Hail and Damaging Wind in Wisconsin, July 13, 2015

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Wisconsin, July 13, 2015
Start: 2015-07-13T17:07
End: 2015-07-13T21:15
Location: Wisconsin

July 13, 2015 · NWS GRB · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Clearing behind a convective system earlier in the day allowed the atmosphere to destabilize. Thunderstorms developed again in the unstable air mass, producing heavy rainfall, isolated large hail and wind damage.

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: 4

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 GRB 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 Green Bay, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 13, 2:06 PM CST, 3 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 13, 2:06 PM CST, 3 hours 1 minute before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
306 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR ROUTINE AFTERNOON FORECAST ISSUANCE

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT AND TUESDAY
ISSUED AT 306 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

AN UPPER LOW MOVING THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES REGION WILL PROVIDE
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS TO DEVELOP THIS
AFTERNOON BEFORE COMING TO AN END THIS EVENING. INDEED...SHOWERS
AND STORMS ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO EMERGE ON THE RADAR FROM
MINNESOTA INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN...IN WHAT WILL LIKELY BE THE
PREFERRED REGION FOR CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT. ELSEWHERE IN THE
AREA...SATELLITE SHOWS A HEALTHY CU FIELD WITH SOME HIGHER CLOUDS
OVER NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN AS WELL. SEVERE WEATHER IS GENERALLY
UNLIKELY TO THE NORTH. FURTHER SOUTH...THERE IS A AN INSTABILITY
NOSE (1000-1500+ J/KG MLCAPE) WORKING ITS WAY INTO CENTRAL AND
PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...WHICH HAVE LARGELY BEEN SUNNY
ALL DAY. PAIRED WITH EFFECTIVE BULK SHEAR IN EXCESS OF 40
KNOTS...SEVERE STORMS ARE CERTAINLY POSSIBLE...WITH PERHAPS EVEN A
BRIEF WINDOW FOR SUPERCELLS EARLY ON BEFORE THINGS START TO COOL
DOWN. PRIMARY HAZARDS WOULD BE SEVERE WIND AND POSSIBLY HAIL.
LOW LEVEL WIND STRUCTURE AND HELICITY IS WEAK...WHICH COULD LIMIT
THE TORNADO THREAT.

AFTER THE SITUATION STABILIZES OVERNIGHT...THERE IS ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITY FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS...PRIMARILY TO THE
SOUTH...BEFORE RIDGING BUILDS IN AND BRINGS PRECIP CHANCES TO AN
END AS AN ENTRY INTO A RELATIVELY QUIET MID-WEEK.

.LONG TERM...TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY
ISSUED AT 306 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

NORTHWEST UPPER FLOW AND A HUDSON BAY HIGH WILL BRING PLEASANT
WEATHER TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THEN THERE ARE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GFS AND ECMWF AS TO HOW QUICKLY THEY BRING
A SURFACE LOW UP FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. THE GFS BRINGS SOME
STORMS AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM THURSDAY WHILE THE ECMWF IS SLOWER AND
HOLDS OFF ON PRECIPITATION UNTIL THURSDAY NIGHT. THINK THE GFS IS
TOO QUICK SO KEPT A CHANCE IN THE WESTERN HALF BUT DRY IN THE EAST
FOR THURSDAY.

AFTER THAT UPPER FLOW IS FORECAST TO BE NEARLY ZONAL FRIDAY
THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK WITH A FEW QUICK MOVING SYSTEMS MOVING
THROUGH. TIMING IS USUALLY DIFFICULT SO DID NOT CHANGE MUCH AFTER
FRIDAY. IT DOES LOOK LIKE IT WILL BE VERY WARM AND HUMID SATURDAY
AND SUNDAY WITH HEIGHTS RISING AND 850MB TEMPERATURES OF 20C TO
25C.
&&

.AVIATION...FOR 18Z TAF ISSUANCE
ISSUED AT 1240 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

PASSING MVFR CIGS CONTINUE AT MANY SITES LATE THIS MORNING. HAVE
THOSE CARRYING FOR A BRIEF PERIOD...LIFTING SOME TO VFR THIS
AFTERNOON...THEN LOWERING AGAIN THIS EVENING...BUT THERE IS SOME
UNCERTAINTY IN THIS. A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE DRIFTING OVER THE
GREAT LAKES REGION THROUGH TUESDAY WILL LIKELY PRODUCE ANOTHER
ROUND OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS. WITHOUT A FOCUSING
MECHANISM FOR DEVELOPMENT...AND WITHOUT ANY DEVELOPMENT
YET...THERE IS CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY THAT ANY STORMS WILL OCCUR
AT A TAF SITE. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AS WELL
AS MVFR CONDITIONS DUE TO RAINFALL.
&&

.GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM.....LUCHS
LONG TERM......RDM
AVIATION.......LUCHS

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 13, 11:47 AM CST, 5 hours 20 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
1247 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-141800-
VILAS-ONEIDA-FOREST-FLORENCE-NORTHERN MARINETTE COUNTY-LINCOLN-
LANGLADE-MENOMINEE-NORTHERN OCONTO COUNTY-DOOR-MARATHON-SHAWANO-
WOOD-PORTAGE-WAUPACA-OUTAGAMIE-BROWN-KEWAUNEE-WAUSHARA-WINNEBAGO-
CALUMET-MANITOWOC-SOUTHERN MARINETTE COUNTY-
SOUTHERN OCONTO COUNTY-
1247 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN TODAY INTO
THIS EVENING. A STORM OR TWO COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH STRONG
WINDS...HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY...A FEW OF THESE
STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG ACROSS CENTRAL AND PARTS OF NORTHEAST
WISCONSIN. THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST FROM TIME TO TIME
THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE IF ANY
OF THESE STORMS WOULD BECOME SEVERE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTERS SHOULD CALL IN SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS FROM THE
OVERNIGHT STORMS.

LMZ521-522-541>543-141800-
THE BAY OF GREEN BAY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM CEDAR RIVER MI TO ROCK
ISLAND PASSAGE-LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WASHINGTON ISLAND TO SHEBOYGAN-
1247 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST LAKE
MICHIGAN AND THE WATERS OF GREEN BAY.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN TODAY INTO THIS
EVENING. ISOLATED STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG WITH GUSTY
WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.

MARINE FOG MAY BECOME LOCALLY DENSE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY. A FEW OF THESE
STORMS COULD BECOME STRONG. THUNDERSTORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST
FROM TIME TO TIME FROM THURSDAY INTO NEXT WEEKEND. IT IS TOO EARLY
TO DETERMINE IF ANY OF THESE STORMS WOULD BECOME SEVERE.

POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY DENSE MARINE FOG WILL PERSIST INTO TUESDAY.

LUCHS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 13, 3:55 PM CST, 1 hour 12 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
455 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

WIZ018-019-030-132300-
LINCOLN WI-LANGLADE WI-MARATHON WI-
455 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN...
NORTHEASTERN MARATHON AND SOUTHWESTERN LANGLADE COUNTIES UNTIL 600 PM
CDT...

AT 452 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM
NEAR MERRILL...OR 16 MILES NORTH OF WAUSAU...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

THIS STORM WILL MOVE OVER MERRILL THROUGH 510 PM...THEN REMAIN OVER
MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN...NORTHEASTERN MARATHON
AND SOUTHWESTERN LANGLADE COUNTIES... INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING
LOCATIONS...ORMSBY...ACKLEY WILDLIFE AREA...
GLANDON...BLOOMVILLE...OTIS...DOERING AND HOGARTY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR
CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4529 8978 4529 8916 4497 8930 4509 8981
TIME...MOT...LOC 2152Z 283DEG 22KT 4519 8972

BERSCH

Special weather statement, Jul 13, 4:01 PM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
501 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

WIZ010-132230-
ONEIDA WI-
501 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN ONEIDA COUNTY UNTIL
530 PM CDT...

AT 501 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
RHINELANDER...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
RHINELANDER...ENTERPRISE...MC NAUGHTON...GAGEN AND STARKS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 4563 8963 4579 8953 4568 8906 4548 8921
TIME...MOT...LOC 2201Z 292DEG 28KT 4568 8948

LUCHS/KURIMSKI

Special weather statement, Jul 13, 4:38 PM CST, 29 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
538 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

WIZ013-073-132315-
NORTHERN MARINETTE COUNTY WI-SOUTHERN MARINETTE COUNTY WI-
538 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...

