Persistent below normal precipitation since February 2021 allowed severe drought conditions to develop across portions of southwest Wisconsin. These conditions continued into August 2021 for Grant County.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 ARX wrote it up.
Persistent below normal precipitation since February 2021 allowed severe drought conditions to develop across portions of southwest Wisconsin. These conditions continued into August 2021 for Grant County.
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 Jul 13, 4:32 AM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 532 AM CDT Tue Jul 13 2021 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 327 AM CDT Tue Jul 13 2021 At 3 AM, scattered showers and storms continue to be seen across northern Illinois and southeast Wisconsin. This was associated with a shortwave trough ejecting northeast out of the Mid Mississippi River Valley. Temperatures ranged from 54F at Medford WI to 70F at La Crosse WI. The 13.00z models are in general agreement that the aforementioned trough will move northeast through the lower Great Lakes this afternoon and tonight. At the same time, a shortwave trough will be approaching the area from the Dakotas. This latter system will be moving into the area during the late afternoon and evening. 0-1 km mixed layer CAPES climb into the 750 to 1250 J/kg range from northwest Iowa northeast into north-central Wisconsin. As the 850-700 mb capping erodes during the late afternoon, scattered showers and storms will develop. This activity will gradually wane during the evening with the loss of diurnal heating. With the 0-3 km and 0-6 km shear generally less than 15 knots, not expecting any severe weather during this time period. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 327 AM CDT Tue Jul 13 2021 Like the past couple of days, there looks to be a potential of severe weather on Wednesday and Wednesday night. This severe weather scenario is complicated due to 2 pieces of energy moving through the area. Either a MCV or shortwave trough comes out of the Northern Plains tonight and this moves east through the area from mid-morning through mid-afternoon. Several of the CAMS show that as the system develops a mature cold pool that a squall line will move east through the region. The 0-3 km shear quickly climbs into the 40 to 50 knot range in these models. Both the HRRR and ARW show that this cold pool matures west of I-35 and this squall line would produce severe weather across much of the area. Meanwhile, the FV3 is slower with its cold pool development, so the severe weather in this scenario would be mainly east of the area. Another scenario is in the NAM where the capping is strong enough with this initial shortwave trough that we remain dry. If severe weather does occur, damaging winds would be the primary threat. During the mid-afternoon into Wednesday evening, there will be another chance of severe weather as a surface low and another shortwave trough moves through the region. Even though some of the instability could be lowered by the first round of convection, there will still be sufficient instability just south of the area that can be tapped. In addition, the cold pool could enhance the warm front located south of the I-90 corridor. Several models suggest that the low level helicity will climb up to 300 m2/s2 near this front. In addition the 0-1 km shear climbs into the 30 to 35 knot range. This could result in a tornado threat along this boundary. Meanwhile, if the NAM is correct, there could be a southeast moving squall line with could produce a damaging wind threat south of Interstate 94. One limiting factor to the damaging wind threat is that the low level lapse rates are not that steep in that model. With skinny CAPE in the soundings, the hail would likely only be up to quarters. As the low level jet impinges on the boundary south of Interstate 90, there will a threat for training convection which could cause some localized flooding. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Wednesday morning) Issued at 528 AM CDT Tue Jul 13 2021 Fog will reduce visibilities to MVFR at KRST through 13.13z and then this fog will dissipate. For the remainder of the TAF period, strong capping should prohibit the development of showers and storms late this afternoon. As a result, both ceilings and visibilities will remain VFR. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && SHORT TERM...Boyne LONG TERM...Boyne AVIATION...Boyne
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service La Crosse WI 426 AM CDT Tue Jul 13 2021 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061-141200- 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- 426 AM CDT Tue Jul 13 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight There will be a chance of thunderstorms mainly north of Interstate 90 late this afternoon and evening. Lightning will be the main hazard with these storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday There looks to be potential for 2 rounds of severe weather from Wednesday into Wednesday evening. The first round will be from mid-morning into mid-afternoon. Damaging winds will be the main threat during this time period. Another round of severe storms will be possible from late Wednesday afternoon into the evening, especially south of Interstate 90. Damaging winds, large hail, heavy rainfall, and a few tornadoes will be possible with this round of storms. Localized flash flooding will also be possible if heavy rain repeats over the same areas. Thunderstorm chances will linger into Thursday afternoon, mainly in northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin. Severe weather appears unlikely with these storms. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed Wednesday into Wednesday evening. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... A webinar may be needed later today. Boyne
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service La Crosse WI 536 AM CDT Tue Jul 13 2021 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061-131245- 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- Including the cities of Osage, Cresco, Decorah, Waukon, Charles City, New Hampton, Oelwein, Elkader, Wabasha, Dodge Center, Rochester, Winona, Austin, Preston, Caledonia, Medford, Neillsville, Alma, Arcadia, Whitehall, Black River Falls, La Crosse, Sparta, Tomah, Mauston, Friendship, Viroqua, Prairie Du Chien, Richland Center, and Platteville 536 AM CDT Tue Jul 13 2021 ...Patchy Dense Fog Early This Morning... Through 8 AM, patchy dense fog will reduce visibilities to less than a quarter mile. If traveling early morning, be alert to rapidly changing visibilities. If you encounter dense fog, slow down and use your low beam headlights. Boyne
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Persistent below normal precipitation since February 2021 allowed severe drought conditions to develop across southern Grant County. These conditions continued into August.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, July 2021
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: 973457.