Thunderstorms developed over west central Wisconsin as an upper level system moved across the region. These storms moved east into central Wisconsin, which brought strong winds to the area during the early morning hours of August 11th.
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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 ARX wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed over west central Wisconsin as an upper level system moved across the region. These storms moved east into central Wisconsin, which brought strong winds to the area during the early morning hours of August 11th.
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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 10, 2:00 PM CST, 11 hours 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 300 PM CDT TUE AUG 10 2010 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY FORECAST FOCUS CONTINUES TO BE ON THE PCPN CHANCES INTO THE WEEKEND...WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT. IN ADDITION...HEAT/HUMIDITY WILL BE A CONCERN. LINE OF CONVECTION CURRENTLY RUNNING FROM CENTRAL MN INTO WESTERN IA...ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LEVEL FRONT AND ASSOCIATED SFC BOUNDARY. THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT WAS ALSO PUSHING INTO THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...PER LATEST RUC13...WITH A 30 KT 850 MB JET. THE STORMS SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND MOVE EAST/NORTHEAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...FEEDING OFF OF A VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS AHEAD OF IT. WITH MUCAPES OVER 4000 J/KG IN IA AND EFFECTIVE SHEAR AROUND 40 KTS...SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE A RISK. DAMAGING WINDS LOOK TO BE THE MAIN THREAT AS THE STORMS APPROACH THE FORECAST AREA...ALONG WITH THE HEAVY RAIN INDUCING FLASH/URBAN FLOODING POTENTIAL. HAIL WILL BE A BIT HARDER TO COME BY AS THE FREEZING LEVEL REMAINS RATHER HIGH //16 KFT//. TO FURTHER ACCENTUATE THE LIFT ON THE SOUTHERN EXTENT OF THE FRONT...ANOTHER...WEAKER SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS EVIDENT ON THE WATER VAPOR IMAGERY...MOVING FROM NEB TOWARD WESTERN IA. WITH DECREASING INSTABILITY OVERNIGHT...EXPECT A SIMILAR DECREASE IN THE SEVERE STORM POTENTIAL. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN SHOULD CONTINUE THOUGH...AS THE MAIN MASS OF PRECIPITATION SHIFTS INTO WESTERN WI. THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING ISSUES WILL HAVE TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY. THE UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL CONTINUE TO LIFT NORTHWEST INTO EASTERN CANADA...WHILE THE SFC FRONT SLIDES OVER THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES ON WED. THE BULK OF THE MOISTURE TRANSPORT LOOKS TO SHIFT NORTH INTO THE HEART OF THE TROUGH...PER THE GFS/NAM...BUT EXPECT SOME CONVECTION TO STILL BE GOING ON OVER WESTERN WI IN THE MORNING...WITH A GRADUAL SHIFT EAST IN THE AFTERNOON. ANOTHER UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL DRIVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS ON THU NIGHT/FRI MORNING FLATTENING OUT THE RIDGE AS IT MOVES OVER THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY FRI NIGHT. AN ASSOCIATED NORTH-SOUTH RUNNING SFC COLD FRONT LOOKS TO TRACK ACROSS MN FRI...MOVING ACROSS EASTERN WI BY SAT AFTERNOON. UPWARDS OF 3000 J/KG OF SBCAPE PROGGED TO BUILD OUT AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH NEARLY 40 KTS OF 0-6 KM SHEAR. NO CHANGE IN THE AIRMASS...SO AMPLE FUEL FOR SHOWER/STORM PRODUCTION...BUT THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE RETURN DOES RUN SOUTH TO NORTH AHEAD OF THE FRONT...PROVIDING AN ADDITIONAL FORCING MECHANISM. SO AT THE MOMENT...ALL SIGNS POINTING TO A REAL GOOD SHOT FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FRI-SAT TIME FRAME...ESPECIALLY FRI NIGHT. DEPENDING ON TIMING AND POSITIONING OF THE SYSTEM...SEVERE WEATHER COULD BE A WORRY. PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN LOOK LIKE A FOREGONE CONCLUSION CONSIDERING THE VERY MOIST ATMOSPHERE. NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN IS THE HIGH HEAT/HUMIDITY THAT THE REGION HAS BEEN UNDER...AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE UNDER THROUGH FRIDAY. THE CLOUDS AND PERIODIC RAINFALL HAVE HELPED OUT A BIT...BUT AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES ARE STILL CLIMBING INTO THE MID TO UPPER 90S...100 IN SOME LOCATIONS. THU COULD BE THE WORST DAY HEAT-WISE FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK...LOOKING RAIN FREE AT THE MOMENT...MORE SUNSHINE...AND THUS MORE HEAT AND HUMIDITY. THINK AN ADVISORY MIGHT BE NEEDED FOR THU...BUT WILL HAVE ANOTHER DAY TO EVALUATE. RESIDENCES SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR HIGH...POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HEAT REGARDLESS. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY GFS AND ECMWF CONTINUE TO DRIVE AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH/SFC COLD FRONT ACROSS THE REGION FRI NIGHT/SAT...EXITING IT TO THE EAST SAT NIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LOOK LIKE A GOOD BET...AND THERE COULD BE SOME SEVERE WEATHER EARLY FRIDAY NIGHT...DEPENDING ON OTHER WEATHER FACTORS. THE VERY MOIST AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT HEAVY RAIN. HOWEVER...WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS SYSTEM SHOULD COME A BREAK FROM THE SULTRY CONDITIONS AS NORTHWEST FLOW REPLACES THE WARM RIDGING...AND COOLER/DRIER AIR SINKS SOUTH FROM CANADA. THIS DOESN/T MEAN DRY WEATHER...AS CYCLONIC FLOW AND COOLER AIR A LOFT COULD LEAD TO SCATTERED AFTERNOON SHOWERS/STORMS SUNDAY AFT. ALSO...THE MODELS POINT TO VARIOUS BITS OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY MOVING ALONG THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW FOR THE EARLY PART OF THE NEW WORK WEEK...BRINGING ADDITIONAL RAIN CHANCES. WITH A LESS MOIST AIR MASS...HOWEVER...HEAVY RAIN SHOULD NOT BE AS BIG OF A THREAT. && .AVIATION... CURRENTLY MONITORING A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA. THIS LINE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA BETWEEN 10.22Z AND 11.01Z. MUCH OF THE UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS TIMING IS HOW THE COLD POOL DEVELOPS WITH THIS LINE. AT ITS CURRENT SPEED...KRST WOULD BEGIN TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS LINE AROUND 10.23Z...AND KLSE AROUND 11.02Z. DURING THE OVERNIGHT...THIS LINE IS EXPECTED TO EVOLVE INTO ONE OR MORE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEXES. DUE TO UNCERTAINTY AND LOCATION OF THESE COMPLEXES...THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOT ADDED TO THE TAFS. WITH A VERY MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER...THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL THAT FOG MAY REDUCE THE VISIBILITIES TO 3 MILES OR LESS. ON WEDNESDAY MORNING...THE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEXES SHOULD BE MOVING EAST OF THE REGION...AND THERE WILL BE RAPIDLY IMPROVING CONDITIONS. && .HYDROLOGY... NO CHANGE IN THE TROPICAL-LIKE AIRMASS FOR THE REGION UNTIL AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH/COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH ON SATURDAY. PWS WILL CONTINUE TO BE CLOSE TO 2 INCHES WITH WARM CLOUD DEPTHS OF 4000-4500 M...BOTH VERY CONDUCIVE FOR HEAVY RAIN PRODUCTION. AS A RESULT...ANY SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS INTO SATURDAY MORNING WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING INCH PER HOUR RAINFALL RATES. SATURATED GROUNDS FROM RECENT RAINS COULD LEAD TO FLOODING CONCERNS DUE TO RUNOFF WITH ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN. TONIGHT/WED AND THEN AGAIN FRI/SAT WILL BE THE MAIN RAIN THREAT PERIODS...AND THUS CARRY THE HEAVY RAIN/FLOODING POTENTIAL. CURRENTLY...FRI/SAT LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HOLD THE GREATEST THREAT FOR A WIDESPREAD...HEAVY RAIN. WILL CONTINUE TO ISSUE AN HYDROLOGIC OUTLOOK...ALTHOUGH FLASH FLOOD WATCHES MAY BECOME NECESSARY...ESPECIALLY IN THIS FRI/SAT TIME FRAME. ON THE PLUS SIDE...THU LOOKS DRY AT THE MOMENT. