Hail in Wisconsin, March 23, 2017

Name: Hail in Wisconsin, March 23, 2017
Start: 2017-03-23T15:42
End: 2017-03-23T16:43
Location: Wisconsin

March 23, 2017 · NWS ARX · 6 events in 1 county or zone

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: $28,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 ARX wrote it up.

Thunderstorms developed across southwest Wisconsin during the afternoon of March 23rd as a warm front approached the region from the south. These storms produced large hail as they moved across the region. The hail mainly fell across Grant County and was as large as quarters in Bagley, Big Patch and near Fennimore.

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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 23, 2:25 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 23, 2:25 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
325 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday)
Issued at 321 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

At 3 PM, a small area of showers and scattered thunderstorms were
moving east across northeast Iowa and along the Minnesota/Iowa
border. This was developing along an elevated warm front. There
has been a few reports of hail to around 1 inch in diameter. In
addition with very dry air below the cloud bases, some of the
showers have been producing wind gusts up to 40 mph.

From tonight into Friday, a cold front will slowly sink southward
through the forecast area. Moderate 850 mb moisture transport will
raise the precipitable water values to around 1.25 range. This is
around 3 standard deviations above normal. With most unstable
CAPES up to 250 J/kg, there will be a possibility for isolated to
scattered thunderstorms. The highest CAPES and the best 0-6 km
shear will be this evening and this could result in the potential
for some hail up to 1 inch in diameter. Rainfall amounts along
and north of Interstate 90 will range from 1 to 2 inches.

.LONG TERM...(Friday night through Thursday)
Issued at 321 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

From Friday night into Saturday morning, a cold front will move
slowly south across the area. Southerly winds ahead of an
approaching upper level low will bring a narrow band of Gulf of
Mexico moisture northward into the region and this moisture will
pool along this front. Precipitable water values will range from
an inch to 1.25 inches. This 2.5 to 3 standard deviations above
normal. Fortunately, the moisture transport will be weak to
moderate, the most unstable CAPES are generally less than
150 J/kg, and there is generally weak convergence along this
front. This will keep the hourly rainfall rates under control.
Rainfall totals during this time frame will range from a half to
1 inch. The heaviest rain will be found along and south of the
Interstate 90 corridor. Meanwhile further north, there are some
questions on where the northern extent of this precipitation will
be located. This could present some issues for the potential of
light freezing rain in north central Wisconsin. However with this
said, confidence remains low that this will even occur.

From Saturday afternoon into Monday, a slow moving upper level low
pressure area will move south and southeast of the forecast area.
Wrap around moisture will keep a chance of showers into the
forecast area. Additional rainfall amounts will be less than a
tenth of an inch.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon)
Issued at 1238 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

Main taf concerns through the period is rain moving into the region
and ceilings lowering into IFR at the RST/LSE taf sites. Low
pressure on the lee-side of the Rocky Mountains is expected to
push into Kansas through the taf period. Southerly winds ahead of
the low pressure system will continue to advect low level moisture
into the region. With the low level moisture...precipitation
chances will increase across the area at both RST/LSE taf sites
and MVFR conditions lowering to IFR conditions at the RST/LSE taf
sites mainly after 08z Friday. Low level wind shear will also
occur at both taf sites between 07-11z Friday.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...Tonight through Saturday
Issued at 321 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

Like the past couple of days, it continues to look like anywhere
from a half to 1.50 inches of rain will fall across the area from
tonight through Saturday. There may be even a few locations that
could potentially see rainfall totals up to 2 inches. With this
rain falling over over a long duration, only in bank rises are
currently expected for area streams and rivers.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
MN...None.
IA...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...Boyne
LONG TERM...Boyne
AVIATION...DTJ
HYDROLOGY...Boyne

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 23, 3:54 AM CST, 11 hours 48 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
454 AM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-
032>034-041>044-053>055-061-241100-
Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-
Clayton-Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston-
Taylor-Clark-Buffalo-Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau-
Adams-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-Grant-
454 AM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast
Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon into this
evening. Lightning and small hail will be the main hazards with
any thunderstorm.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

Periods of rain Friday through Saturday may produce rises on area
rivers and streams.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Reports of any hail would be appreciated today into this evening.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

No webinar is scheduled.

Wetenkamp

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 23, 2:56 PM CST, 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
356 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0350 PM     HAIL             OELWEIN                 42.68N 91.91W
03/23/2017  M1.75 INCH       FAYETTE            IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            .

&&

CJA

Local storm report, Mar 23, 2:57 PM CST, 45 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
357 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0345 PM     HAIL             7 SSW WESTGATE          42.68N 92.07W
03/23/2017  U2.00 INCH       FAYETTE            IA   PUBLIC

            .

&&

CJA

Local storm report, Mar 23, 2:58 PM CST, 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
358 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0345 PM     HAIL             7 SSW WESTGATE          42.68N 92.06W
03/23/2017  U1.75 INCH       FAYETTE            IA   PUBLIC

            .

&&

CJA

Local storm report, Mar 23, 3:11 PM CST, 31 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
411 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0404 PM     HAIL             2 ESE AUSTIN            43.66N 92.93W
03/23/2017  E0.25 INCH       MOWER              MN   PUBLIC

            .

&&

CJA

Special weather statement, Mar 23, 3:18 PM CST, 24 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
418 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

IAZ008>011-018-019-MNZ087-088-094>096-WIZ041-053>055-061-232300-
Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Olmsted-
Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston-La Crosse-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-
Grant-
Including the cities of Osage, Cresco, Decorah, Waukon,
Charles City, New Hampton, Rochester, Winona, Austin, Preston,
Caledonia, La Crosse, Viroqua, Prairie Du Chien, Richland Center,
and Platteville
418 PM CDT Thu Mar 23 2017

...Scattered Thunderstorms Producing Hail This Afternoon...

At 415 pm, National Weather Service radar indicates scattered
showers and thunderstorms moving through much of northeast Iowa
and southeast Minnesota, and expected to cross into southwestern
Wisconsin through 6 pm. Any thunderstorms through late afternoon
will be capable of producing one-half inch hail and dangerous
cloud to ground lightning. If outdoors, be prepared for changing
weather conditions.

Lawrence

Local storm report, Mar 23, 3:23 PM CST, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
423 PM CDT THU MAR 23 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0409 PM     HAIL             STRAWBERRY POINT        42.68N 91.54W
03/23/2017  M1.75 INCH       CLAYTON            IA   PUBLIC

            .

&&

CJA

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:42 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Grant

When: March 23, 3:42 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 0.51 mi E of Cassville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 42.720, -90.990

Hail, Grant

When: March 23, 3:59 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 1.01 mi E of Bagley
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.900, -91.100

Quarter sized hail was reported in Bagley.

Hail, Grant

When: March 23, 4:11 PM CST
Where: Grant County, Big Patch
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 42.670, -90.480

Quarter sized hail was reported in Big Patch.

Hail, Grant

When: March 23, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 1.47 mi NNE of Platteville Muni Arp
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 42.690, -90.440

Hail, Grant

When: March 23, 4:32 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 0.51 mi E of Lancaster Jct
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 42.970, -90.610

Quarter sized hail fell near Fennimore.

Hail, Grant

When: March 23, 4:43 PM CST
Where: Grant County, Montfort
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Property damage: $28,000
Reported by: Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates: 42.970, -90.430

Ping pong ball sized hail fell in Montfort. The hail shredded the siding on one side of a house.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Wisconsin, March 2017

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: 686451, 686466, 686460, 686461, 686462, 686471.