Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 2 to 3, 2012

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 2 to 3, 2012
Start: 2012-07-02T20:30
End: 2012-07-03T00:16
Location: Wisconsin

July 2 to 3, 2012 · NWS DLH · 8 events in 5 counties and zones

A slow-moving warm front across central Minnesota on July 2nd moved through northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin during that night. A cluster of severe thunderstorms moved through the Duluth area and upper St Croix Valley in northwest Wisconsin during the late evening of July 2nd.

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: 8

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 DLH 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 Duluth, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 2, 5:34 PM CST, 2 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 2, 5:34 PM CST, 2 hours 56 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
634 PM CDT MON JUL 2 2012

.AVIATION...00Z TAFS.
VFR THROUGH THE FORECAST CYCLE. EXPECT TSRA TO CONTINUE TO
DEVELOP/SPREAD ACROSS THE MAJORITY OF THE TAF SITES THIS EVENING.
THE EXCEPTION IS INL WHICH APPEARS TO BE ON THE PERIPHERY FOR ANY
ADDITIONAL STORM DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER...IFR VSBYS ARE POSSIBLE IN
THE VCNTY OF THE STRONGER STORMS. STORMS WILL DIMINISH BETWEEN 08Z
AND 12Z.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 309 PM CDT MON JUL 2 2012/

SHORT TERM...A WARM FRONT CURRENTLY OVER THE FA WILL LIFT NE INTO
CANADA THIS EVENING AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT MOVING E THROUGH ND
ATTM. EXPECT SHOWERS AND STORMS TO FORM AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND
OVERSPREAD THE FA THROUGH THE EVENING. SEVERE POTENTIAL IS VERY
GOOD WITH DAYTIME HEATING LEADING TO LARGE SBCAPE VALUES
APPROACHING 5000 J/KG IN THE WESTERN FA ACCORDING TO THE LATEST
LAPS DATA. ONLY MADE MINOR CHANGES TO TONIGHT TO RY AND TIME THE
COMPLEX THROUGH THE AREA. WILL MAINTAIN THE HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL
02Z WHEN THE STORMS OVERTURN THE ATMOSPHERE AND REMOVE THE
ADVISORY POTENTIAL.

STORMS MAY LINGER ACROSS NW WI AND THE ARROWHEAD TUESDAY MORNING
AND HAVE LOW POPS IN PLACE AS SHORT WAVE ENERGY APPEARS TO
UNDERCUT THE UPPER RIDGE. BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON...THE SHORT WAVE
MOVES E WITH THE UPPER RIDGE PREVAILING. ATTM...NOT EXPECT HEAT
ADVISORY CRITERIA ON TUESDAY. UPPER LEVEL AND SFC RIDGING WILL
COVER THE FA TUESDAY NIGHT.

LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...
MDLS AGREE THAT ANOMALOUS 50H HEIGHTS WILL RESIDE OVER THE REGION
THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD. EXPECT A CONTINUATION OF WARM/HOT AIR IN SFC
LAYER TO MAKE CONDITIONS QUITE UNCOMFORTABLE WED/THUR. NOT VERY
CONFIDENT WITH CURRENT FCST OF POPS BASED ON LATEST EC AND OVERALL
SYNOPTIC SCALE PATTERN. A SFC COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE CWA
WED NIGHT. THIS BDRY IS FORCED TO SRN MN/IA VICINITY FOR REMAINDER
OF PERIOD AS SFC HIGH PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS SRN SASK/MAN AND INTO
ONTARIO. THE BDRY WILL BE TOPPED BY WARM AIR ALOFT  SO THE IDEA IS
THAT BEST LL CONVERGENCE WILL BE IN A MOSTLY CAPPED ENVIRONMENT.
HERE IN THE DLH CWA...WNW FLOW ALOFT MAY ALLOW MIGRATORY SHORTWAVE
TROFS TO ASSIST IN CONVECTION FROM TIME TO TIME...BEHIND THE FRONT.
PWATS REMAIN QUITE HIGH WED/THUR WITH 1.5" TO 2" VALUES LIKELY. TOO
MANY UNCERTAINTIES REGARDING POTENTIAL OF ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN THIS
PERIOD HOWEVER WITH THE SRN EDGE OF WESTERLIES DRAPED OVERHEAD AND
HIGH PWATS...SYNOPTIC SCALE WILL PROMOTE CONVECTIVE CLUSTERS IN THE
CORRIDOR FROM NRN PLAINS INTO UPPER MIDWEST.

