A complex of thunderstorms developed over east central Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin along a stationary front during the evening of July 23rd. As these storms moved southeast into the central portions of Wisconsin, they intensified and created damaging wind gusts across portions of Clark, Jackson and Monroe Counties during the overnight hours of July 24th.
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 complex of thunderstorms developed over east central Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin along a stationary front during the evening of July 23rd. As these storms moved southeast into the central portions of Wisconsin, they intensified and created damaging wind gusts across portions of Clark, Jackson and Monroe Counties during the overnight hours of July 24th.
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 Jul 23, 2:00 PM CST, 9 hours 53 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 300 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2011 .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS THE THUNDERSTORM LIKELIHOOD TONIGHT...AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER. NUMEROUS BOUNDARIES ARE LEFT OVER FROM MORNING CONVECTION...WITH THE MAIN WARM FRONT OVER CENTRAL MN/NORTHERN WI...WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGH SWINGS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. A PLUME OF MOISTURE CONTINUES TO STREAM NORTHEAST INTO THE REGION...WITH AN INCREASE IN THE LOW LEVEL JET/MOISTURE TRANSPORT BY 00Z OVER SOUTHERN MN. MUCAPES IN THE 4-5 K J/KG ARE EXPECTED FOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING...WITH 0-3 KM SHEAR OF 30-35 KTS AND 0-6 KM AROUND 45 KTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY...A VERY UNSTABLE AIR MASS WITH WIND SHEAR FAVORABLE FOR STORM ORGANIZATION AND POSSIBLY SUPER CELLS. THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH SFC BOUNDARIES TO HELP WITH INITIATION...WITH RADAR ALREADY INDICATING SUCH AROUND THE WARM FRONT TO THE NORTH. BELIEVE THE ACTIVITY WOULD TRACK SOUTHEAST INTO THE MORE FAVORABLE AIRMASS AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT...WITH MESO MODELS SUPPORTING THIS. THIS SCENARIO PLACES THE FORECAST AREA UNDER ANOTHER SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FOR THIS EVENING...LIKELY IN THE 22-04Z TIME FRAME. A WATCH BOX IS LIKELY. CAN/T RULE OUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO IF STORMS TRACK ALONG A BOUNDARY...BUT MAIN SEVERE THREATS WOULD BE WIND AND VERY HEAVY RAIN/FLASH FLOODING. ON SUNDAY...AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SFC WILL BUILD ACROSS THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY...WHILE A LOFT A RIDGE AXIS WILL START TO MOVE EAST FROM ACROSS THE ROCKIES TO THE NORTHERN PLAINS BY TUES. THE 23.12Z GFS AND NAM WOULD SLIP SOME SHORTWAVE ENERGY ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA SUN/MON...BUT WITH THE SHIFT EASTWARD OF THE OVERALL PATTERN...THE UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WOULD DROP SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN/EASTERN GREAT LAKES...STAYING EAST OF THE LOCAL AREA. STILL...SOME HINTS IN THE MODELS THAT A WESTWARD RUNNING FRONTAL BOUNDARY ASSOCIATED WITH THE DISTURBANCE COULD SLIDE ACROSS MN/WI. A FEW SHOWERS COULD SPARK NEAR IT...BUT A SFC HIGH IS ALSO GOING TO BE ACROSS THE REGION...WITH SUBSIDENCE AND DRIER AIR MASS WOULD WORK AGAINST PCPN CHANCES. THE SFC HIGH WILL START TO SLIDE OFF TO THE EAST BY TUE NIGHT WHILE A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WORKS ACROSS THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OVER THE PLAINS. A COLD FRONT WILL EXTEND SOUTH OF THE FRONT...AND THIS COULD ENCROACH UPON WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA LATE TUE NIGHT. STRONG MOISTURE RETURN/LOW LEVEL JET WOULD AID IN THE CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL. .LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF FAVOR A MOSTLY ZONAL FLOW THROUGH THE END OF NEXT WEEK...WITH HINTS OF MORE LARGE SCALE RIDGING BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND. VARIOUS DISTURBANCES WOULD SPIN EASTWARD THROUGH THE FLOW...BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS/STORMS. TIMING...OF COURSE...IS VARIABLE BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT MODEL SOLUTIONS...THUS LOWER CONFIDENCE IN WHEN/WHERE THE GREATER RAIN CHANCES WILL OCCUR. THE EC WOULD SLIDE A SYSTEM ACROSS THE REGION ON TUES NIGHT/WED...WITH THE GFS HOLDING OFF ABOUT A DAY LATER. BOTH DO AGREE THAT THE SOUTHERN EXTENT OF AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WOULD LAY UP FROM WEST-EAST ACROSS IA/ILL HOWEVER...SERVING AS A FOCUS FOR PCPN PRODUCTION FOR THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. OTHER UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE TROUGHS...ALONG WITH THE LOW LEVEL JET/MOISTURE TRANSPORT...WOULD ALSO WORK ON THE BOUNDARY TO ENHANCE PCPN CHANCES. THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS RATHER JUICY AND HEAVY RAIN WOULD BE LIKELY WITH STRONGER STORMS. WILL LEAN ON THE CONSENSUS SOLUTION FOR RAIN CHANCES FOR NOW. && .AVIATION... COMPLICATED FORECAST SCENARIO AS THE REGION IS CURRENTLY IN THE WORKED-OVER AIRMASS BEHIND THE EARLIER CONVECTION. NEW ACTIVITY FORMING IN CENTRAL MN NEAR THE MAIN WARM FRONT AND IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SOUTHWESTWARD BY EVENING. OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM EARLIER CONVECTION LIES JUST TO THE SOUTH...WITH A VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS SOUTH OF IT. DO ANTICIPATE ANOTHER LINE OF CONVECTION WILL FORM OVER SOUTHWEST MN AND WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH THE REGION THIS EVENING. HAVE THIS INCLUDED IN THE TAFS IN THE 01Z-04Z TIMEFRAME... BUT MAY NEED TO BE ADJUSTED. EXPECT THE ACTIVITY TO MOVE PAST THE TAF SITES