AT 538 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
WAUSAUKEE...OR 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF MENOMINEE...MOVING EAST AT 20
MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WAUSAUKEE...MCALLISTER AND CEDARVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 4529 8769 4527 8770 4536 8804 4553 8797
      4550 8780 4547 8781 4544 8786 4541 8785
      4535 8789 4535 8788 4537 8787 4534 8785
      4535 8782 4535 8775 4537 8766 4534 8765
TIME...MOT...LOC 2238Z 280DEG 16KT 4543 8792

LUCHS/KURIMSKI

Special weather statement, Jul 13, 4:47 PM CST, 20 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
547 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

WIZ010-011-019-132330-
FOREST WI-LANGLADE WI-ONEIDA WI-
547 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...

AT 546 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 11
MILES NORTHWEST OF PEARSON...OR 14 MILES WEST OF CRANDON...MOVING
EAST AT 25 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CRANDON...PEARSON...ELCHO...WABENO...NASHVILLE...FREEMAN...
BLACKWELL...ENTERPRISE...PICKEREL...PELICAN LAKE...MOLE LAKE...
LENNOX...SUMMIT LAKE AND POST LAKE.

LAT...LON 4553 8859 4538 8864 4538 8868 4526 8868
      4540 8931 4558 8926
TIME...MOT...LOC 2246Z 281DEG 24KT 4548 8918

LUCHS/KURIMSKI

Special weather statement, Jul 13, 4:50 PM CST, 17 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
550 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

WIZ030-132330-
MARATHON WI-
550 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...

AT 550 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7
MILES NORTHWEST OF DORCHESTER...OR 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MEDFORD...
MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ABBOTSFORD...ABBOTSFORD...MARATHON CITY...EDGAR...ATHENS...RIB
FALLS...HAMBURG...MILAN...PONIATOWSKI...LITTLE CHICAGO AND GAD.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR
CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

LAT...LON 4503 9031 4504 9020 4512 9020 4512 8978
      4488 8980 4494 9032
TIME...MOT...LOC 2250Z 274DEG 32KT 4506 9047

LUCHS/KURIMSKI

Special weather statement, Jul 13, 5:05 PM CST, 2 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GREEN BAY WI
605 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

WIZ011-013-019-021-073-140000-
NORTHERN OCONTO COUNTY WI-FOREST WI-NORTHERN MARINETTE COUNTY WI-
SOUTHERN MARINETTE COUNTY WI-LANGLADE WI-
605 PM CDT MON JUL 13 2015

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...

AT 604 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING DEVELOPING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LING FROM NEAR PEARSON...TO NEAR
ATHELSTANE...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

HALF INCH HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
WAUSAUKEE...PEARSON...CARTER...WABENO...NASHVILLE...TOWNSEND...MIDDLE
INLET...FREEMAN...ATHELSTANE...SILVER CLIFF...BLACKWELL...CALDRON
FALLS RESERVOIR...PICKEREL...MOLE LAKE...MCCLINTOCK COUNTY PARK...
BEAR LAKE CAMPGROUND...CALDRON FALLS RESE...HIGH FALLS RESERVOIR...
GOVERNOR THOMPSON STATE PARK AND CEDARVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY
LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

&&

LAT...LON 4534 8910 4547 8909 4547 8905 4553 8905
      4549 8790 4526 8790
TIME...MOT...LOC 2304Z 278DEG 25KT 4540 8890

LUCHS/KURIMSKI

The radar

The Green Bay radar (KGRB), 103 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:06 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Langlade

When: July 13, 5:07 PM CST
Where: Langlade County, 1.62 mi ESE of Elmhurst
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.060, -89.150

Quarter size hail fell near the intersection of Highway 47 and Highway 45.

Hail, Langlade

When: July 13, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Langlade County, 0.85 mi SE of Phlox
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.040, -89.010

Half dollar size hail fell near Phlox.

Thunderstorm Wind, Door

When: July 13, 6:23 PM CST
Where: Door County, 0.49 mi E of Sister Bay
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 45.180, -87.110

Thunderstorm winds downed some trees near Sister Bay.

Heavy Rain, Brown

When: July 13, 7:15 PM CST to 9:15 PM CST
Where: Brown County, 0.61 mi SSE of Green Bay
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 44.512, -88.016

Heavy rainfall during the evening hours of July 13th resulted in deep standing water in a low area in Downtown Green Bay.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, July 2015

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: 594767, 594768, 594769, 596297.