Hail, Burnett
- When
- May 25, 10:59 AM CST
- Where
- Burnett County, 0.69 mi S of Branstad
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Amateur Radio
- Coordinates
- 45.720, -92.680
Hail and Lightning Strike in Wisconsin, May 25, 2008
Thunderstorms developed across portions of northwest Wisconsin ahead of a complex frontal boundary. Some storms became severe in the late afternoon and produced large hail.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $200,000
- 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 DLH wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed across portions of northwest Wisconsin ahead of a complex frontal boundary. Some storms became severe in the late afternoon and produced large hail.
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 Duluth, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 25, 10:02 AM CST, 57 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 25, 10:02 AM CST, 57 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1102 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008 .UPDATE... .DISCUSSION... UPDATED TO REFLECT ONGOING CONVECTION MOVING NEWRD THROUGH AITKIN/PINE COUNTIES ATTM...SHOULD MOVE THRU CARLTON/ SRN ST. LOUIS THIS MORNING. ALSO UPDATED FOR CLEAR SLOT IN THE FAR NORTH. NO OTHER CHANGES....EXPECT MORE CONVECTINO TO FIRE EARLY THIS AFT AHEAD OF WRN TROF AND ALONG NRN MN WARM FRONT. && .AVIATION... && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 438 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008/ DISCUSSION...LATEST RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM THE ARROWHEAD SOUTH ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR AND OVER NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THIS PRECIP IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE PROPAGATING EWD ACROSS OUR FCST AREA...AND SHOULD EXIT TO THE EAST OF THE CWA ALONG WITH THE PRECIPITATION EARLY THIS MORNING. THE MAIN FORECAST CONCERN FOR THE SHORT TERM WILL THE SHIFT TO AN APPROACHING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM FROM THE WEST. THIS LOW AND TRAILING OCCLUDED/COLD/WARM FRONT WILL GRADUALLY TRACK ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST TODAY AND TONIGHT...PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION. DEW POINTS HAVE ALREADY INCREASED INTO THE LOWER 50S ACROSS OUR SWRN ZONES...AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO RISE ACROSS THE ENTIRE CWA TODAY AS WINDS BECOME MORE SOUTHERLY AND STRENGTHEN...ADVECTING MOISTURE NORTH ACROSS THE FCST AREA. WITH PARTIAL CLEARING ALREADY OCCURRING ACROSS WRN MN...INCREASED SENSIBLE HEATING WILL COMBINE WITH THE SOUTHERLY FLOW/WAA TO PRODUCE TEMPS IN THE 70S ACROSS OUR WRN AND SRN ZONES BY THIS AFTERNOON. CLOSER TO THE LAKE...TEMPS WILL BE SOMEWHAT COOLER...ESPECIALLY RIGHT ALONG THE LAKESHORE WHERE A STUBBORN MARINE LAYER WILL LINGER. IN ANY EVENT...WITH THE MOISTURE AND WARMTH...THE ATMOSPHERE IS EXPECTED TO DESTABILIZE ACROSS MOST OF THE UPPER MIDWEST TODAY...WITH MUCAPE VALUES MAXING OUT BETWEEN 1500 AND 3000 J/KG ACROSS THE NORTHLAND ALONE. THE LOW AND TRAILING TROUGH/FRONT WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ONCE THUNDERSTORMS GET GOING...THE STRONG VERTICAL WIND SHEAR WILL CAUSE THE STORMS TO BECOME MORE ORGANIZED...POSSIBLE INTO AN MCS. THE THREAT FOR SEVERE SEVERE WEATHER IS OUTLINED WELL IN SWODY1...WITH HIGHEST PROBABILITY SOUTH OF THE TWIN PORTS ACROSS EC MN AND NWRN WI. BECAUSE OF THE STRONG LOW-LEVEL SHEAR AND MODERATE TO STRONG SFC BASED INSTABILITY...THERE WILL ALSO BE A RISK OF SUPERCELLS AND TORNADOES IN THIS AREA...AGAIN MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HOWEVER THE MAIN SEVERE WEATHER THREAT ACROSS THE FCST AREA WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE CONVECTION SHOULD EVOLVE INTO A SQUALL LINE ALONG THE FRONT THIS EVENING...AND PROPAGATE EAST OF OUR CWA AFTER MIDNIGHT. A SECONDARY COLD FRONT OVER SRN CANADA IS THEN PROGGED TO DROP SOUTH ACROSS OUR FCST AREA ON MONDAY...BRINGING COOLER CONDITIONS AND A CHANCE OF SHOWERS. HIGH PRESSURE AND DRIER AIR WILL MOVE OVER THE NORTHLAND BEHIND THE FRONT MONDAY NIGHT...CAUSING SKIES TO CLEAR OUT. LIGHTER WINDS AND CLEARING SKIES WILL LEAD TO STRONG RADIATIONAL COOLING WITH LOW TEMPS RANGING FROM THE UPPER 20S TO MID 30S. THEREFORE WILL MENTION FROST IN THE FORECAST FOR NOT ONLY MONDAY NIGHT...BUT ALSO TUESDAY NIGHT WHEN SIMILAR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. AVIATION...