High winds developed across northeast Wisconsin when an area of low pressure intensified as it passed northeast of the state. The high winds downed numerous trees and tree limbs, and knocked out power to almost 25,000 customers.
Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 GRB wrote it up.
High winds developed across northeast Wisconsin when an area of low pressure intensified as it passed northeast of the state. The high winds downed numerous trees and tree limbs, and knocked out power to almost 25,000 customers.
Door County was hardest hit with more than 12,000 customers left without power. The Department of Natural Resources closed state parks in the county for several days during cleanup operations.
The highest measured wind gusts included 69 mph at Sister Bay (Door Co.), 68 mph at Chambers Island (Door Co.), 64 mph at Northport Pier (Door Co.), 60 mph at Sturgeon Bay (Door Co.), and 60 mph at Algoma City Marina (Kewaunee Co.).
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 Green Bay, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 29, 5:10 PM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 610 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR NEW TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. MAIN CONCERN TONIGHT WILL BE THE STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE AREA AS INTENSE LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO DEEPEN THIS EVENING ACROSS LOWER MICHIGAN. STRONGEST CORE OF WINDS EXPECTED TO PASS ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING AS 925MB WINDS INCREASE TO AROUND 50 KNOTS WITH 850MB WINDS OVER 60 KNOTS. THE COMBINATION OF THE STRONG WINDS ALOFT...850MB COLD ADVECTION AND UNSTABLE LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES FROM THE SURFACE TO 875MB WOULD SUGGEST THAT SOME OF THESE STRONG WINDS COULD MIX DOWN DURING THE EVENING HOURS. WITH TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS NORTHEAST WISCONSIN AND STRONG WINDS ALOFT...AFTER COORDINATION WITH WFO MILWAUKEE I HAVE DECIDED TO UPGRADE WIND ADVISORY TO HIGH WIND WARNING ALONG THE HIGHWAY 41 CORRIDOR. YOU COULD MAKE A CASE FOR ANY LOCATION IN OUR FORECAST AREA TO SEE A STRONG OR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...BUT CONFIDENCE IS NOT AS HIGH OUTSIDE THE HIGHWAY 41 CORRIDOR. THE STRONG WINDS WILL SLOWLY SUBSIDE OVERNIGHT TO BELOW WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS DOOR COUNTY DUE TO DEEP MIXING OFF THE BAY...THEREFORE HEADLINES CONTINUE UNTIL 15Z FOR THIS COUNTY. WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO GRADUALLY SUBSIDE FRIDAY AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DIMINISH OR END THIS EVENING. CONTINUED A CHANCE OF SHOWERS OVER THE NORTH DUE TO LAKE EFFECT SHOWERS MOVING INTO THE FAR NORTH OFF OF LAKE SUPERIOR. ONLY MINOR CHANGES MADE TO TEMPS. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THRU NEXT THURSDAY. MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS FROST POTENTIAL FRIDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE...A NICE STRETCH OF WEATHER IS EXPECTED. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS REMAIN IN DECENT AGREEMENT THRU EARLY SUNDAY...SHOWING UPPER LOW AND TROF SLIDING TOWARD THE EASTERN U.S. FRIDAY NIGHT AND INTO THE WEEKEND. RIDGING WILL EXTEND FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION...WITH HEIGHT SLOWLY RISING THROUGH MONDAY. MODELS DIVERGE SLIGHTLY WITH HANDLING A SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS CANADA AND WITH A WEAK BOUNDARY SAGGING SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA. UPPER RIDGING BREAKS DOWN/SHIFTS EAST BY MID-WEEK AS A TROF DIGS OVER THE WESTERN U.S. FRIDAY NIGHT...AS UPPER RIDGE BUILDS IN...AND SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE SLIDES EAST INTO THE AREA...WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT/DECOUPLE ACROSS CENTRAL WI...WITH THE GRADIENT STILL TIGHT ENOUGH ACROSS THE LAKESHORE TO KEEP THE WIND UP A BIT. EXPECT SKIES TO BECOME CLEAR FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE EVENING AS DRY AIR AND SUBSIDENCE TAKE OVER. CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS SHOULD LEAD TO AREAS OF FROST ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA...EXCEPT THE LAKESHORE WHERE CLOUDS COULD LINGER THE LONGEST...AND WINDS