Hail in Wisconsin, August 2, 2009

Name: Hail in Wisconsin, August 2, 2009
Start: 2009-08-02T23:23
End: 2009-08-02T23:23
Location: Wisconsin

August 2, 2009 · NWS MPX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Sunday afternoon August 2nd, a warm frontal boundary lied across central Minnesota into west central Wisconsin, with a strong cold front across the central Dakotas. Initially, very dry air around 5000' and a strong cap prevented thunderstorm development across most of Minnesota and Wisconsin until the evening, when a surge of low level moisture from the south, and the instability leftover from…

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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 MPX wrote it up.

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 Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 2, 5:26 PM CST, 5 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 2, 5:26 PM CST, 5 hours 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
626 PM CDT SUN AUG 2 2009

.UPDATE...FOR 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW

&&

.DISCUSSION.../ISSUED 128 PM CDT SUN AUG 2 2009/

MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS IN THE SHORT TERM DEAL WITH THE POTENTIAL
OF SEVERE WEATHER AS A FAIRLY POTENT SHORT WAVE THAT WAS EVIDENT
IN THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY IN FAR WESTERN MT...MOVES EASTWARD
ACROSS THE DAKOTAS THIS LATE AFTN/EVENING. INITIALLY...VERY DRY
ATMOSPHERE RESIDES ACROSS THE AREA...BUT LATEST RUC ANALYSIS
INDICATED THAT MLCAPES HAVE INCREASED ACROSS EASTERN SD/FAR SW MN
SINCE 15Z. SURFACE OBS ALSO INDICATE A SIGNIFICANT MOISTENING NEAR
THE BOUNDARY LAYER AS SFC DEW POINTS HAVE SURGE INTO THE UPPER
50S/LOWER 60S IN EASTERN SD...AND FAR WESTERN MN. REGIONAL RADAR
DEPICTED A FAIRLY WELL ORGANIZED CLUSTER OF MAINLY SHRA ACROSS
NORTHERN/CENTRAL MN...AND SE ND. RAINFALL AMOUNTS HAVE BEEN MINOR
WITH ONLY A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH AT BEST DURING THE MORNING.
HOWEVER...THIS AREA OF MID LEVEL MOISTURE SHOULD TAP AT LEAST SOME
ELEVATED INSTABILITY THIS AFTN ACROSS CENTRAL MN. IN ADDITION...AS
PER LATEST SPC RUC ANALYSIS...LOW LEVEL MOISTURE/ADVECTION SHOULD
TRANSLATE INTO AN INCREASING CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS
AFTN/EVENING. DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT DRY BOUNDARY LAYER
INITIALLY...AND A FAIRLY STRONG CAP ACROSS EASTERN
SD...THUNDERSTORM INITIATION WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY AFTER
21Z. NO CAP IS EVIDENT IN EASTERN MN...BUT THIS AREA ALSO REMAINS
VERY DRY. LATEST HWO HAS MORE INFORMATION RELATED TO SEVERE
WEATHER POTENTIAL.

LATER TONIGHT/EARLY MONDAY MORNING...FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIKELY
BE SOUTH OF CWA...WITH MOST OF THE LIFT AND MOISTURE SOUTH AND
EAST OF THE AREA. NEXT SHORT WAVE/ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL BE
TAPPING COOLER AIR FROM NORTHWEST CANADIAN. THEREFORE...AS THIS
FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES THROUGH THE REGION LATE MONDAY
NIGHT/TUESDAY MORNING...LIMITED AMOUNT OF MOISTURE WILL INHIBIT
ANY TYPE OF WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. A FEW SPRINKLES LOOK
BEST...AND MAINLY FOR CENTRAL MN.

ALTHOUGH THERE REMAINS SOME DIFFERENCES IN THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE
AND SHORT WAVE ENERGY THROUGH THURSDAY...LARGE SCALE FORCING
REMAINS LIMITED SO PRECIPITATION CHANCE SHOULD BE MINIMAL AT BEST.
AFTER THURSDAY...THE MAIN WEATHER PATTERN WHICH HAS BEEN
ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH COOL CANADIAN AIR FOR THE
PAST SEVERAL WEEKS...LOOKS TO BE CHANGING AS THE UPPER LOW THAT
HAS BEEN SPINNING OFF THE WEST COAST BEGINS TO MOVE
NORTHEAST...RIDGING WILL BEGIN TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS THE CENTRAL
U.S. THERE REMAINS SOME CONTINUITY WITH THIS SCENARIO FOR THE PAST
SEVERAL LONG TERM MODEL RUNS. THEREFORE...SUMMER TEMPERATURES ARE
BECOMING MORE LIKELY BY THE END OF THE WEEK...AND INTO THE
WEEKEND. ONE ITEM TO NOTE...THE MAIN POLAR JET STREAM WILL MOVE
NORTHWARD ALLOWING FOR AT LEAST SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES BY THE END
OF THE WEEK. IN ADDITION TO THE RIDGE BUILDING ACROSS THE CENTRAL
PLAINS...RIDGE RIDERS WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY A CONCERN WITH
CHANCES OF RAINFALL FOR FRI/SAT/SUN. ..JLT..