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MOVED THROUGH OVERNIGHT... BRINGING AREAS OF MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS. WIDESPREAD LLWS WILL ALSO OCCUR FOR A TIME THIS MORNING...BEFORE THE LOW LEVEL JET WEAKENS AND LESSENS THE LLWS FACTOR DURING THE DAY. A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING...BUT THE MAIN STORY WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON. SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT SOME POINT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES... DAMAGING WINDS AND VERY LARGE HAIL. IT WILL ALSO BRING LLWS... ESPECIALLY TO EASTERN AREAS. THE BEST CHANCE FOR THE SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FROM THE ARROWHEAD...INTO THE TWIN PORTS...THE UPPER SAINT CROIX RIVER VALLEY AND NW WI. THE STORMS WILL ALSO BRING LOCAL IFR/LIFR CIGS/VSBYS THROUGH TONIGHT. && POINT TEMPS/POPS... DLH 69 48 58 33 / 60 50 30 10 INL 74 44 55 29 / 50 50 40 10 BRD 78 50 60 36 / 40 30 20 10 HYR 74 51 64 32 / 60 50 30 10 ASX 73 49 59 32 / 60 50 30 10 && .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. LS...NONE. CLC
Hazardous weather outlook, May 25, 10:49 AM CST, 10 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1149 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008 MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-261700- KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE- NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN LAKE/LAKESHORE- SOUTHERN COOK/LAKESHORE-NORTHERN CASS-SOUTHERN ITASCA- SOUTHERN CASS-CROW WING-NORTHERN AITKIN-SOUTHERN AITKIN- CARLTON/SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS-PINE-DOUGLAS-BAYFIELD-ASHLAND-IRON- BURNETT-WASHBURN-SAWYER-PRICE- 1149 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS IS A VERY VOLATILE SITUATION AND EVERYONE SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE WEATHER VIA YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER...OR KEEP YOUR ALL HAZARD WEATHER RADIO IN ALERT MODE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. LSZ121-140>148-261700- BAYFIELD TO OAK POINT WI-GRAND PORTAGE TO GRAND MARAIS MN- GRAND MARAIS TO TACONITE HARBOR MN- TACONITE HARBOR TO SILVER BAY HARBOR MN- SILVER BAY HARBOR TO TWO HARBORS MN-TWO HARBORS TO DULUTH MN- DULUTH MN TO PORT WING WI-PORT WING TO SAND ISLAND WI- SAND ISLAND TO BAYFIELD WI-OAK POINT TO SAXON HARBOR WI- 1149 AM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS IS A VERY VOLATILE SITUATION AND EVERYONE SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE WEATHER VIA YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER...OR KEEP YOUR ALL HAZARD WEATHER RADIO IN ALERT MODE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS IS A VERY VOLATILE SITUATION AND EVERYONE SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE WEATHER VIA YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER...OR KEEP YOUR ALL HAZARD WEATHER RADIO IN ALERT MODE. CLC
The radar
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 119 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:58 UTC.
Event by event
6 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Washburn
- When
- May 25, 12:00 PM CST
- Where
- Washburn County, 0.84 mi NE of Spooner
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.840, -91.890
Hail, Sawyer
- When
- May 25, 12:36 PM CST
- Where
- Sawyer County, 1.18 mi SE of Round Lake
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Amateur Radio
- Coordinates
- 46.010, -91.310
Hail, Ashland
- When
- May 25, 1:45 PM CST
- Where
- Ashland County, 2.76 mi N of Butternut
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 46.060, -90.500
Hail, Iron
- When
- May 25, 1:55 PM CST
- Where
- Iron County, 4.99 mi WNW of Springstead
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.050, -90.220
The hail fell at Cedar Cove Cabins.
Hail, Price
- When
- May 25, 2:25 PM CST
- Where
- Price County, Fifield
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.880, -90.420
Lightning, Sawyer
- When
- May 25, 7:21 PM CST
- Where
- Sawyer County, 3 mi N of Winter
- Property damage
- $200,000
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 45.863, -91.020
A house fire was caused by a lightning strike. The house was totalled.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, May 25, 2008
- Tornadoes and Hail in Minnesota, May 25, 2008
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Iowa, May 25 to 26, 2008
- Tornadoes and Hail in Texas, May 25, 2008
- Tornadoes and Hail in Wisconsin, May 25, 2008
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, May 25, 2008
- Tornado and Hail in Wisconsin, May 25, 2008
- Dust Storm and Hail in Texas, May 25, 2008
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Missouri, May 25 to 26, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, May 25, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 25, 2008
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Illinois, May 25 to 26, 2008
More
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, May 2008
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: 105666, 105673, 105671, 105665, 105668, 105670, 105675.