Wisconsin, 2014

Heat in Wisconsin, July 22, 2014

July 22, 2014 · NWS MKX · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

Gusty west to southwest winds brought a hot and very humid airmass into southern Wisconsin just ahead of an approaching cold front. High temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s and dewpoints in the middle to upper 70s resulted in heat index values in the lower 100s for portions of southern Wisconsin.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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
11

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 MKX wrote it up.

Gusty west to southwest winds brought a hot and very humid airmass into southern Wisconsin just ahead of an approaching cold front. High temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s and dewpoints in the middle to upper 70s resulted in heat index values in the lower 100s for portions of southern Wisconsin.

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 Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 22, 10:01 AM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 22, 10:01 AM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1101 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2014

.UPDATE...

THE COLD FRONT WITH A WIND SHIFT AND A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS TRACKING SOUTHEAST THROUGH WI TODAY IS EXPECTED TO
REACH MADISON AROUND 4 PM AND MILWAUKEE AROUND 6 PM. THESE TIMES ARE
BASED ON THE HRRR AND THE WRF-ARW MODELS. THERE IS GENERALLY GOOD
MODEL AGREEMENT...GIVE OR TAKE 2 HOURS. THE NAM CAME IN SLOWER WITH
THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AND THE RAP IS A LITTLE FASTER.

DEWPOINT TEMPS ARE POOLING IN THE LOWER 70S JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD
FRONT. VISIBLE SATELLITE IS ALSO SHOWING CLEARER SKIES IN THIS AREA.
THIS WILL ALLOW TEMPS TO HEAT UP TO OUR EXPECTED MAX AROUND 90. HEAT
INDEX VALUES ARE STILL EXPECTED IN THE MID 90S.

WE WILL BE CAPPED UNTIL THE FRONT GETS INTO SOUTHEAST WI. THE HRRR
IS CONSISTENT IN PRODUCING CONVECTION OVER SOUTHEAST WI JUST AFTER
IT PASSES THROUGH MADISON. WE WILL WATCH TO SEE IF THIS TREND
CONTINUES WITH THE MODEL.  SEE THE PREVIOUS FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR
MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE AFTERNOON CONVECTION.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 506 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2014/

TODAY AND TONIGHT...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS MEDIUM.

RADAR RETURNS OVER WEST CENTRAL AND SW WISCONSIN ON LEADING EDGE OF
850 MB WARM ADVECTION...IN REGION OF DECENT CONVERGENCE. HOWEVER NO
GROUND TRUTH AS PRECIP IS DEVELOPING ABOVE DRY...WARM LAYER BETWEEN
750MB AND 650 MB RESULTING IN VIRGA ONLY MAKING IT DOWN TO AROUND 5K
FT ABOVE THE GROUND.

THIS CAPPING INVERSION WILL BE PROBLEMATIC DURING THE DAY AS WARM
ADVECTION CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN THE CAP AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT.
CONSENSUS SFC-BASED CAPE INCREASES TO BETWEEN 2500 AND 3000 J/KG BUT
CIN REMAINS IN THE 150 TO 200 J/KG RANGE. NAM DOES SHOW AN ERODING
CAP TOWARDS THE 22Z-00Z TIME FRAME...BUT IT HAS DEW POINTS
APPROACHING 80F AND SB-CAPE APPROACHING 5000 J/KG. FOLLOWING LOWER
CONSENSUS TEMPS/DEW POINTS TRENDS TOWARD THE MORE CAPPED SOLUTION.

