Thunderstorms moved across South Central Wisconsin with a cold front during the evening hours of July 22nd, producing large hail, damaging wind gusts and heavy downpours of rain.
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 MKX wrote it up.
Thunderstorms moved across South Central Wisconsin with a cold front during the evening hours of July 22nd, producing large hail, damaging wind gusts and heavy downpours of rain.
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 Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 22, 2:25 PM CST, 4 hours 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
325 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
.VERY SHORT TERM...LATE THIS AFTERNOON...TONIGHT AND
TUESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM.
MAIN FORECAST ISSUE CONTINUES TO BE AREAL COVERAGE OF STORMS AND
SEVERE RISK WITH PASSAGE OF COLD FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS
EVENING. LATEST RUNS OF THE HRRR AND WRF 4KM WITH LAPS HIGH
RESOLUTION MODELS SHOW CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONT MOVING
SOUTHEAST INTO THE NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA BY 00Z
TUESDAY...THEN FALLING APART AS THEY SHIFT FURTHER
SOUTHEAST...EXITING THE FAR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY 05Z TUESDAY.
NAM/GFS/ECMWF/CANADIAN MODELS ALL SHOW QPF WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE
THIS EVENING...THOUGH 18Z NAM CONTINUES TO BE SOMEWHAT SLOWER THAN
THE OTHER MODELS WITH ITS PROGRESSION.
SOME QUESTION WITH THE AREAL COVERAGE OF STORMS...AS UPWARD VERTICAL
MOTION WITH FRONT OVER THE AREA IS MODEST COMPARED TO THE NORTHEAST
AND SOUTHWEST. STILL...ENOUGH UPWARD MOTION WITH FRONT AND PASSING
MODEST 500MB VORTICITY MAXIMUM TO BRING SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING...ENDING
SOON AFTER MIDNIGHT.
MEAN LAYER CAPES OF 1500 TO 2500 J/KG WITH 20 TO 25 KNOTS OF DEEP
LAYER SHEAR WILL BRING A RISK FOR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WITH
MAINLY MULTICELL TYPE STRUCTURES. BEST CHANCES WILL REMAIN IN THE
SLIGHT RISK AREA FROM SPC...MAINLY NORTHWEST OF A FOND DU LAC TO
MADISON TO DARLINGTON LINE. THIS IS WHERE THE SOMEWHAT BETTER DEEP
LAYER SHEAR WILL BE LOCATED. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE
WITH DECENT PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES.
BRISK NORTH WINDS WITH COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND FRONTAL PASSAGE
LATER TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY WILL BRING A COOLER AND DRIER AIRMASS
INTO THE REGION. THIS IS IN ADVANCE OF HIGH PRESSURE MOVING TOWARD
THE REGION FROM THE NORTHWEST. QUIET WEATHER WITH PARTLY CLOUDY
SKIES ARE EXPECTED. BREEZY NORTH WINDS WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES
SOMEWHAT BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS...ESPECIALLY NEAR THE LAKE.
TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE MEDIUM TO HIGH
NW FLOW ALOFT WILL PREVAIL WITH HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED OVER WI FOR
TUE NT AND WED. A WEAK SHORTWAVE TROUGH MAY BRING SCT-BKN MID
LEVEL CLOUDS FOR A TIME WED AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AT MOST...A FEW
SPRINKLES TOWARD CENTRAL WI. THE HIGH THEN SHIFTS INTO THE ERN
GREAT LAKES FOR WED NT AND THU WHILE A SFC TROUGH MOVES INTO NW WI
ON THU. THIS IS AHEAD OF A LARGE UPPER TROUGH THAT IS DIGGING SEWD
INTO SRN MANITOBA AND ONTARIO CANADA. WEAK LOW LEVEL WARM
ADVECTION WILL DEVELOP LATE WED NT AND THU. 925 MB TEMPS YIELD SFC
TEMPS IN THE MID 70S ON WED AND UPPER 70S TO 80F FOR THU.
.LONG TERM...
FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE MEDIUM
THE LARGE POLAR TROUGH WILL TRACK ALONG THE NRN GRTLKS AND
CANADIAN BORDER FOR THE WEEKEND. ITS COLD FRONT WILL BRING CHANCES
OF SHOWERS AND TSTORMS FOR FRI AND SAT. VERY PLEASANT AND DRY
SUMMER WX TO PREVAIL AFTERWARD.
&&
.AVIATION/00Z TAFS/...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH LATE THIS
AFTERNOON ACROSS TAF SITES. SOME DIURNAL CUMULUS CLOUDS WILL LINGER
DURING THIS TIME. LAKE BREEZE WILL SHIFT WINDS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT
MILWAUKEE AND KENOSHA BY 21Z TO 22Z MONDAY. MADISON SHOULD SEE LIGHT
SOUTHWEST WINDS.
COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE SOUTHEAST THROUGH TAF SITES BETWEEN 02Z AND
06Z TUESDAY. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED WITH THE FRONT. A FEW MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY
WINDS...WITH BETTER CHANCE AT MADISON...LOWER CONFIDENCE AT THE
EASTERN SITES. MVFR/IFR VISIBILITIES ARE POSSIBLE WITH ANY STORMS.
VFR CONDITIONS ARE THEN EXPECTED AFTER FRONTAL PASSAGE INTO
TUESDAY. WINDS WILL SHIFT NORTH NORTHWEST AFTER THE FRONTAL
PASSAGE...AND BECOME NORTH NORTHEAST THROUGH TUESDAY. WINDS WILL
BECOME GUSTY WITH COOLER AND DRIER AIR MOVING INTO THE REGION
DURING THIS TIME. GUSTS INTO THE 20 TO 25 KNOT RANGE ARE POSSIBLE.
.MARINE...A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL DEVELOP LATE TONIGHT INTO
TUESDAY...AFTER THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE. THIS WILL RESULT IN BREEZY
NORTH TO NORTHEAST WINDS ACROSS THE NEARSHORE WATERS. FREQUENT GUSTS
TO 25 KNOTS ARE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY NIGHT. THIS
SHOULD CAUSE WAVES TO BECOME HIGH...WITH ONSHORE FLOW AT TIMES. THE
WAVES SHOULD REMAIN HIGH INTO WEDNESDAY BEFORE SUBSIDING WITH WEAKER
WINDS. THUS...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR LATE
TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY.
&&
.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...NONE.
LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TUESDAY TO 4 PM CDT WEDNESDAY FOR
LMZ643>646.
&&
TONIGHT/TUESDAY AND AVIATION/MARINE...WOOD
TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY...GEHRINGHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 806 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-231015- MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE- WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE- LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA- 806 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THIS EVENING...AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL FROM ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF A FOND DU LAC TO JANESVILLE LINE. THE MAIN HAZARDS ARE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS RETURN FOR THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...AS LOW PRESSURE AND COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING. LMZ643>646-231015- SHEBOYGAN TO PORT WASHINGTON WI- PORT WASHINGTON TO NORTH POINT LIGHT WI- NORTH POINT LIGHT TO WIND POINT WI- WIND POINT WI TO WINTHROP HARBOR IL- 806 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN LATER THIS EVENING...AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE REGION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...FOR BRISK NORTHERLY WINDS AND HIGH WAVES. CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS RETURN FOR THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY...AS LOW PRESSURE AND COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. MG/WOOD WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MKX
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
507 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0800 PM HEAVY RAIN 1 N FORT ATKINSON 42.94N 88.84W
07/21/2013 M2.25 INCH JEFFERSON WI TRAINED SPOTTER
2.25 DAY TOTAL. ABOUT 1 INCH FROM 2-3 PM.
&&
SMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 714 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 WIZ056-230045- SAUK- 714 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO SAUK COUNTY... AT 710 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER EAST CENTRAL RICHLAND COUNTY...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... HILL POINT BY 725 PM CDT... PLAIN BY 735 PM CDT... 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 THIS STORM HAS PASSED. HENTZ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 753 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 WIZ056-062-063-230115- DANE-IOWA-SAUK- 753 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN SAUK COUNTY... AT 749 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL SAUK COUNTY...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... ARENA BY 805 PM CDT... 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 THIS STORM HAS PASSED. THE HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE SOME MINOR LOW LAND FLOODING. HENTZ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 812 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 WIZ056-062-230130- IOWA-SAUK- 812 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA COUNTY... AT 808 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTHWESTERN IOWA COUNTY...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... 6 MILES NORTH OF GOVERNOR DODGE STATE PARK BY 825 PM CDT... SPRING GREEN BY 830 PM CDT... 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 THIS STORM HAS PASSED. THE HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE MINOR LOWLAND FLOODING. HENTZ
The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:22 UTC.
4 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported hail up to 1.50 inch in diameter partially covered the ground. Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated up to 50 mph knocked down 6-inch diameter tree limbs.
The public reported heavy rain of 1.21 inch, with 1.02 inch falling in one hour, 1 mile east-southeast of Mt. Horeb.
A trained spotter reported a mix of hail sizes up to 1.50 inch in diameter just northwest of Verona.
The public reported hail between 5/8 inch to 3/4 inch in diameter in Verona.
A trained spotter reported hail up to 3/4 inch in diameter 5 miles southwest of downtown Madison.
Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts estimated up to 70 mph (61 knots) in a 6-mile wide swath between New Glarus and Monticello. New Glarus was completely without power for a time after the storms.
Law enforcement officials reported trees blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts estimated up to 60 mph (58 knots) in Brodhead.
Law enforcement officials reported trees blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts estimated up to 60 mph (58 knots) in Milton.
Law enforcement officials reported many trees and power lines blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts estimated up to 75 mph (65 knots) along a 5-mile wide swath from 3 miles northwest of Beloit to Beloit.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, July 2013
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: 470940, 470948, 470941, 470942, 470943, 470944, 470945, 470946, 470947.