A line of severe thunderstorms moved out of Minnesota and into western and central Wisconsin during the morning hours of August 13th. Strong winds created tree and minor structural damage, while widespread heavy rain of 3 to 4 inches caused some flash flooding, road closures, and rises along rivers, streams and creeks.
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 ARX wrote it up.
A line of severe thunderstorms moved out of Minnesota and into western and central Wisconsin during the morning hours of August 13th. Strong winds created tree and minor structural damage, while widespread heavy rain of 3 to 4 inches caused some flash flooding, road closures, and rises along rivers, streams and creeks. Significant damage occurred to roads, homes and businesses in west central Wisconsin due to the flooding with an estimated $2.78 million in damage to public sector infrastructure. More thunderstorms developed south of the initial storms across southwest Wisconsin, which brought heavy rains and caused flooding problems into the afternoon hours.
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 13, 2:48 AM CST, 47 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
348 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY
FORECAST CONCERNS ARE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WITH THE
POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINFALL TODAY INTO TONIGHT. VERY WARM AND MUGGY
CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST ACROSS THE AREA TODAY WITH HEAT INDICES OF
95 TO 100 ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN.
CURRENT WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS TROUGH MOVING INTO THE DAKOTAS
WITH SHORTWAVE MOVING INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN. RADAR THIS MORNING
SHOWED A COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS EASTERN
MINNESOTA...INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN. VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY
WINDS WERE OCCURRING WITH SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS. EXPECT STORMS
TO MOVE INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN THIS MORNING. AT THIS TIME...IT
APPEARS THAT THE BULK OF THE HEAVY RAIN WILL MOVE INTO CENTRAL
WISCONSIN THIS MORNING. GIVEN THE HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES
ACROSS THE AREA AND RECENT HEAVY RAINS...HAVE DECIDED TO ISSUE A
FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR CLARK AND TAYLOR COUNTIES AS WELL AS
SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING.
CONFIDENCE REGARDING FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL NOT AS HIGH OVER
SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN...BUT CONDITIONS MAY BECOME MORE FAVORABLE
THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS SITUATION WILL BE WATCHED CLOSELY FOR
POTENTIAL UPDATES.
13.00Z NAM/GFS INDICATING DIFFERING SOLUTIONS ON PLACEMENT OF HEAVY
PRECIPITATION THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON. GFS APPEARS TO HAVE
A BETTER HANDLE OF PLACEMENT OF THUNDERSTORMS COMPLEX AND
PROGRESSION ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. HAVE LEANED MORE TOWARD THE
GFS GUIDANCE FOR PRECIPITATION CHANCES TODAY.
FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT...UPPER TROUGH WILL SWING INTO THE EASTERN
DAKOTAS TODAY...AND HEAD FOR THE CWA TONIGHT. AFTERNOON ML CAPE
VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO CLIMB INTO THE 1000 TO 2000 J/KG RANGE THIS
AFTERNOON. 0 TO 6 KM SHEAR WILL INCREASE TODAY TO 40 TO 50 KTS.
GIVEN THE INSTABILITY AND SHEAR...EXPECT SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
TO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME SEVERE WITH GUSTY WINDS THE MAIN
THREAT. IN ADDITION...HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ACROSS THE
AREA...WILL POSE A HEAVY RAIN THREAT INTO THIS EVENING.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...NAM/GFS/ECMWF SHOWING GOOD AGREEMENT WITH
PLACEMENT OF UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS...EXTENDING FROM FAR NORTHWEST
ONTARIO INTO CENTRAL IOWA SATURDAY NIGHT. EXPECT TROUGH TO CLOSE
INTO AN UPPER LOW ON SUNDAY OVER NORTHERN ONTARIO...PLACING THE
FORECAST AREA IN COOL CYCLONIC FLOW. EXPECT TROUGH AXIS TO MOVES
ACROSS THE AREA LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY.
.LONG TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
UPPER LOW WILL MOVE TOWARDS JAMES BAY SUNDAY NIGHT WITH A WEAK
EMBEDDED SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN NORTH DAKOTA INTO WESTERN
WISCONSIN. THE GFS IS GENERATING PRECIPITATION WITH THIS FEATURE
WHILE THE ECMWF MAINTAINS DRY CONDITIONS. SREF IS ALSO GOING WITH A
DRY SOLUTION THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. CONFIDENCE IS LOW REGARDING ANY
PRECIPITATION GENERATION WITH THIS SHORTWAVE...SO WILL MAINTAIN DRY
FORECAST.