WILL REMAIN UP. WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION FROST IN THE HWO/GRIDS/ZONES ACROSS CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL WI. FROST/FREEZE HEADLINES HAVE ENDED ACROSS NORTHERN WI...SO WILL NOT MENTION ANY FROST THERE. LAKE EFFECT SHOWERS ARE LIKELY OVER CENTRAL LAKE MICHIGAN...WITH DELTA T/S APPROACHING 20C. NORTHERLY WINDS SHOULD KEEP THE BAND OUT OVER THE OPEN WATERS...HOWEVER ANY SLIGHT VEERING OF THE WINDS COULD SNEAK THE BAND INTO THE NEARSHORE WATERS OR EVEN CLOSE TO THE SHORE. WILL ADD SOME LOW POPS TO THE NEARSHORE TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS POSSIBILITY. LAKE EFFECT OVER NORTH CENTRAL WI WILL BE ENDING...AND PLAN TO KEEP THE NORTH DRY FOR THE FRIDAY NIGHT PERIOD. THIS WEEKEND...HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES OVER THE AREA ON SATURDAY...THEN SLOWLY SHIFTS TO THE EAST ON SUNDAY. DRY AND PLEASANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE AREA. FROST WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL WI AND THE FOX VALLEY. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL SLOWLY SINK SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK...HOWEVER MODELS DISAGREE ON EXACT TIMING. MODELS DO AGREE ON MID/UPPER RIDGING DURING THIS PERIOD...AND VERY LIMITED MOISTURE TO WORK WITH...SO BELIEVE CHANCES FOR ANY SHOWER ACTIVITY IS VERY LOW. PLAN TO KEEP A DRY FORECAST FOR THE ENTIRE WORK WEEK. && .AVIATION...WIDESPREAD MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS DUE TO SHOWERS WILL LINGER THIS EVENING ALONG WITH ISOLATED IFR CIGS AND VSBYS WITH MORE INTENSE SHOWERS. AFTER MIDNIGHT THE SHOWERS WILL BECOME MORE SCATTERED BEFORE ENDING. HOWEVER THE MAIN WEATHER EVENT WILL BE THE ANTICIPATED STRONG WINDS AND WIND GUSTS STARTING THIS EVENING. AS THE SURFACE LOW SHIFTS INTO LOWER MICHIGAN THIS EVENING EXPECT THE WINDS AND WIND GUSTS TO INCREASE...MAINLY EARLY THIS EVENING OVER THE WEST HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA AND THEN EAST LATER EVENING INTO FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE DIMINISHING. VFR CONDITIONS WILL DEVELOP LATER FRIDAY AS A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. TDH && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR WIZ013-021-038>040- 048>050-073-074. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR WIZ005-010-018>020-030- 031-035>037-045. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR WIZ011-012. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 AM CDT FRIDAY FOR WIZ022. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 329 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-302030- VILAS-ONEIDA-FOREST-FLORENCE-NORTHERN MARINETTE-LINCOLN-LANGLADE- MENOMINEE-NORTHERN OCONTO-DOOR-MARATHON-SHAWANO-WOOD-PORTAGE- WAUPACA-OUTAGAMIE-BROWN-KEWAUNEE-WAUSHARA-WINNEBAGO-CALUMET- MANITOWOC-SOUTHERN MARINETTE-SOUTHERN OCONTO- 329 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING ACROSS THE AREA AND THEN CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY MORNING. THE STRONGEST WINDS SHOULD AFFECT THE AREA THIS EVENING INTO EARLY FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE WINDS GRADUALLY SUBSIDE. SEE HIGH WIND WARNING AND WIND ADVISORIES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY AREAS OF FROST ARE EXPECTED IN MANY SPOTS ACROSS CENTRAL AND AND PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST WISCONSIN FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH PATCHY FROST POSSIBLE SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO REPORT PEAK WIND GUSTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREEN BAY. LMZ521-522-541>543-302030- THE BAY OF GREEN BAY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CEDAR RIVER MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE-LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WASHINGTON ISLAND TO SHEBOYGAN- 329 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE WATERS OF GREEN BAY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED THIS EVENING ACROSS THE AREA AND THEN CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY MORNING. SEE THE STORM WARNING CURRENTLY IN EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY HAZARDOUS WINDS AND WAVES WILL CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY. ECKBERG/BERSCH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 223 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 WIZ036>040-045-048>050-292015- BROWN-CALUMET-KEWAUNEE-MANITOWOC-OUTAGAMIE-PORTAGE-WAUPACA-WAUSHARA- WINNEBAGO- 223 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 ...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND FOX VALLEY... AT 220 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND THE SOUTHERN FOX VALLEY. THE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OVER 30 MPH. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH AND WILL AFFECT THE AREA UNTIL 330 PM. JKL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