BULK SHEAR OF 25 TO 30 KTS ACCOMPANIES MEAGER 500 MB HEIGHT
FALLS/MID-LEVEL COOLING AS SRN EDGE OF SHORT WAVE TROUGH PASSES
THROUGH LEADS TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME ISOLATED/SCATTERED SEVERE
STORMS IF CAP IS BROKEN AS FRONT PASSES THROUGH.  WILL LIMIT POPS TO
MID-HIGH CHANCE CATEGORY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

FORECAST TEMPERATURES IN THE UPPER 80S TO LOW 90S WITH LOW-MID 70S
DEW POINTS KEEP APPARENT TEMPERATURES BELOW HEAT ADVISORY HEADLINES
EXCEPT FOR A SMALL PORTION OF THE WESTERN CWA AROUND LONE ROCK. NOT
CONFIDENT IN HIGHS REACHING THE FORECAST IF CLOUDS REMAIN THICKER
THAN EXPECTED AND  TOO SMALL AN AREA FOR A HEADLINE. WILL CONTINUE
ISSUANCE OF SPS HIGHLIGHTING THE NEAR-ADVISORY WARMTH.

PRECIP CHANCES EXIT WITH FRONT LATE THIS EVENING WITH COOLER AND
DRIER AIR MOVING IN. TEMPERATURES DOWN INTO THE LOWER 60S AND DEW
POINTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S BY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE...HIGH

HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO BRING DRY WEATHER AND AMPLE SUNSHINE
WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. IT SHOULD BE A COUPLE OF VERY PLEASANT
DAYS WITH HIGHS IN THE 70S MOST PLACES. THREW IN SOME LOW POPS
SOUTHWEST THURSDAY NIGHT...AS THE HIGH HEADS EAST AND WARM
ADVECTION MAY KICK OFF A FEW STORMS.

FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY...FORECAST CONFIDENCE...MEDIUM

A SERIES OF SHORTWAVES ARE EXPECTED TO BRING SHOWER/STORM CHANCES
TO SOUTHERN WISCONSIN AT TIMES FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. MODELS
STILL HAVE SOME DETAILS TO WORK OUT...SO LEFT CHANCE POPS THROUGH
THE WEEKEND. LOOKS LIKE TEMPS WILL BE NEAR NORMAL THROUGH SUNDAY.

IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL BE LESS AVAILABLE MOISTURE EARLY NEXT
WEEK...BUT STILL WENT WITH SOME LOW POPS MONDAY AS MODELS ARE
ADVERTISING A WEAK WAVE. TEMPS SHOULD BE A COUPLE DEGREES COOLER
AS WELL.

AVIATION/12Z TAFS/...

EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE FORECAST. CURRENT BAND OF HIGH-
BASED PRECIPITATION ON RADAR OVER SOUTHERN WISCONSIN STRUGGLING
TO REACH THE GROUND...THOUGH A FEW SPOTS HAVE REPORTED VERY LIGHT
RAIN/SPRINKLES WITH ONLY TRACE AMOUNTS. BEST CHANCE FOR SHOWERS
AND STORMS WILL BE ALONG COLD FRONT...BUT WILL HAVE TO BREAK
THROUGH WARM MID-LEVEL CAP. WILL KEEP VICINITY THUNDERSTORMS IN
TAFS FOR LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING...WHICH WILL BRING MVFR CIGS/VSBYS
IF/WHEN THEY DEVELOP. GUSTY SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF
FRONT WILL LOWER AND TURN NORTH TO NORTHEAST BEHIND FRONT TONIGHT.

MARINE...HAVE LEFT SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HOURS FROM PREVIOUS
FORECAST. EXPECT SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS TO REACH CRITERIA
MID-MORNING AND CONTINUE INTO LATE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE LOWERING
AS COLD FRONT/SURFACE TROUGH MOVES THROUGH. WAVES WILL BE SLOWER
TO LOWER...SO 9 PM END TIME IS LOOKING GOOD. WINDS AND WAVES WILL
RISE ON WEDNESDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN

BEACHES...SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL GUST TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25
KNOTS TODAY. WHILE SOUTHERN ZONES WILL ONLY SEE WAVES BUILD TO 1
TO 3 FEET AT MOST ALONG THE BEACHES...THE NORTHERN 2 ZONES MAY SEE
3 TO 5 FOOT WAVES...ESPECIALLY AT SOUTH-FACING BEACHES. THIS
PLACES SHEBOYGAN AND OZAUKEE COUNTY BEACHES IN A MODERATE RISK OF
SWIMMING HAZARDS.

