Severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts and large hail moved through northeast portions of southeast Wisconsin during the afternoon hours of June 27th. The storms formed in a region of moderate instability and strengthening shear on the cyclonic side of mid to upper level jet streak.
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.
Severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts and large hail moved through northeast portions of southeast Wisconsin during the afternoon hours of June 27th. The storms formed in a region of moderate instability and strengthening shear on the cyclonic side of mid to upper level jet streak.
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 Jun 27, 10:33 AM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 1133 AM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 .UPDATE... WATER VAPOR IMAGERY IS SHOWING A FEW NOTABLE AREAS THIS MORNING. THERE IS A STRONG SHORTWAVE PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND THAT WILL NOT AFFECT SOUTHERN WISCONSIN TODAY. THERE IS A DISTINCT VORT MAX/CIRCULATION OVER NORTHERN LAKE SUPERIOR AND CONVECTION IS FIRING UP WITH THAT DISTURBANCE OVER NORTHERN WISCONSIN ALREADY. A 10 KNOT UPPER LEVEL STREAM WILL BE PUSHING INTO NORTHWEST WISCONSIN THIS AFTERNOON...WHICH WILL HELP TO INTENSIFY/DIG THE UPPER LOW OVER SOUTHEAST MANITOBA AND SOUTHWEST ONTARIO INTO ALL OF THE GREAT LAKES BY LATER TONIGHT. ML CAPES WILL BE IN THE 1500-2000 J/KG RANGE...ALONG WITH STRAIGHT-LINE HODOGRAPHS WITH 30 KNOTS OF BULK SHEAR. THIS SCENARIO IS A DECENT SET-UP FOR SPLITTING CELLS...ISOLATED SEVERE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE SPC STORM-SCALE ENSEMBLE OF OPPORTUNITY /SSEO/ DEPICTS NORTHERN...EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR REFLECTIVITY GREATER THAN 40 DBZ...UPDRAFT HELICITY GREATER THAN 25 M2/S2...AND UPDRAFT SPEED GREATER THAN 10 M/S. SPC CONTINUES TO HAVE THE MKX AREA IN A SLIGHT RISK TODAY. PER MESOSCALE SHORT-TERM MODELS...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP/SPREAD INTO SOUTH CENTRAL WI AROUND 19Z/2PM TODAY AND BE CONFINED TO SOUTHEAST WI BY 23Z/6PM. THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD QUICKLY DISSIPATE/MOVE EAST OF WI BY DARK. IT APPEARS THE BEST CHANCE FOR MID/LATE AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS WILL LAND IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...INCLUDING MILWAUKEE. THERE WILL BE SLIGHTLY ENHANCED CONVERGENCE THERE DUE TO THE WEAK SURFACE TROUGH AND LAKE BREEZE BOUNDARY. THOSE ATTENDING OUTDOOR EVENTS SHOULD BE ON ALERT FOR CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS. && .AVIATION/18Z TAFS/... LAKE BREEZE DEVELOPED ALREADY BUT WILL NOT PUSH VERY FAR INLAND...NOT QUITE TO ENW. SCT-BKN040-050 CUMULUS CONGESTUS WILL FORM FOR THE AFTERNOON WITH SCT TSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION AS A SFC TROUGH MOVES THROUGH. SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE... ESPECIALLY EAST OF MADISON...INCLUDING FLD...SBM... UES...MKE...RAC AND ENW. SKIES WILL BECOME MO CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY FOR TNT WITH VFR CONDITIONS. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 400 AM CDT THU JUN 27 2013/ TODAY AND TONIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE MEDIUM TO HIGH SHOWERS EARLY THIS AM HAVE MOSTLY DISSIPATED AS THEY ENCOUNTERED STABLE CONDITIONS IN FAR ERN WI. RADIATIONAL COOLING WITHIN A MOIST LOW LEVEL AIRMASS IS CAUSING AREAS OF FOG THIS MORNING BUT LESSER OVER THE WRN CWA WHERE WNWLY WINDS ARE PICKING UP JUST ABOVE THE SFC. OTHERWISE...AN 80 KT JET STREAM DIVING SEWD ACROSS THE NRN PLAINS AND INTO WI WILL HELP DIG THE UPPER LOW OVER SRN MANITOBA AND SW ONTARIO INTO ALL OF THE GREAT LAKES BY LATER TNT. THE ASSOCIATED SFC TROUGH WILL PASS THIS AFTERNOON WITH MLCAPES RANGING FROM 1500-2000 J/KG ALONG WITH STRAIGHT LONG HODOGRAPHS. THE AREA OF BEST FOCUS WILL BE TOWARD CENTRAL WI WHERE THE INITIAL VORT MAX PASSES THROUGH THE STATE. THE ENHANCED CONVERGENCE OF THE SFC TROUGH AND LAKE BREEZE WILL BRING MORE OF A FOCUS TO ERN WI AS WELL. GIVEN DEGREE OF CAPE AND SHEAR...SPC SLIGHT RISK LOOKS GOOD. TSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO DISSIPATE TOWARD SUNSET WITH LOSS OF HEATING AND DRIER AIR ARRIVING ON NWLY SFC WINDS. THE NWLY WINDS WILL PREVENT ANY FOG FOR TNT WITH PCPN CHANCES HOLDING OFF UNTIL FRI WHEN THE UPPER LOW SETTLES CLOSER TO THE AREA. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM TO HIGH A PAIR OF SHORTWAVES ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY...BRINGING MORE SHOWER/STORM CHANCES TO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. THE BULK OF THE ACTIVITY SHOULD BE DIURNALLY DRIVEN...THOUGH A FEW SHOWERS/STORMS MAY LINGER THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. OVERALL AIRMASS WILL BE DRIER WITH MORE FLOW...SO NOT EXPECTING A HEAVY RAIN THREAT...A MUCH DIFFERENT SETUP THAN THE LAST FEW DAYS. STILL LOOKS LIKE COOLING TEMPS INTO THE WEEKEND UNDER NORTHWEST FLOW. SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM TO HIGH LOOKS DRY AND PLEASANT SUNDAY AND MONDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE FINALLY RETURNING TO THE AREA. COULD SEE A FEW SHOWERS AND STORMS RETURN BY TUESDAY NIGHT OR WEDNESDAY...THOUGH CHANCE SEEMS FAIRLY LOW AT THIS POINT. SHOULD SEE TEMPS A FEW DEGREES BELOW NORMAL THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK. AVIATION/12Z TAFS/...FOG WILL PREVAIL THIS AM AT THE TAF SITES WITH ONLY MVFR VSBYS AT KMSN...WHILE VSBYS WILL RANGE MVFR TO IFR AT KUES AND KMKE...AND 1/4 MILE TO 2 MILES AT KENW. BRIEF PERIODS OF LOW STRATUS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE FOG. THE FOG IS SHALLOW HOWEVER AND SHOULD BURN OFF QUICKLY BY 8 OR 9 AM. SCT-BKN040-050 CUMULUS CONGESTUS WILL THEN FORM FOR THE AFTERNOON WITH SCT TSTORMS EXPECTED ACROSS THE REGION AS A SFC TROUGH MOVES THROUGH. SKIES WILL BECOME MO CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDS FOR TNT WITH VFR CONDITIONS. && .MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. LM...NONE. && UPDATE...MRC TODAY/TONIGHT AND AVIATION/MARINE...GEHRING FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...DDV
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 441 AM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-280945- MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE- WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE- LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA- 441 AM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE PASSAGE OF A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL TRIGGER SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WITHIN A MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND STRONG WIND SHEAR. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE THE MAIN THREATS WITH THE STORMS. MANY RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE RISING AND EXCEEDING FLOOD STAGE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN DUE TO THE HEAVY RAIN OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SOME RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE THIS WEEK AND WEEKEND DUE TO THE RECENT HEAVY RAINS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ON FRIDAY WITH SLIGHT CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. LMZ643>646-280945- 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- 441 AM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A WEAK COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS WISCONSIN AND LAKE MICHIGAN. STRONG WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE THE MAIN THREATS WITH THE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ON FRIDAY WITH SLIGHT CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS ON SATURDAY AND WEDNESDAY. WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MKX MG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 137 PM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 WIZ046-047-057-058-271930- COLUMBIA-DODGE-GREEN LAKE-MARQUETTE- 137 PM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH NORTHEAST COLUMBIA COUNTY INTO NORTHWEST DODGE COUNTY... AT 136 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTH CENTRAL COLUMBIA COUNTY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... CAMBRIA BY 155 PM CDT... RANDOLPH BY 210 PM CDT... GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. KAPELA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 142 PM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 WIZ057-058-063-064-271945- COLUMBIA-DANE-DODGE-JEFFERSON- 142 PM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING FROM SOUTH CENTRAL COLUMBIA COUNTY INTO NORTHEAST DANE COUNTY AND NORTHWEST JEFFERSON COUNTY... AT 140 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 19 MILES NORTHWEST OF MARSHALL...