AVIATION...18Z TAF ISSUANCE...
VFR WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE AFTN HRS AS WARM AIR IN MID LVLS
INHIBITS CONVECTION. SOME VCTS NEAR KINL ATTM BUT IT APPEARS THAT
MAY BE IT FOR A WHILE. ALTHOUGH UNCERTAINTY EXISTS IN FCST OF AREAL
COVERAGE/TIMING OF TSTMS...MAIN CORRIDOR OF STORMS IS EXPECTED TO
DEVELOP OVER ND AND PUSH ACROSS MOST OF CWA THIS EVENING. USED TEMPO
FOR LATEST ESTIMATE OF TIMING BUT LATER FCSTS SHOULD BE MONITORED
FOR DEVELOPMENT/MOVEMENT OF CONVECTIVE CLUSTER ONCE IT ENTERS
REGION. AREAS OF BR WITH LOWER VIS LIKELY IN WAKE OF STORMS LATER
THIS EVENING.

&&

.POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DLH  65  90  66  86 /  70  20  10  20
INL  63  89  61  92 /  80  10   0  30
BRD  71  90  69  94 /  70  10  10  30
HYR  72  89  68  93 /  60  30  10  10
ASX  68  88  63  85 /  70  30  10  10

&&

.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR MNZ010-018-025-026-
     033>038.

WI...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR WIZ001>004-006>009.

LS...NONE.
&&

AVIATION...GSF

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 2, 12:04 PM CST, 8 hours 26 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
104 PM CDT MON JUL 2 2012

MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-031045-
KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-
NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN LAKE/LAKESHORE-
SOUTHERN COOK/LAKESHORE-NORTHERN CASS-SOUTHERN ITASCA-
SOUTHERN CASS-CROW WING-NORTHERN AITKIN-SOUTHERN AITKIN-
CARLTON/SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS-PINE-DOUGLAS-BAYFIELD-ASHLAND-IRON-
BURNETT-WASHBURN-SAWYER-PRICE-
104 PM CDT MON JUL 2 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MINNESOTA AND
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN.

...SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NORTHLAND THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THE MOST LIKELY TIME WILL BE AFTER 4
PM...THROUGH MIDNIGHT. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN. A TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE.
WEST TO NORTHWEST AREAS SUCH AS WALKER THROUGH INTERNATIONAL FALLS WILL
MOST LIKELY SEE THE SEVERE STORMS INITIALLY...WITH THEM MOVING
EAST-SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE REST OF THE NORTHLAND.

THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR RIP CURRENTS THIS AFTERNOON ALONG THE BEACHES
IN THE TWIN PORTS AREA. SEE THE SURFZONE FORECAST FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

VARIOUS FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER. SEE THE LATEST FLOOD WARNING STATEMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL
DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY OVER ABOUT THE
EASTERN HALF OF THE NORTHLAND. THE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE
SEVERE.

MORE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES OVER PORTIONS OF THE
NORTHLAND THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. SOME OF THE STORMS
DURING THIS PERIOD COULD BE SEVERE...AND MORE DETAILS WILL BE
ADDED AS WE PROGRESS THROUGH THE WEEK.

IT WILL BE A WARM AND HUMID WEEK...AND HEAT ADVISORIES OR WARNINGS MAY BE
NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHLAND AS EARLY AS WEDNESDAY. IT
LOOKS LIKE THURSDAY WILL BE THE WARMEST AND MOST HUMID.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED LATE THIS
AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT.

LSZ121-140>148-031045-
BAYFIELD TO OAK POINT WI-GRAND PORTAGE TO GRAND MARAIS MN-
GRAND MARAIS TO TACONITE HARBOR MN-
TACONITE HARBOR TO SILVER BAY HARBOR MN-
SILVER BAY HARBOR TO TWO HARBORS MN-TWO HARBORS TO DULUTH MN-
DULUTH MN TO PORT WING WI-PORT WING TO SAND ISLAND WI-
SAND ISLAND TO BAYFIELD WI-OAK POINT TO SAXON HARBOR WI-
104 PM CDT MON JUL 2 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES THROUGH THE PERIOD.

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/DULUTH (ALL LOWER CASE)

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 2, 7:52 PM CST, 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
852 PM CDT MON JUL 02 2012

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

0814 PM     TSTM WND DMG     KEEWATIN                47.40N 93.09W
07/02/2012                   ITASCA             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MANY TREES DOWN IN TOWN, ALONG WITH POWER LINES. LARGE
            TREES WITH WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. REPORTED BY STATE
            FIRE MARSHALL IN TOWN.

