A line of storms moved across portions of western Wisconsin during the afternoon of May 25th as a cold front moved across the region. These storms produced damaging winds across parts of Buffalo, Trempealeau, Jackson and Clark Counties.
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 ARX wrote it up.
A line of storms moved across portions of western Wisconsin during the afternoon of May 25th as a cold front moved across the region. These storms produced damaging winds across parts of Buffalo, Trempealeau, Jackson and Clark Counties. Winds estimated to be around 60 mph blew down trees and flipped semi trailers and a mobile home in the vicinity of Arcadia (Trempealeau County). Trees were also blown down near Merrillan (Clark County) and across the northwest part of Jackson 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 May 25, 1:15 PM CST, 2 hours 25 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 215 PM CDT Tue May 25 2021 .UPDATE...(This Afternoon and Evening) Issued at 148 PM CDT Tue May 25 2021 ** Re: storm potential this afternoon and eve ** This afternoon convective initiation continues to be somewhat murky. Latest trends in the 18-19Z GOES satellite Day Cloud Distinction show an area of very weak cumulus development in southeast MN and wc WI near KONA /Winona/ and northeast. This is along the building SW- NE CAPE pool of ~1500 J/KG all well out ahead of the surface dryline/cold front in MN. Cumulus was building and partially glaciating trying to initiate, but has trended down in the last 30 mins. This matches well with a weaker but steady- state deeper but broad moisture convergence region extending from the ongoing convective echo east of Medford, WI, to Winona MN to Mason City per SPC mesoa page. Day Cloud Distinction also showing growing cumulus along several frontal/near frontal boundaries across NW WI and eastern MN...roughly I-35 in MN KAEL- KMSP-KDLH. Wind shear across the area has increased with 0-6km bulk shear ~40kts or more north of I-90 per RAP and GOES derived cloud motion winds. Thus, supercell modes will be favored, and with storm motion 45-90 degs to front, should see discrete cells for a period after initiation. With aforementioned deeper weak convergence north and just west of La Crosse, would think lower-end storms could occur as capping is minimal, but thinking is that this area would have a lower threat of severe storms due to less sustained convergence. The cold front, now located further west along the growing cumulus fine lines near I-35 will continue east and provide a late afternoon severe storm threat in western WI, far southeastern MN /matches western edge of SPC SLGT risk well/. Would think the frontal convergence and dewpoint gradient will sharpen a bit in the coming hours, a bit steeper lapse rates and more large scale lift with shortwave trough energy will shift in. Overall, the frontal convergence is not super impressive with broad rounded trough at the surface. This will impact storm coverage. Parameters marking the I-90 and north area well for large hail and wind potential. Large hail parms suggest 2" hail possible there. Hodographs per current 88Ds at KMPX/KARX are straight line from 0- 2km and RAP hodos still carry small curvature in the 0-1/0-3km layer. SPC Mesoa Sig Tor Parameter ~1 north of I-90 which confirms a lower, entry level tornado risk currently. This may grow to ~2 with a bit of backing, should it occur, which is more likely north of I- 94 later. Thus, hail and wind threats seem on target for our messaging. Further south of I-90 the shear decreases but is still favorable for severe storms - just marginal supercellular - multicellular more favored...early eve timing. .SHORT TERM...(Wednesday and Friday) Issued at 215 PM CDT Tue May 25 2021 WET THU/THU NIGHT: Another shortwave is progged to move due east from the PAC NW tonight, spinning across the upper mississippi river valley thu/thu night. Some ripples in the flow could kick out of the trough over the desert SW, preceding the NW shortwave across the region. 30-40 kt 850 mb jet to feed the system. The mix of lift/moisture should lead to a broad expanse of rain. Little if any instability to work with, so thunder threat looks limited at this time. In addition, while the low level moisture transport noses into the region, warm cloud depths only peak around 3500 m while sfc pws top out around 1 1/4". Should see decent rainfall with 1/2 to 1" or so, but potential for more than a good soaker (ie, flooding concerns) looks low. TEMPS: with the passage of the dry line/cold front tonight, colder air starts to filter in from the north, with the main push of cold air coming in Thu/Fri. Widespread rain/clouds will also work to keep temps unseasonably cool. Highs still looking like they will struggle into the 50s both those days - a marked contrast from recent days when lows bottomed out in the 60s. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Tuesday) Issued at 215 PM CDT Tue May 25 2021 The GFS and EC both favor shortwave upper level ridging come Friday, quickly sliding east/flattening that ridge out with west-east running shortwave across southern Canada. Uncertain whether that shortwave will sparking any pcpn sat night/early sun. Not much qpf in the models, and still have an exiting sfc high to contend with. A better shot for rain could come on Memorial day with some agreement between the GFS and EC with a piece of upper level energy dropping out of southern Canada and across the region. The GFS doubles up with advancing more shortwave energy into the area, out of a trough over the desert SW. Likely a lingering sfc front will come into play too. The EC leans more on a split flow type evolution, keeping more of its qpf across the north and south. The more robust GFS is widespread with its chances. Several of the EC ensemble members mimic the GFS's take though, with bulk of the GEFS members also siding toward good chances to get wet. The cool temperatures will persist, although show some (meager) warming as we push into the new work week. Could see a return to at or above normal temps by the following weekend. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Wednesday afternoon) Issued at 1159 AM CDT Tue May 25 2021 A cold front is expected to kick off a line of thunderstorms later this afternoon which will likely produce a 1-2hour window of vcts at KRST (22-24Z) and KLSE (00-02z). MVFR cloud cover at issuance are expected to lift into VFR this afternoon. Otherwise, plan on VFR conditions through the remainder of the forecast period. South/southwest winds will shift to a westerly direction with the frontal passage and then become breezy from the northwest later Wednesday morning as the atmosphere mixes. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && UPDATE...Baumgardt SHORT TERM...Rieck LONG TERM....Rieck AVIATION.....DAS
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service La Crosse WI 124 PM CDT Tue May 25 2021 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061-261000- 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- 124 PM CDT Tue May 25 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Scattered storms late this afternoon into the evening. A few could be severe, mostly between 4 and 10 pm and generally along and north of Interstate 90. Large hail and damaging winds are the main threats. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday A few thunderstorms could occur Wednesday night through Thursday night. Organized severe weather is not expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed late this afternoon into the early evening. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. Rieck
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service La Crosse WI 408 PM CDT Tue May 25 2021 MNZ088-WIZ017-029-032>034-041-252315- Winona-Taylor-Clark-Buffalo-Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse- Including the cities of Winona, Medford, Neillsville, Alma, Arcadia, Whitehall, Black River Falls, and La Crosse 408 PM CDT Tue May 25 2021 ...Scattered Strong to Severe Storms Into Early Evening... Storms continued to blossom across southeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin at late afternoon, and will continue to develop as they track east into western Wisconsin through 6 pm. The storms have a history of 1" hail with wind gusts up to 45 mph. Larger hail and stronger winds are possible. Those with outdoor plans should be prepared to seek indoor shelter should storms near your location. Rieck
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
409 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0408 PM HAIL NELSON 44.42N 92.00W
05/25/2021 M0.70 INCH BUFFALO WI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
413 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0406 PM TSTM WND GST 6 NW ROCHESTER 44.08N 92.56W
05/25/2021 E40 MPH OLMSTED MN BROADCAST MEDIA
&&
SHEAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
426 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0426 PM HAIL JUMP RIVER 45.36N 90.80W
05/25/2021 M0.25 INCH TAYLOR WI COCORAHS
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
427 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0427 PM HEAVY RAIN NELSON 44.42N 92.00W
05/25/2021 M1.00 INCH BUFFALO WI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
SHEAPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
432 PM CDT TUE MAY 25 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0430 PM HEAVY RAIN NELSON 44.43N 92.01W
05/25/2021 M1.00 INCH BUFFALO WI TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
CZThe La Crosse radar (KARX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:38 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down near Buffalo City.
An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred south of Arcadia.
In Arcadia, winds were estimated to be around 60 mph. Numerous trees were blown down across the city, several light poles were blown down, semi trailers were flipped over and a mobile home was blown off its foundation.
Numerous trees were blown in unspecified locations across Trempealeau County. Some of these trees went down on homes and power lines. One mobile home was flipped by the winds.
Trees were blown down east of Humbird.
Trees were blown down in unspecified locations, mainly across the northwest part of the county.
Street flooding occurred in Arcadia. Radar estimates indicated that around 2 inches of rain fell in in less than an hour.
Trees were damaged by strong winds in and near Neilsville.
Some shingles were blown off a building south of Granton.
Shingles were blown off a building north of Sherwood.
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, May 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: 959287, 959288, 959290, 959291, 959292, 959293, 960496, 959294, 959296, 959298.