During the evening hours on May 19th, a lone severe thunderstorm produced hail of quarter to ping pong ball sized across portions of Fillmore County.
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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.
During the evening hours on May 19th, a lone severe thunderstorm produced hail of quarter to ping pong ball sized across portions of Fillmore 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 19, 5:55 PM CST, 34 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI Issued by National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 655 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Wet later tonight into Wednesday. 1-3 inches of rain is expected south of Interstate 94. The highest totals (2-3 inches locally as high as 3-4 inches) will be in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest Wisconsin. - Some cold record high temperatures may be tied to broken on Tuesday - It will remain cool and dry from Wednesday night into the Memorial Day weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 227 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025 Wet from Late Tonight into Wednesday A 500 mb trough and 850 mb closed low pressure area will move into the area tonight. As this occurs, 850 mb moisture transport and deep moisture convergence will increase later tonight and continue into Tuesday evening. The 19.12z HREF continues to bring 1 to 1.4 inches of precipitable water values into the region south of Interstate 94. Meanwhile, a dry easterly flow will result in much lower precipitable water values (0.4 to 1 inch) for areas north of Interstate 94. Areas south of Interstate 94 will likely see rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches and up to 1 inch (highest near Interstate 94) for the remainder of the area. The HREF ensemble probability-match mean suggest that there may be some localized rainfall totals of 3-4 inches in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest Wisconsin. With the very dry antecedent conditions over the past 3 weeks, not anticipating any issues with river flooding. Like the past couple of days, much of the instability remains south of the area. The ensemble mean for most unstable CAPEs remain below 250-500 J/kg across much of northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin. Several CAMs and the rapid update models /HRRR, RAP/ do depict up to 1000 J/kg of MUCAPE over the far SW section of the CWA this evening into early tonight. Effective shear values this evening do exceed 40 kts for a time, although expecting any cells to quickly congeal into a messy cluster of storms. As a result, organized severe weather in not expected. Wednesday Night into the Memorial Day Weekend In the wake of this system, northwest and north winds will bring dry and cool air into the region. High temperatures through Saturday will be primarily in the lower and mid-60s and in the mid to upper 60s for Sunday. These temperatures will be 5 to 10 F cooler than the seasonal averages for this time of year. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 655 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025 Showers and thunderstorms are moving into the area this evening. The thunderstorm potential will decrease heading into the overnight period. Rain will overspread the area overnight and last through Tuesday. CIGS will start out this evening between 5kft and 8kft for most locations before dropping into the MVFR/IFR range Tuesday morning. East winds will continue to gust between 25 and 35 mph through much of the TAF period. There is a 40 to 50% chance that wind gusts could exceed 40 mph Tuesday morning between 12Z and 18Z. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 231 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025 With it being very dry across much of the area over the past 3 weeks, still not overly concerned with river flooding at this time. While there will likely be some response in area rivers in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwestern Wisconsin, it would take much more QPF (3+ inches) to see rivers even approach action and/or minor flood stage. As a result, soils and rivers should be able to handle the forecasted rainfall. However, there may be some ponding of water in more urban or poor drainage areas. && .CLIMATE... Issued at 231 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025 Rain and low clouds will result in very little temperature rise on Tuesday, High temperatures will likely be in the 40s and lower 50s. These temperatures will be close to the daily record cold high temperatures for May 20. While La Crosses record of 44F in 1892 looks safe, Rochester's cold high record of 46F in 1892 might be in jeopardy /current forecast high of 47F/. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && DISCUSSION...Boyne/Fowle AVIATION... JC HYDROLOGY...Boyne/Fowle CLIMATE...Boyne/Fowle
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service La Crosse WI Issued by National Weather Service Des Moines IA 313 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061-210015- 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- 313 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A few thunderstorms are possible tonight, but organized severe weather is not expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Ongoing precipitation Tuesday through Wednesday will provide more than 2" of rainfall in spots, primarily west of the Mississippi River Valley. Widespread flooding is not expected, but minor lowland flooding is possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... No action needed. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. Fowle/DMX
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
Issued by National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
629 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025
IAZ008-009-018-019-200000-
Chickasaw IA-Floyd IA-Howard IA-Mitchell IA-
629 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN CHICKASAW...
SOUTHWESTERN HOWARD...SOUTHEASTERN MITCHELL AND FLOYD COUNTIES UNTIL
7 PM CDT...
At 629 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles southwest of Charles City, moving northeast at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Charles City, Riceville, Elma, Floyd, Marble Rock, Alta Vista,
Colwell, Orchard, Bassett, Colwell County Park, Howardville,
County Roads 17 And T 72, Idlewilde State Park, New Haven, County
Roads B 33 And T 76, Deerfield, County B 17 And Bell Avenue, Floyd
Crossing, Carrville and Bunns Woods County Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
&&
LAT...LON 4321 9281 4343 9269 4330 9229 4291 9260
4291 9277 4297 9295
TIME...MOT...LOC 2328Z 206DEG 45KT 4299 9275
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
NDCPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
656 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0644 PM Hail 2 WNW Colwell 43.17N 92.63W
05/19/2025 M1.00 Inch Floyd IA Trained Spotter
Hail fell from 6:39 to 6:47. Majority of
hail was small but largest stone was
measured at 1 inch in diameter.
&&
APFSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
Issued by National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
700 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025
IAZ008-009-019-MNZ094-095-200030-
Howard IA-Chickasaw IA-Mitchell IA-Fillmore MN-Mower MN-
700 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN
CHICKASAW...HOWARD...EASTERN MITCHELL...SOUTHWESTERN FILLMORE AND
SOUTHEASTERN MOWER COUNTIES UNTIL 730 PM CDT...
At 700 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a line of strong
thunderstorms extending from over Riceville to near Elma, or
extending from 16 miles east of Osage to 11 miles northwest of New
Hampton, moving northeast at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Spring Valley, Le Roy, Riceville, Elma, Lime Springs, Wykoff,
Washington, Cherry Grove, Bristol, York, Carimona, Alta Vista,
Ostrander, Chester, McIntire, North Washington, Hayden Prairie,
Saratoga, Davis Corners and County V 10 And 40th Street.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
&&
LAT...LON 4321 9262 4332 9270 4380 9240 4367 9217
4355 9202 4350 9207 4350 9208 4349 9208
4304 9249 4313 9255 4321 9255
TIME...MOT...LOC 2358Z 206DEG 48KT 4335 9251 4327 9245 4320 9242
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
NDCPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
710 PM CDT Mon May 19 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0656 PM Hail Riceville 43.36N 92.56W
05/19/2025 M0.75 Inch Mitchell IA Trained Spotter
&&
APFThe La Crosse radar (KARX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:30 UTC.
2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported hail up to ping pong ball sized with the majority of stones being penny to quarter sized.
The public reported quarter sized hail 1 mile southwest of Chatfield.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, May 2025
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: 1265755, 1265756.