225 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0225 PM HAIL NEENAH 44.18N 88.44W
09/29/2011 E0.25 INCH WINNEBAGO WI PUBLIC
PEA SIZE HAIL WAS COVERING THE GROUND.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
247 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0245 PM HAIL 1 S LARSEN 44.17N 88.61W
09/29/2011 E0.25 INCH WINNEBAGO WI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 319 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 WIZ049-050-292115- CALUMET-MANITOWOC- 319 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS... AT 315 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM JUST NORTH OF CHILTON OR 22 MILES WEST OF MANITOWOC...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS GUSTS 40 TO 45 MPH...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW AROUND. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. TH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
514 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0510 PM NON-TSTM WND GST WESTON 44.90N 89.57W
09/29/2011 M48 MPH MARATHON WI PUBLIC
&&
SACSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 711 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 WIZ013-021-022-038>040-048>050-073-074-300315- NORTHERN MARINETTE-NORTHERN OCONTO-DOOR-OUTAGAMIE-BROWN-KEWAUNEE- WINNEBAGO-CALUMET-MANITOWOC-SOUTHERN MARINETTE-SOUTHERN OCONTO- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...STURGEON BAY...APPLETON...GREEN BAY... ALGOMA...OSHKOSH...CHILTON...TWO RIVERS...CRIVITZ 711 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 ...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT... SUSTAINED WINDS AND WIND GUSTS WILL INCREASE THIS EVENING AS A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SHIFTS FROM NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN TO LOWER MICHIGAN BY LATE EVENING. LOOK FOR SUSTAINED WINDS TO INCREASE TO AROUND 30 MPH WITH A FEW GUSTS TO AROUND 55 MPH LATER THIS EVENING AND THEN CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. DRIVING HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES WILL TURN DIFFICULT LATER THIS EVENING. WIZ011-012-019-020-031-037-045-300315- FOREST-FLORENCE-LANGLADE-MENOMINEE-SHAWANO-WAUPACA-WAUSHARA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CRANDON...ANTIGO...KESHENA...WAUTOMA 711 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT... LOOK FOR WINDS AND WIND GUSTS TO INCREASE EARLY THIS EVENING AS A DEEP LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM SHIFTS FROM NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN TO LOWER MICHIGAN BY LATE EVENING. LOOK FOR SUSTAINED WINDS TO INCREASE TO AROUND 30 MPH WITH A FEW GUSTS TO 50 MPH THIS EVENING BEFORE SUBSIDING LATE THIS EVENING. GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW AROUND. WIZ005-010-018-030-035-036-300315- VILAS-ONEIDA-LINCOLN-MARATHON-WOOD-PORTAGE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...EAGLE RIVER...RHINELANDER...TOMAHAWK... WAUSAU...WISCONSIN RAPIDS...STEVENS POINT 711 PM CDT THU SEP 29 2011 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT... LOOK FOR SUSTAINED WINDS TO 30 MPH WITH WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 45 MPH TO LINGER EARLY THIS EVENING BEFORE SUBSIDING LATE THIS EVENING. GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW AROUND. TDH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts in Marinette were as high as 59 mph.
Yacht Works Marina in Sister Bay measured a wind gust of 69 mph.
Algoma City Marina measured a wind gust of 60 mph.
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, September 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: 349357, 349358, 349359.