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && SHORT/LONG TERM... RIECK AVIATION.......... BOYNE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 948 PM CDT TUE AUG 10 2010 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034- 041>044-053>055-061-111100- ADAMS-ALLAMAKEE-BUFFALO-CHICKASAW-CLARK-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-DODGE- FAYETTE-FILLMORE-FLOYD-GRANT-HOUSTON-HOWARD-JACKSON-JUNEAU-LA CROSSE- MITCHELL-MONROE-MOWER-OLMSTED-RICHLAND-TAYLOR-TREMPEALEAU-VERNON- WABASHA-WINNESHIEK-WINONA- 948 PM CDT TUE AUG 10 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA. LOCALLY STRONG WIND GUSTS AND SMALL HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS...PARTICULARLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA. WITH GROUNDS ALREADY SATURATED FROM RECENT RAINS...HEAVY RAINFALL COULD LEAD TO FLOODING CONCERNS. PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND RAPID RISES ON SOME RIVERS AND CREEKS COULD RESULT. IN ADDITION... THERE MAY BE SOME MUD AND ROCK SLIDES. THE BEST CHANCES FOR FLASH FLOODING WILL BE ACROSS FAYETTE...CLAYTON AND GRANT COUNTIES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM WILL TRACK ACROSS THE REGION ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. DEPENDING ON WHAT TIME THE SYSTEM MOVES ACROSS THE AREA...THERE COULD BE A THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER. HEAVY RAIN WOULD BE LIKELY WITH ANY STRONGER STORM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED OVERNIGHT...BUT REPORTS OF RAINFALL OR FLOODING WOULD BE APPRECIATED. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... NO CALL IS SCHEDULED. WETENKAMP/BOYNE/HALBACH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1107 PM CDT TUE AUG 10 2010 IAZ010-011-MNZ088-095-096-110500- ALLAMAKEE-FILLMORE-HOUSTON-WINNESHIEK-WINONA- 1107 PM CDT TUE AUG 10 2010 AT 1105 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM HIGHLAND TO SATTRE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING MAY ACCOMPANY THESE THUNDERSTORMS. SPRING GROVE AROUND 1120 PM... RUSHFORD...CALEDONIA AROUND 1130 PM... CALEDONIA...HOUSTON AROUND 1140 PM... LIGHTNING CAN BE A KILLER AND MAY STRIKE MILES AWAY FROM THE STORM. MOVE INDOORS OR FIND A VEHICLE TO SHELTER IN. PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE STRONG TO DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS. MOVE INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. HALBACH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1233 AM CDT WED AUG 11 2010 WIZ017-029-110730- CLARK-TAYLOR- 1233 AM CDT WED AUG 11 2010 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN HEADED TOWARDS CLARK AND TAYLOR COUNTIES... AT 1224 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS OF RAIN MOVING INTO CHIPPEWA COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. IF THESE STORMS MAINTAIN THERE INTENSITY...HEAVY RAIN AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR LIKELY...AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BECOME NECESSARY LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... THE BLUE SWAMP...MEAD LAKE...SEVEN SISTER MOUNDS...EIDSVOLD... JUNCTION AND RESEBURG. HEAVY RAIN COULD LEAD TO FLOODING OR A SHORT PERIOD OF STANDING WATER. STAY CLEAR OF DRAINAGE AREAS AND AVOID AREAS OF HIGH WATER IF THEY DEVELOP. RABERDING
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 112 AM CDT WED AUG 11 2010 WIZ017-029-110815- CLARK-TAYLOR- 112 AM CDT WED AUG 11 2010 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED IN CLARK AND TAYLOR COUNTIES... AT 106 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM DONALD TO NEAR EAU CLAIRE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH...HEAVY RAIN AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. RAINFALL RATES OF 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR IS POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. IF THESE STORMS MAINTAIN THEIR STRENGTH BOTH SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS AND FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BECOME NECESSARY. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... JUMP RIVER...THORP...WESTBORO...MEDFORD AND CHELSEA. HEAVY RAIN COULD LEAD TO MINOR FLOODING OR A SHORT PERIOD OF STANDING WATER. STAY CLEAR OF DRAINAGE AREAS AND AVOID AREAS OF HIGH WATER IF THEY DEVELOP. PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE STRONG TO DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS. MOVE INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. RABERDING
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:19 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown as thunderstorms passed, which blocked County Road MM.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, August 2010
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: 249747.