BOTH THE GFS/ECMWF INDICATE A SUBTLE SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS THE
FORECAST AREA MONDAY AFTERNOON. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOWING STEEP
LAPSE RATES AND SOME LOW CAPE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS...MAINLY
NORTH OF THE I-94 CORRIDOR. HAVE DECIDED TO ADD SLIGHT OF RAIN SHOWERS FOR
MONDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS THESE AREAS. HAVE ALSO LOWERED HIGH TEMPS A
COUPLE DEGREES ACROSS THE AREAS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE THE RAIN
SHOWERS.
THE ECMWF CONTINUES TO SHOW THAT A SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE
THROUGH THE REGION FROM TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...THERE REMAINS
SOME CONCERN THAT THE 12.00Z ECMWF WAS TOO STRONG WITH THIS WAVE AND
IT WAS COOLING THE AREA TOO MUCH FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.
LOOKING AT THE ACTIVE WAVE PATTERN ACROSS THE NORTHERN
HEMISPHERE...IT IS LIKELY THAT THE MODELS WILL GREATLY STRUGGLE WITH
THE UPPER AIR PATTERN AND THIS GREATLY LOWERS THE FORECAST
CONFIDENCE BEYOND WEDNESDAY.
&&
.AVIATION...TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT
RATHER COMPLEX SCENARIO FOR THIS FORECAST CYCLE CENTERED MAINLY ON
CONVECTIVE TRENDS IN THE NEAR TERM...THEN AGAIN LATER THIS
AFTERNOON/EVENING.
RADAR CURRENTLY SHOWING A BAND OF CONVECTION FROM EXTREME NORTH
CENTRAL IOWA INTO CENTRAL MINNESOTA IN ZONE OF LOW LEVEL WARM
ADVECTION AND BEING SUPPORTED BY 925MB-850MB MOISTURE TRANSPORT.
MODELS SHOW THIS MOISTURE TRANSPORT TO LEAN INTO THE LOCAL AREA
LATER THIS MORNING...THUS EXPECT CONVECTION TO CONTINUE TO MOVE
EAST-NORTHEAST WITH TIME AFFECTING THE KRST TAF SITE AROUND 08Z...BUT
WITH ITS NORTHEAST TRACK MAY SLIDE NORTH OF THE KLSE TAF SITE.
MAINLY VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED...WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WITHIN
THUNDERSTORMS...WHERE IFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE. THESE STORMS WILL
WEAKEN TRANSLATE EASTWARD LATER THIS MORNING.
THERE MAYBE A BREAK IN THE ACTION LATER THIS MORNING INTO EARLY
AFTERNOON. HOWEVER CONTINUED MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF AN
APPROACHING COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON WILL LIKELY RE-FIRE CONVECTION
ONCE AGAIN...WITH THE MOST PROBABLY TIME OF AFTER 21Z AT BOTH KLSE
AND KRST.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING
WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES RUNNING AROUND 2 INCHES AND WARM
CLOUD DEPTHS RUNNING BETWEEN 4 AND 4.5 KM...IT APPEARS THE AREA
WILL SEE THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN. IN ADDITION...IT LOOKS LIKE WE
WILL CONTINUE TO SEE REPEATED ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. THIS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN THE
POTENTIAL OF SOME FLOODING AND MUD/ROCK SLIDES.
&&
.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...HEAT ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR WIZ054-WIZ055-WIZ061.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR WIZ017-WIZ029.
MN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE
TONIGHT FOR MNZ079-MNZ086-MNZ087-MNZ088-MNZ094-MNZ095-
MNZ096.
IA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING THROUGH LATE
TONIGHT FOR IAZ008-IAZ009-IAZ010-IAZ011-IAZ018-IAZ019-
IAZ029-IAZ030.
HEAT ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING
FOR IAZ010-IAZ011-IAZ029-IAZ030.
