORABLE FOG SETUP WITH APPCH WRM FRONT AND COOL EASTERLY FLOW
COMING OFF OF LAKE MICHIGAN. WARM FRONTAL POSITION WILL BE HUGE
KEY TODAY/THIS EVENING FOR MANY WX VARIABLES.
IMPRESSIVE H8 THERMAL/MOISTURE ADVECTION POINTING INTO IA PER
00Z/31 UPPER AIR ANALYSIS. APPROACHING MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND H7-H5 JET
MAXES ENHANCING DEVELOPMENT AS COMPLEX ROLLS ACRS CWA THIS MRNG.
H8 JET INCREASES TODAY AND HELPS TO SURGE DEW POINTS TO 10C OR
HIGHER. MORE ACTIVITY ACRS NW MO AND WRN IA AHEAD OF MORE SIGGY
SHORT WAVE TICKETED FOR THE CWA AFTER A BRIEF LULL. LOCAL
MESOSCALE MODELS GENERATING SOME RATHER HEFTY QPF TOTALS WITH THIS
EVENT. FFA CERTAINLY CONTINUES.
H8 LOW PROGGD TO MOVE NE ACRS IA TODAY WITH STRENGTHENING H8 LLJ TO
OVER 50 KNOTS. RATHER CONCERNED HOW THE GFS/NAM/LOCAL WRF AND ECMWF
BRING SFC WARM FRONT INTO FAR SRN WI. SHEAR PROFILES BECOME
EXTREMELY FAVORABLE THIS AFTN. HOWEVER MODEL SOUNDINGS/LLVL RH
PROGS AND MOS ALL SHOW THE LOW CLOUD COVER WILL PERSIST EVEN AFTER
WARM FRONTAL PASSAGE. VERY STRONG INVERSION THROUGH 5K FEET. ANY
CLEARING SOUTH OF WARM FRONTAL BOUNDARY WOULD CERTAINLY FAVOR SFC
BASED DEVELOPMENT THAT COULD QUICKLY GO SVR. SOMETHING TO WATCH.
NEVERTHELESS ELEVATED CAPE VALUES EXCEED 1K ON GFS SOUNDINGS AND
MID LEVEL LAPSE LATES BETWEEN 7-7.5C...SO HAIL POTENTIAL STILL
LOOKING REASONABLE.
ONCE SFC LOW GOES BY TNGT NW WINDS ADVECT COLDER H8 TEMPS AND WILL
PLAY A GRADUAL TRANSITION WITHIN THE GRIDS...MAINLY AFTER 6Z.
MID LEVEL TROUGH AXIS PROGGD TO COME THRU CWA ON TUESDAY SO WILL
KEEP THE SML POPS GOING. SFC HI THEN TAKES HOLD FOR TUE NIGHT
THROUGH WED.
FOR NOW SYSTEM IN THE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY TIME FRAME LOOKS TO
LARGELY BYPASS CWA TO THE SOUTH BUT ENUF UNCERTAINTY AND PROXIMITY
OF MEASUREABLE QPF WARRANTS MAINTAINING THE GOING CHC.
&&
10
.AVIATION...
EAST FLOW AND DENSE FOG INTO MKE AND ENW FOR MUCH OF THE MORNING.
COMPLICATING FACTOR WILL BE HOW MUCH STIRRING OCCURS DUE TO RAIN AND
THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH EXPECT LIFR MOST OF THE MORNING...COULD BE
OCCASIONS WHERE IT IMPROVES BRIEFLY.
AS WARM FRONT MOVES NORTH THIS AFTERNOON EXPECT SOME IMPROVEMENT IN
FOG AND STRATUS BUT CONTINUED THREAT FOR RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL
KEEP CONDITIONS MVFR AT BEST.
&&
.MARINE...