OVERNIGHT...BUT WILL HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR MVFR/IFR STRATUS TO FORM BEHIND IT. MODELS REMAIN INSISTENT THAT THIS WILL OCCUR. && .HYDROLOGY... VERY MOIST AIRMASS REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT...WITH PWS 150 PERCENT OF NORMAL AND WARM CLOUD DEPTHS UP TO 4000 M. THE LOW LEVEL JET AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL IMPINGE INTO NORTHERN IA/SOUTHERN MN...CONTINUING TO PUMP MOISTURE TOWARD THE REGION. ANY THUNDERSTORM WILL TAP INTO THIS MOISTURE AND PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN. STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS COULD HAVE 1 TO 2 INCH PER HOUR RAINFALL RATES. WITH MOST OF THE AREA HAVING RECEIVED SOAKING RAINS OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS...ANY MORE HEAVY RAIN COULD LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MN...NORTHEAST IA AND SOUTHWEST WI. PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS IS ALSO LIKELY...AND SOME FLOODING IN URBANIZED AREAS WOULD BE A POSSIBILITY. ALL THIS SAID...WHERE THE STORMS WILL TRACK IS NOT CLEAR...AND THEY SHOULD MOVE AT A GOOD CLIP. SO CONFIDENCE ISN/T HIGH ON WHERE THE GREATEST THREAT FOR FLOODING WILL LIE...AND THUS...WILL HOLD OFF ON A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW. WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT THE POTENTIAL THOUGH IN HYDROLOGIC STATEMENTS AND THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && SHORT/LONG TERM... RIECK AVIATION.......... WELVAERT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 330 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2011 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034- 041>044-053>055-061-241100- 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- 330 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA... SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS MINNESOTA AND IOWA LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE AREA BY EVENING. WITH A WARM AND HUMID AIRMASS IN PLACE...SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING WINDS...AND POSSIBLY LARGE HAIL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO IS ALSO POSSIBLE. THE MOST LIKELY PERIOD FOR ANY SEVERE WEATHER LOOKS TO BE BETWEEN 6 PM AND MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL RETURN FOR THE LATTER HALF OF THE WEEK. HOWEVER...IT REMAINS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE IF ANY OF THESE STORMS WOULD BECOME SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY THIS EVENING. ALSO...RAINFALL REPORTS ARE ALWAYS GREATLY APPRECIATED. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... NO WEBINAR IS SCHEDULED. MW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 812 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2011 WIZ043-044-240215- ADAMS-JUNEAU- 812 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED IN ADAMS AND JUNEAU COUNTIES... AT 810 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER I 90 94 EXIT 69...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... WHITE CREEK...YUKON TRAILS CAMPGROUND...I 90 94 EXIT 78... PLAINVILLE...BASS LAKE CAMPGROUND...HOLIDAY SHORES CAMPGROUND AND RIVER BAY CAMPGROUND. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM SUNDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN WISCONSIN. 04
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
949 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1152 AM TSTM WND DMG 4 SE PICKWICK 43.94N 91.54W
07/23/2011 WINONA MN PUBLIC
SEVERAL TREES DOWN ON TOWNSHIP RD 8
&&
ZTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1129 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2011 WIZ029-034-240530- CLARK-JACKSON- 1129 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2011 ...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING CLARK AND JACKSON COUNTIES... AT 1126 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 13 MILES WEST OF JUNCTION...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS MAY ACCOMPANY THIS THUNDERSTORM. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... JUNCTION...EIDSVOLD...THORP...RESEBURG AND THE BLUE SWAMP. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM SUNDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN WISCONSIN. PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE STRONG TO DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS. MOVE INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. 04
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 1223 AM CDT SUN JUL 24 2011 WIZ033-034-240630- JACKSON-TREMPEALEAU- 1223 AM CDT SUN JUL 24 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED IN JACKSON AND TREMPEALEAU COUNTIES... AT 1221 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER STRUM...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS MAY ACCOMPANY THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... ELK CREEK...PLEASANTVILLE...PIGEON FALLS...WHITEHALL...TAYLOR AND BLAIR. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 AM SUNDAY MORNING FOR SOUTHWESTERN WISCONSIN. 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. 04
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:53 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A few trees were blown down across State Highway 95 just east of Alma Center.
Trees and power lines were blown down in and around Merrillan.
Several trees were blown down in a campground at Lake Arbutus. Some of the trees fell on tents but no injuries occurred. Another tree went down across a road near the intersection of County Road J and Bush Road.
Trees were blown down in the Pine View Campground.
Trees were blown down and at least one fell onto a power line causing a small fire.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, July 2011
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: 330513, 330514, 330517, 330515, 330516.