0814 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NASHWAUK                47.38N 93.17W
07/02/2012                   ITASCA             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LARGE TREES DOWN, AND METAL ROOFS TORN OFF. ITEMS FOR
            THEIR FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVITIES BLOWN ALL OVER THE MAIN
            STREET IN TOWN.

&&

DPACKING

Local storm report, Jul 2, 8:01 PM CST, 29 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
901 PM CDT MON JUL 02 2012

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

0832 PM     TSTM WND DMG     12 SW GRAND RAPIDS      47.11N 93.70W
07/02/2012                   ITASCA             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TOP HALF OF 14 INCH DIAMETER TREE SNAPPED OFF NEAR SUGAR
            LAKE.

0840 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 N MEADOWLANDS         47.15N 92.73W
07/02/2012  E60.00 MPH       ST. LOUIS          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RBERDES

Local storm report, Jul 2, 8:09 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
909 PM CDT MON JUL 02 2012

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

0800 PM     TSTM WND DMG     12 N GRAND RAPIDS       47.40N 93.52W
07/02/2012                   ITASCA             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER

            TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN

&&

HLUCHAN

Local storm report, Jul 2, 8:20 PM CST, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
920 PM CDT MON JUL 02 2012

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

0910 PM     TSTM WND GST     HIBBING                 47.40N 92.95W
07/02/2012  M56 MPH          ST. LOUIS          MN   ASOS

&&

HLUCHAN

Local storm report, Jul 2, 8:24 PM CST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
924 PM CDT MON JUL 02 2012

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

0923 PM     HEAVY RAIN       MARCELL                 47.59N 93.69W
07/02/2012  M2.25 INCH       ITASCA             MN   AMATEUR RADIO

            TOTAL IN ONE HOUR

&&

HLUCHAN

Special weather statement, Jul 2, 8:26 PM CST, 4 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
926 PM CDT MON JUL 2 2012

MNZ021-030245-
SOUTHERN COOK/NORTH SHORE-
926 PM CDT MON JUL 2 2012

...STRONG STORMS OVER COOK COUNTY...

AT 922 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 24 MILES NORTHEAST
OF GRAND PORTAGE TO 26 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HOVLAND...MOVING SOUTHEAST
AT 35 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP
TO 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY
DOWNPOURS...

* THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  HOVLAND BY 930 PM...
  GRAND PORTAGE BY 935 PM...

GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK
SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

LAT...LON 4795 8958 4798 8962 4794 8964 4794 8967
      4788 8977 4781 8998 4777 9023 4801 8992
      4800 8988 4803 8978 4801 8959 4802 8947
      4800 8947

The radar

The Duluth radar (KDLH), 46 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Douglas

When: July 2, 8:30 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, Hawthorne to Poplar
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 46.500, -91.870

Sporadic wind damage was reported along most roads.

Thunderstorm Wind, Douglas

When: July 2, 8:40 PM CST to 8:45 PM CST
Where: Douglas County, Brule to Solon Springs
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 46.550, -91.570

Sporadic wind damage was reported along most roads.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bayfield

When: July 2, 8:50 PM CST
Where: Bayfield County, Iron River
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 46.570, -91.420

Sporadic wind damage was reported along most roads.

Thunderstorm Wind, Bayfield

When: July 2, 9:10 PM CST to 9:15 PM CST
Where: Bayfield County, Drummond to Bayfield
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 46.330, -91.250

Sporadic wind damage was reported along most roads.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ashland

When: July 2, 9:25 PM CST to 9:30 PM CST
Where: Ashland County, Odanah to Mellen
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 46.620, -90.700

Sporadic wind damage was reported, especially along the Rt 2 corridor.

Thunderstorm Wind, Iron

When: July 2, 9:30 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Iron County, Hurley to 1.01 mi WSW of Cedar
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated sustained
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 46.450, -90.180

Sporadic wind damage was reported, especially along the Rt 2 corridor.

Thunderstorm Wind, Iron

When: July 2, 10:35 PM CST
Where: Iron County, 0.48 mi E of Mercer
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Amateur Radio
Coordinates: 46.170, -90.060

Numerous trees and power lines were brought down along County Road FF.

Hail, Burnett

When: July 3, 12:16 AM CST
Where: Burnett County, 0.69 mi S of Webb Lake
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.010, -92.130

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
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 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, July 2012

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: 400782, 400783, 400785, 400786, 400788, 400789, 400779, 400778.