&&
SHORT/LONG TERM...WETENKAMP
AVIATION...RABERDING
HYDROLOGY...WETENKAMPHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1155 AM CDT THU AUG 12 2010 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034- 041>044-053>055-061-131100- 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- 1155 AM CDT THU AUG 12 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT HEAT INDICIES WILL TOP OFF IN THE 100 TO 105 DEGREE RANGE OVER PARTS OF THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. HEAT ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE REGION. THE LENGTH OF THIS HEAT SPELL WILL LEAD TO MORE AND MORE HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER LATE TONIGHT BUT COULD BE DISSIPATING AS THEY APPROACH. THEY COULD STILL PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAIN THOUGH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A HIGHER RISK OF HEAVY RAIN AND OTHER SEVERE WEATHER WILL DEVELOP ON FRIDAY. THUNDERSTORMS COULD BE ON-GOING FRIDAY MORNING WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT. BESIDES AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN AND A FLOOD RISK...STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AS WELL. AREA CREEKS AND RIVERS COULD SEE RISES DEPENDING ON WHERE THE RAIN FALLS OR TRACKS. MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE IF THEY POSE A SEVERE WEATHER RISK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ON FRIDAY AREA WIDE. SPOTTERS SHOULD MONITOR LATEST FORECASTS AND OUTLOOKS FOR ANY SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... NO CALL IS SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME. IF HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPS LATE TONIGHT AND THERE IS A RISK IT COULD REPEAT OR REFORM IN THE SAME AREA FRIDAY NIGHT...A WEBINAR MIGHT BE HELD ON FRIDAY TO UPDATE PARTNERS ON THE OVERALL FLOOD AND SEVERE WEATHER RISK. SHEA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 139 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 IAZ008-MNZ079-086-087-094-130745- DODGE-MITCHELL-MOWER-OLMSTED-WABASHA- 139 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 AT 135 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF COUNTY ROADS 1 AND 24 TO 39 MILES WEST OF OTRANTO...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... RICE LAKE STATE PARK AROUND 220 AM... CLAREMONT AROUND 230 AM... DODGE CENTER...WEST CONCORD...AROUND 240 AM... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM FRIDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. RIECK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 355 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 MNZ079-088-WIZ032-033-131100- BUFFALO-TREMPEALEAU-WABASHA-WINONA- 355 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 AT 353 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 11 MILES WEST OF MISHA MOKWA TO 24 MILES WEST OF WEST NEWTON...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR... ALMA...MODENA AROUND 430 AM... MONDOVI AROUND 440 AM... ARCADIA...STRUM AROUND 510 AM... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM FRIDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. RIECK
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:34 UTC.
17 flood, 14 thunderstorm wind, 6 flash flood, 5 heavy rain, 1 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down between Alma and Nelson.
In two hours, 3.45 inches of rain fell.
Many trees were blown down, while tin was blown off of a barn roof.
Large tree limbs were blown down across power lines.
Total rainfall measured was 2.00 inches.
Power lines were blown down, which temporarily closed State Highway 95.
State Highway 121 was closed temporarily due to downed power lines.
Between the hours of 4:15 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. CST, 4.00 inches of rain fell in Independence. This caused flash flooding in the Independence area with water over various roadways and culverts. Some area roads were washed out while creeks were flowing out of their banks.
In three hours, 3.17 inches of rain fell.
Many trees were blown down in the Elk Creek area.
Trees and power lines were blown down in the city of Blair.
Rainfall amounted to 2.20 inches between 5:30 a.m. and 6:45 a.m. CST, with 1.80 inches falling in the first 45 minutes.
Total measured rainfall was 3.75 inches.
Various roads were closed across the county including County Road EE, which had buckled. Also, 31 mudslides were reported, while multiple homes in Cream had water in their basements. Therefore, significant damage occurred to some roads, homes and businesses. The areas most affected by flooding, mudslides and road closures were along Waumandee Creek from Gilmanton to south of Waumandee.
Many trees and power poles were blown down across western Jackson County. Tree damage was reported in and around the cities of Taylor, York, and Northfield. This caused power outages to many towns and rural customers. Also, 3.90 inches of rain was measured in the city of Taylor between 5:25 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. CST.
Many trees and power lines were blown down in the central part of the county, which included the cities of Alma Center, Merrillan and Black River Falls. The damage caused power outages to towns and rural areas.
Damage was reported to a rural street sign along Garden Avenue on the county line between Monroe and La Crosse Counties.
A tree was blown down, while damage was also reported to a parking lot light at a local business in Tomah.
Trees were blown down in Wilton.