&&

.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...NONE.
LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR LMZ643>646.

&&

UPDATE...MRC
TODAY/TONIGHT AND AVIATION/MARINE...REM
WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY...DDV
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 22, 10:29 AM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1129 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2014

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-231630-
MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE-
WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE-
LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA-
1129 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
WISCONSIN...SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AND SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG
A COLD FRONT THAT WILL SAG THROUGH SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
OVER SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN AFTER 3 PM CDT.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING LARGE
HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM PORT
WASHINGTON SOUTHWEST TO JEFFERSON AND MONROE. THE STORMS WILL ALSO
PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL.

A VERY WARM AND HUMID AFTERNOON IS EXPECTED TODAY. HEAT INDEX
VALUES WILL RISE TO BETWEEN 95 AND 100 DEGREES...WITH THE HIGHER
VALUES IN WESTERN SECTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

THERE IS A MODERATE SWIM RISK AT LAKE MICHIGAN BEACHES IN OZAUKEE
AND SHEBOYGAN COUNTIES INTO THIS EVENING. A MODERATE SWIM RISK
IMPLIES LARGE WAVES AND STRONG CURRENTS ARE LIKELY ALONG THE
SHORE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THERE ARE CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS AT TIMES FROM FRIDAY THROUGH
MONDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

LMZ643>646-231630-
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-
1129 AM CDT TUE JUL 22 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

WARM...HUMID AIR OVER LAKE MICHIGAN TODAY INTO THIS EVENING MAY
CAUSE PATCHY DENSE FOG OVER THE NEAR SHORE WATERS.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN. THERE IS A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL SOUTH OF PORT WASHINGTON.

SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING FRONT WILL REACH SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS LATER THIS MORNING INTO THIS EVENING. NORTH
WINDS BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WILL LIKELY CAUSE WINDS AND WAVES TO
RETURN TO SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS LATE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

NORTH WINDS NEAR SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS WILL BUILD HIGHER
WAVES WEDNESDAY THAT WILL LINGER AFTER WINDS EASE INTO WEDNESDAY
NIGHT.

THERE ARE CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS AT TIMES FROM FRIDAY THROUGH
MONDAY NIGHT.

WINDS AND WAVES MAY REACH SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY LEVELS MONDAY.

WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MKX

MBK

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 heat. Local standard time, as filed.

Heat, Sauk

When
July 22, 12:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Sauk forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
43.427, -89.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower to middle 100s.

Heat, Columbia

When
July 22, 1:00 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Columbia forecast zone
Reported by
RAWS
Coordinates
43.467, -89.334 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

Heat, Dane

When
July 22, 1:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Dane forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
43.067, -89.418 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

Heat, Dodge

When
July 22, 1:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Dodge forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
43.416, -88.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

Heat, Green Lake

When
July 22, 1:00 PM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Green Lake forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
43.800, -89.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

Heat, Marquette

When
July 22, 1:00 PM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Marquette forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
43.820, -89.399 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

Heat, Iowa

When
July 22, 1:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Iowa forecast zone
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
43.001, -90.135 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower to middle 100s.

Heat, Green

When
July 22, 2:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Green forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.680, -89.602 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

Heat, Jefferson

When
July 22, 2:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
43.021, -88.776 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

Heat, Lafayette

When
July 22, 2:00 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
Lafayette forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.661, -90.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

Heat, Rock

When
July 22, 4:00 PM CST to 6:00 PM CST
Where
Rock forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
42.671, -89.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heat Index values in the lower 100s.

What these are

Heat
Heat below excessive heat criteria that still caused deaths, injuries or significant impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, July 2014

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: 524280, 524269, 524270, 524272, 524274, 524275, 524276, 524273, 524277, 524278, 524279.