DENSE FOG IN PLACE WITH METARS AT MKE...RAC...ENW...UGN ALL SHOWING
DENSE FOG. ALSO...WEB CAMS AT MILWAUKEE HARBOR SHOWING 1/4 MILE
VISIBILITY OR LESS. WILL BE TRICKY AS TO FOG CLEARING SINCE COOL
EAST FLOW REGIME TO CONTINUE NORTH OF WARM FRONT. MODELS ALL BRING
WARM FRONT NORTH INTO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON...BUT DEGREE
OF STIRRING FROM SOUTHWEST FLOW SURGE IN QUESTION. HAVE DENSE FOG
ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM IN SOUTHERN WATERS AND 4 PM FROM PORT WASHINGTON
TO SHEBOYGAN.
ON A RELATED NOTE...DECIDED AGAINST SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR THIS
AFTERNOON IN WARM SECTOR AS CONFIDENCE IS LOW HOW MUCH PUSH THEIR
WILL BE. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL BE NEEDED TONIGHT IN NORTH TO
NORTHWEST FLOW BUT WILL LET DAY SHIFT WRAP UP FOG EVENT FIRST.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
ALL GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO PRODUCE 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL ACROSS
CWA. LOCAL WSWRF 4KM ARW RUNS SHOW INTENSE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX THIS
AFTERNOON WITH LOCAL 4 TO 5 INCH RAIN ACCUMULATIONS. NCRFC CALLED
AND RAN SOME NEW SIMULATIONS USING LATEST 24 HOUR HPC QPF WHICH IS
UP AROUND 1.75 INCHES. THIS RESULTS IN WIDESPREAD MODERATE FLOODING
WITH SOME MAJOR FLOODING POSSIBLE.
&&
.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-
062>072.
DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR WIZ066-071-
072.
DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR WIZ052-060.
LM...DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR LMZ645-646.
DENSE FOG ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR LMZ643-644.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 1017 AM CDT MON MAR 31 2008 WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-011215- MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE- WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE- LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA- 1017 AM CDT MON MAR 31 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. WIDESPREAD RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES BY TONIGHT WILL RESULT IN FLOODING OF STREAMS...CREEKS...AND RIVERS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BRING LOCALLY HEAVIER AMOUNTS AROUND 4 INCHES THAT WOULD PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING AND URBAN FLOODING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HAIL APPEARS TO BE THE MAIN THREAT. A LIMITED THREAT FOR DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES EXISTS NEAR THE ILLINOIS BORDER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY MODERATE TO PERHAPS MAJOR FLOODING IS EXPECTED THIS WEEK DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF SPRING SNOW MELT AND HEAVY RAINFALL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED THROUGH THIS EVENING TO PROVIDE REPORTS OF HAIL AND HEAVY RAINFALL. LMZ643>646-011215- SHEBOYGAN TO PORT WASHINGTON WI- PORT WASHINGTON TO NORTH POINT LIGHT WI- NORTH POINT LIGHT TO WIND POINT WI- WIND POINT WI TO WINTHROP HARBOR IL- 1017 AM CDT MON MAR 31 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINDS WILL INCREASE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY SHOULD BE NEEDED FOR NORTHWEST WINDS AND HIGH WAVES BY THIS EVENING. A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE OPEN WATERS TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED INTO TONIGHT. THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL...AND THERE IS A LIMITED THREAT OF STRONG WINDS SOUTH OF MILWAUKEE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SMALL CRAFT CRITERIA WILL BE MET AGAIN TUESDAY...WHEN A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE OPEN WATERS. WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MKX
The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 31 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:45 UTC.
2 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A lightning bolt struck a tree and air conditioning unit of a home in New Berlin. The current was carried into the basement of the home and the resultant fire was contained mostly in the basement. Electrical wiring was damaged. Smoke damage was noted elsewhere in the home.
A lightning strike to a radio antenna on a home on National Avenue damaged a breadmaker, interior wiring, and electrical outlets. However , there was no fire.
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, March 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: 88189, 88188.