Many roads were underwater, while there were also several mudslides reported across the northern part of the county. Driveways and culverts were washed out in the towns of Chimney Rock, Hale, Burnside and Arcadia, while a bridge at Burnside was also washed out. Also, Huskeohs Road was washed out, the Lindberg bridge in Blair was underwater, and Highway 53/121 from Pigeon Falls to the Jackson County line was closed. Roads underwater continued to impact these areas through 8:00 a.m. CST on Sunday, August 15th.
A mudslide hit and damaged a house, while some flooding was also reported.
Two homes were flooded with water up to the first floor windows, causing significant damage to both homes.
Three feet of standing water was reported at the intersection of Cass Street and 15th Street South. Street flooding was reported elsewhere throughout the city of La Crosse.
Several mudslides occurred in and around the Nelson area, causing significant damage to the road systems. Several of the smaller creeks were out of their banks and over the bridge crossings. Rainfall between the hours of 3:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. CST was estimated to be around five inches.
A wind gust of 67 mph was estimated along State Highway 82 near the Juneau and Adams County border.
A thunderstorm wind gust of 69 mph was measured at Lyndon Station.
Lightning struck a rural church northwest of Viroqua as thunderstorms moved through the morning of August 13th. The area of the church that was struck smoldered for a day before the fire broke out in the afternoon of August 14th. The entire church was destroyed by the fire.
Many roads across the northern half of the county were closed due to high water. State Highway 80 was closed in several places, as was State Highway 56 east of Viola and County Highway N and State Highway 58 near Ithica. Also, Willow Creek and Melancthon Creek, as well as their smaller tributaries were high or out of their banks in many places.
Locally heavy rains pushed the South Branch of the Baraboo River out of its banks in Hillsboro on August 13th. The river exceeded the flood stage by two and a half feet, cresting at 15.56 feet.
At least 30 roads throughout the county were closed due to high water and washouts. Some of the major roads closed included State Highways 131 and 33 around Ontario, as well as State Highway 162 near Chaseburg. Also, the West Fork Kickapoo River was over the intersection of State Highway 56 and County Road S.
The Pine River was high or out of its banks in many locations. At County Road C, it was close to topping the bridge.
Various roads were closed across parts of Jackson county and sustained damage from flooding. The flooding also caused damage to some parks and utility systems.
Elk Creek was flowing out of its banks.
Locally heavy rains pushed the Kickapoo River out of its banks in Ontario on August 13th. The river exceeded the flood stage by a half foot, cresting at 18.52 feet.
Street flooding was reported after heavy rains in Cuba City.
The Kickapoo River was over Bridge 8 along Winchell Valley Road, as well as over County Highway P near Bridge 10.
Locally heavy rains pushed the Kickapoo River out of its banks in La Farge on August 13th and 14th. The river exceeded the flood stage by a half foot, cresting at 12.54 feet.
Locally heavy rains pushed the Kickapoo River out of its banks in Readstown from August 13th through the 16th. The river exceeded the flood stage by almost two feet, cresting at 13.98 feet.
Locally heavy rains pushed the Kickapoo River out of its banks in Viola from August 14th through the 16th. The river exceeded the flood stage by over three feet, cresting at 17.25 feet.
Locally heavy rains pushed the Kickapoo River out of its banks in Soldiers Grove from August 14th through the 17th. The river exceeded the flood stage by over a foot and a half, cresting at 14.68 feet.
Locally heavy rains pushed the Kickapoo River out of its banks in Gays Mills from August 14th through the 18th. The river exceeded the flood stage by almost two and a half feet, cresting at 15.43 feet.
Locally heavy rains pushed the Trempealeau River at Dodge out of its banks from August 15th through the 18th. The river exceeded the flood stage by over two feet, cresting at 11.08 feet.
Locally heavy rains pushed the Kickapoo River out of its banks in Steuben from August 16th through the 19th. The river exceeded the flood stage by almost a foot and a half, cresting at 13.4 feet.
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: 249782, 249790, 249920, 249783, 249885, 253595, 253706, 249934, 250942, 256793, 249937, 249789, 249939, 254095, 255789, 251963, 256890, 249883, 249814, 249821, 249938, 253923, 253924, 249904, 253583, 250943, 250944, 254101, 254099, 255677, 255790, 254081, 257210, 253708, 255679, 254082, 249778, 255681, 255683, 255682, and more.