Thunderstorms developed in unstable air as upper level disturbances passed across the area. Some of the storms became severe, producing damaging winds and hail up to penny size.
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 GRB wrote it up.
Thunderstorms developed in unstable air as upper level disturbances passed across the area. Some of the storms became severe, producing damaging winds and hail up to penny size. Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees and power lines across central and north central Wisconsin, blew down storage sheds near Bear Creek (Waupaca Co.), and tore the roof from an outbuilding in Deerbrook (Langlade 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 May 30, 11:26 AM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 1226 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 UPDATED AVIATION PORTION FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE .SHORT TERM...TODAY...TONIGHT...AND FRIDAY ISSUED AT 417 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 FORECAST CONCERNS ON PCPN TRENDS ONCE MORE AS ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN CONTINUES OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND WESTERN LAKES. EVENING COMPLEXES WEAKENED RATHER QUICKLY BY MIDNIGHT...WITH SAT IMAGERY SHOWING SOME CLEARING WORKING INTO SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA. DURING THIS PERIOD TROF OVER UPPER MIDWEST CLOSES OFF. NEG TILT TROF LIFTS NORTHEAST AROUND LOW INTO WI LATER THIS EVENING/OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. BEFORE THAT WILL HAVE VARIETY OF BOUNDARIES/PIECES OF ENERGY MOVING NORTH THROUGH FLOW. QUESTION IS WHEN AND WHERE CONVECTION WILL GET GOING. LOW LEVEL FLOW WOULD FAVOR IA/WESTERN IL TODAY...SHIFTING INTO IL/WI THIS EVENING. MODERATELY UNSTABLE AT THE SURFACE WITH CAPE1-1.5K...THOUGH ALOFT IS MARGINAL. SHEAR RATHER WEAK ALSO. WIDESPREAD SEVERE NOT EXPECTED TODAY INTO TONIGHT. INSTABILITY AND SHEAR INCREASING ON FRIDAY...THOUGH INITIATION AGAIN QUESTIONABLE WITH CLOUDS. MODEL SOUNDINGS ALSO SHOWING SOME DRYING ALOFT AS STRONG JET MOVES INTO REGION. WILL FOCUS SLIGHTLY HIGHER POPS EAST WITH BETTER DYNAMICS AND MOISTURE. TEMPS DEPENDENT AGAIN ON CLOUD AND PCPN TRENDS...THOUGH BEST PERFORMING GUIDANCE SUGGESTS UPPER 70S TO AROUND 80 TODAY AND FRI AWAY FROM THE LAKE AND BAY. .LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY ISSUED AT 417 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 A SLOW MOVING UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION EARLY THIS WEEKEND. THE LATEST MEDIUM RANGE MODELS HAVE TRENDED AWAY FROM THE FARTHER NORTH SOLUTION OF THE ECMWF...BUT THE GFS APPEARS TOO DEEP WITH THE TROUGH AND SURFACE LOW. WILL SIDE WITH THE GEM FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE WEEKEND...AND THEN TURN TO THE ECMWF FOR LATER PERIODS. FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT...UPPER TROUGH TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY FRIDAY NIGHT. 700MB THETAE AXIS SHOULD RESIDE OVER EASTERN WISCONSIN AT THE START OF THE PERIOD BEFORE SHIFTING ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN. MODELS HAVE BEEN ADVERTISING A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX SHIFTING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE STATE AND INTO NORTHEAST WISCONSIN DURING THE EVENING...AND DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO STRAY FROM THIS SCENARIO. WILL KEEP THE HIGHEST POPS ACROSS EASTERN WISCONSIN DURING THE EVENING. CANNOT RULE OUT SEVERE CHANCES WITH THE JET NEARBY...AND WILL KEEP A MENTION IN THE HWO. MUCH OF THE PRECIP WILL HAVE SHIFTED TO THE EAST BY MIDNIGHT AND WILL BREAK UP THE GRID TO SHOW MUCH SMALLER CHANCES OF PRECIP OVERNIGHT. THE UPPER TROUGH ARRIVES ON SATURDAY WHICH WILL BE COOLER AND LESS HUMID. BUT WITH DAYTIME HEATING...COULD STILL SEE 600-800 J/KG OF ML CAPE THAT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR AFTERNOON SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. SOME GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL LOOK POSSIBLE...BUT NOT THINKING ANYTHING SEVERE AT THE MOMENT. THE SURFACE FRONT WILL PASS ACROSS THE REGION SATURDAY NIGHT AND WILL LIKELY SEE SOME SHOWERS IN THE FGEN REGION BEHIND THE FRONT. REST OF THE FORECAST....THE UPPER TROUGH WILL FINALLY DEPART EARLY SUNDAY. THERE COULD BE A FEW LINGER SHOWERS OVER FAR NE WISCONSIN...BUT SHOULD SEE A CLEARING TREND THROUGH THE DAY THANKS TO AN INCOMING VERY DRY AIRMASS. HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN BE LOCATED ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MOST OF TUESDAY. A WARM FRONT WILL BRING THE NEXT CHANCE OF SHOWERS TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE BELOW NORMAL OVER THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE ISSUED AT 1226 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 TSTMS HAVE ALREADY BLOSSOMED ACROSS THE MIDWEST/WRN GREAT LAKES