&&

.AVIATION.../00Z TAF ISSUANCE/
TRICKY SHORT TERM FORECAST THIS EVENING...WITH MUCH OF THE AREA
DEFINITELY PRIMED FOR STRONG STORMS INSTABILITY-WISE. THE MAIN
QUANDARIES AT THIS POINT ARE WHEN/IF THE CAP WILL ERODE...AND IF THE
CONVERGENCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE APPROACHING FRONT WILL CONNECT
WITH THE AREA OF INSTABILITY. CURRENTLY EXPECT THE AREA OF STORMS
OVER SERN ND TO DIVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MN /RIDING THE
INSTABILITY GRADIENT/. THIS COULD CLIP KAXN...AND POSSIBLY KRWF
THIS EVENING IF IT HOLDS TOGETHER. THE OTHER AREA OF INTEREST IS
OVER SOUTH CENTRAL SD...WHERE A CLUSTER OF STORMS HAS DEVELOPED ON
THE NOSE OF THE UPPER JET. PREFER THE LAPSWRF COMP REFLECTIVITY
SOLUTION...WHICH DRIVES THIS CONVECTION ACROSS SOUTHERN MN DURING
THE MID TO LATE EVENING HOURS...AND CONGEALS IT WITH THE
AFOREMENTIONED AREA OF STORMS. COULD ENVISION STORMS EVENTUALLY
AFFECTING THE WEST CENTRAL WI SITES AS WELL...BUT WOULD LIKELY NOT BE
UNTIL AROUND 05Z OR SO. OTHERWISE...THE KMSP VICINITY WILL
PROBABLY EXPERIENCE SCT LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS IN THE WAA PLUME THIS
EVE...BUT MAY ESCAPE THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. VFR CIGS ARE
EXPECTED TO PREVAIL AT SITES...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WHERE TS OCCUR.
ANY CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO HAVE CLEARED EASTERN SITES /KRNH AND
KEAU/ BY 09Z. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL GRADUALLY BECOME NORTHWESTERLY
TONIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...NONE.
WI...NONE.
&&

LS/JLT

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 2, 6:27 PM CST, 4 hours 56 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
727 PM CDT SUN AUG 2 2009

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
031230-
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-
727 PM CDT SUN AUG 2 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA OVERNIGHT. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND COLD FRONT
WILL SWEEP SOUTHEAST OVER THE AREA OVERNIGHT...GENERATING THE
THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AS LOW PRESSURE ONCE
AGAIN AFFECTS THE AREA WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA OVERNIGHT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 2, 10:18 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1118 PM CDT SUN AUG 02 2009

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

1055 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     2 SSE NORWOOD/YOUNG AME 44.75N 93.90W
08/02/2009                   CARVER             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

LS

Local storm report, Aug 2, 10:21 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1121 PM CDT SUN AUG 02 2009

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

1114 PM     HAIL             2 ENE NEW AUBURN        44.68N 94.19W
08/02/2009  M0.75 INCH       SIBLEY             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

CARLYON

Special weather statement, Aug 2, 10:29 PM CST, 54 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1129 PM CDT SUN AUG 2 2009

MNZ084-085-030515-
STEELE-WASECA-
1129 PM CDT SUN AUG 2 2009

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO STEELE AND WASECA COUNTIES THROUGH 1215
AM CDT...

AT 1127 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES EAST OF PEMBERTON. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT
40 MPH.

HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  WALDORF.
  OTISCO.
  NEW RICHLAND.
  ELLENDALE.
  STEELE CENTER.
  BIXBY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED.

&&

LAT...LON 4385 9377 4414 9378 4411 9304 4385 9305
TIME...MOT...LOC 0429Z 285DEG 34KT 4402 9365

Local storm report, Aug 2, 10:44 PM CST, 39 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1144 PM CDT SUN AUG 02 2009

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

1138 PM     HAIL             2 SSE OWATONNA          44.06N 93.21W
08/02/2009  E0.50 INCH       STEELE             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

MDB

Local storm report, Aug 2, 10:48 PM CST, 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1148 PM CDT SUN AUG 02 2009

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

1148 PM     HAIL             2 SW BELLE PLAINE       44.60N 93.79W
08/02/2009  M0.50 INCH       SCOTT              MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

CARLYON

Special weather statement, Aug 2, 11:12 PM CST, 11 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1212 AM CDT MON AUG 3 2009

WIZ026-030600-
PEPIN-
1212 AM CDT MON AUG 3 2009

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO/DEVELOPING OVER PEPIN COUNTY THROUGH
100 AM CDT...

AT 1212 AM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR PORCUPINE. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

HAIL UP TO NICKEL SIZE AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  PORCUPINE.
  ARKANSAW.
  DURAND.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED.

&&

LAT...LON 4459 9201 4443 9207 4441 9212 4442 9214
      4454 9219 4454 9214 4468 9213 4468 9166
      4459 9165
TIME...MOT...LOC 0512Z 251DEG 34KT 4456 9206

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, St. Croix

When: August 2, 11:23 PM CST
Where: St. Croix County, 1.2 mi NE of Roberts
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.990, -92.550

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, August 2009

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: 176669.