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THERE WERE OTHER THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THIS STORM AS WELL. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... MARSHALL BY 220 PM CDT... WATERLOO BY 225 PM CDT... GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. KAPELA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 201 PM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 WIZ056-057-063-272000- COLUMBIA-DANE-SAUK- 201 PM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH EASTERN SAUK COUNTY INTO WESTERN COLUMBIA COUNTY... AT 159 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WISCONSIN DELLS...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 5 MILES EAST OF BARABOO AND WAS ALSO HEADING SOUTHEAST TOWARD LAKE WISCONSIN. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. * THE DELLS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... WISCONSIN DELLS AIRPORT AND WEST BARABOO BY 205 PM CDT... BARABOO BY 210 PM CDT... 6 MILES SOUTH OF PORTAGE BY 225 PM CDT... I90/94 WI RIVER BRIDGE BY 230 PM CDT... POYNETTE BY 240 PM CDT... RIO BY 250 PM CDT... GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. KAPELA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI 213 PM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 WIZ058>060-065-066-272000- DODGE-MILWAUKEE-OZAUKEE-WASHINGTON-WAUKESHA- 213 PM CDT THU JUN 27 2013 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH SOUTHERN WASHINGTON INTO NORTHEAST WAUKESHA AND NORTHWEST MILWAUKEE COUNTY... AT 210 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HARTFORD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... SLINGER BY 220 PM CDT... SUSSEX BY 240 PM CDT... LANNON BY 245 PM CDT... MENOMONEE FALLS BY 250 PM CDT... MILWAUKEE TIMMERMAN AIRPORT AND BUTLER BY 255 PM CDT... GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL BRANCHES TO BE BLOWN DOWN...AND LOOSE OBJECTS TO BLOW AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. EHT
The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 42 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:20 UTC.
5 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The public reported 1 inch hail fell in Hartford with severe thunderstorms that moved through during the afternoon hours.
The public reported 1 inch hail fell in Hartford with severe thunderstorms that moved through during the afternoon hours.
The public reported 3/4 inch hail fell in Hartford with strong thunderstorms that moved through during the afternoon hours.
The public reported 3/4 inch hail fell in Hartford with strong thunderstorms that moved through during the afternoon hours.
A trained spotter reported 1 inch diameter hail fell in Taychedah with severe thunderstorms that moved through during the afternoon hours.
Law enforcement officials reported wind gusts estimated up to 60 mph (52 knots) in Elkhart Lake.
Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines felled by thunderstorm wind gusts estimated up to 65 mph (56 knots) in Campbellsport.
A trained spotter reported a flag and mounting torn from a flag pole by thunderstorm wind gusts estimated up to 58 mph (50 knots) 2 miles east of Holy Hill.
Law enforcement officials reported many trees blown over by wet microburst winds estimated at 64mph (56 knots) in a swath from 3 miles north-northeast of Brookfield to Butler.
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, June 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: 465215, 465216, 465217, 465221, 465223, 465225, 465244, 465250, 465293.