THIS AFTERNOON AS A SHORTWAVE RIDES NE INTO THE REGION AND INTERACTS WITH AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AND INCREASING SHEAR. THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS THE MAIN THREATS. VFR CONDITIONS IN GENERAL WL PERSIST THIS AFTERNOON...BUT QUICKLY BECOME MVFR CIGS/VSBYS UNDER ANY TSTMS. THE THREAT FOR ADDITIONAL SHWRS/TSTMS CONTS TNGT AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE APPROACHES. EXPECT MVFR CIGS/VSBYS TNGT WITH LOCALLY IFR CONDITIONS OVER THE RHI...AUW AND CWA TAF SITES AFTER 06Z. PCPN CHCS PERSIST INTO FRI AS A CDFNT MOVES INTO THE UPR MS VALLEY MORE SHORTWAVES ARRIVE. VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD RETURN BY MID-MORNING...WITH MORE MVFR CONDITIONS NEAR ANY TSTMS. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM.....TE LONG TERM......MPC AVIATION.......AK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 1242 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-311745- 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- 1242 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS THE PRIMARY THREAT. IN ADDITION TO THE STRONG WIND POTENTIAL...TORRENTIAL RAINS ARE POSSIBLE WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE. DENSE FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN AT TIMES THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AT TIMES THROUGH SATURDAY. SOME OF THE STORMS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...COULD BE STRONG...THOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY. DENSE FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE NEAR LAKE MICHIGAN AT TIMES THROUGH AT LEAST FRIDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND AT LEAST INTO THE EARLY EVENING. ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER OR HEAVY RAINFALL MAY BE SENT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GREEN BAY AND WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. LMZ521-522-541>543-311745- THE BAY OF GREEN BAY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CEDAR RIVER MI TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE-LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WASHINGTON ISLAND TO SHEBOYGAN- 1242 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE WATERS OF GREEN BAY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT DENSE MARINE FOG AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL POSE A HAZARD TO BOATERS THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS AND DENSE MARINE FOG WILL POSE A HAZARD TO BOATERS THROUGH SATURDAY. AK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI 1232 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 WIZ030-035>037-045-302000- MARATHON-WOOD-PORTAGE-WAUPACA-WAUSHARA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WAUSAU...WISCONSIN RAPIDS... STEVENS POINT...WAUTOMA 1232 PM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING OVER SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN BOTH COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON OVER SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN AS AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE INTERACTS WITH THE WARM AND HUMID ATMOSPHERE CURRENTLY OVER THE REGION. THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS. AK
The Green Bay radar (KGRB), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:15 UTC.
12 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds downed six small trees and knocked out power in Plover. The storms also produced pea size hail.
Thunderstorms near Iola produced penny size hail and a measured wind gust of 56 mph.
Thunderstorm winds downed trees near Maple Road and U.S. Highway 45.
Thunderstorm winds downed power lines in Antigo.
Thunderstorm winds downed a tree and tore the steel roof from an out building.
Thunderstorm winds snapped a birch tree at High Cliff State Park.
Thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees along and near Highway 52 around Bryant.
Thunderstorm winds downed trees and knocked out power in Crandon.
Thunderstorm winds downed large trees along Wall Street and knocked out power in Eagle River.
Thunderstorm winds near 60 mph blew a semi-trailer on its side on I-39 south of Plover. No one was injured.
A spotter in Tigerton measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 60 mph.
A thunderstorm produced high winds that blew down two storage sheds just outside Bear Creek in Waupaca County. More than a dozen farming machines were in one of the sheds; many sustained damage.
Thunderstorm winds downed trees around Embarrass. Time of event is estimated. Reports of downed trees were received by law enforcement between 7:06 PM and 7:22 PM CST.
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, May 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: 451124, 444985, 444974, 444975, 444976, 444982, 444977, 444978, 451123, 471077, 444983, 444979, 444981.