A brief tornado crossed interstate 90 during the afternoon on July 16th with video being captured by motorists along the interstate. The tornado caused minimal damage with only very minor tree and crop damage noted near the highway.
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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.
A brief tornado crossed interstate 90 during the afternoon on July 16th with video being captured by motorists along the interstate. The tornado caused minimal damage with only very minor tree and crop damage noted near the highway.
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 16, 12:53 PM CST, 34 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 153 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers and storms impact the region this morning through the evening. Some of these storms could be strong to severe in southwestern Wisconsin this afternoon with damaging winds being the main threat. - Locally heavy rainfall is the main concern with these storms. Current forecast has a swath of 1 to 1.5 inches across the I-90 corridor, with some locally higher amounts possible. - Cooler temperatures for the end of the week with highs in the 70s and low 80s from Thursday through the weekend, then gradually warming up into the middle of next week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 146 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025 Today: Strong to Severe Storms, Heavy Rain As of 1 PM, strong to severe storms on a line extending from Sparta to the city of Monroe, WI continue to move northeast ahead of a well defined MCV across far northeastern Iowa. Severe storms will likely be focused along this line as the instability gradient drops off significantly with the cold front beginning to impede from the west. Locally increased low level shear from the MCV could create a brief spin up as streamwise vorticity is maximized along the quasi warm front but better conditions for this reside further to our east across South Central Wisconsin. This line will continue to push off to the east with the severe threat for our area decreasing through the afternoon. Of additional concern, these storms are producing very heavy rain with rainfall rates in the 1-2"/hr range being reported across many area mesonets with the passage of these storms. The atmosphere is ripe with moisture with continued 925-850 mb moisture transport into the area and pWats in the 1.75-2.25 inch range. Warm cloud depths are approaching 3 km and corfidi vectors are aligned with the mean wind which is allowing for some training over the area. The good news is that this system is very progressive overall so widespread flooding is not expected to materialize but with the heavy rainfall rates, urban and localized flooding will certainly remain possible with these storms. 16.12Z HREF LPMM QPF totals remain concentrated along the I-90 corridor as the deformation band sets up just north of the surface low that is residing over the Tri-State Region early this afternoon. Totals in the 1-3 inch range seem reasonable for this area with isolated instances of 3+ inches possible. Outside of the this corridor, .25-.75 inches seem more likely given how transient the showers and storms have already been. Rain chances will end through the afternoon for areas west of the Mississippi River with areas to the east seeing some isolated showers and storms into the evening. Thursday - Friday: Cooler and Mostly Dry As winds shift to the north behind the surface low/cold front, cooler and drier air will begin to overspread the area. Dew points are expected to drop into the 50s to low 60s by early tomorrow morning with skies expected to clear from the north/northwest. Temperatures tomorrow will be reminiscent of early fall in the low to mid 70s as a weak surface high moves overhead through the day. Conditions should remain dry through the first half of Friday with some more rain moving in late in the day. Saturday - Mid-Next Week: Unsettled Pattern and Warming Back Up Zonal flow aloft is expected to dominate our weather pattern as a strong east/west oriented ridge holds firm across the southern CONUS. Some shortwave impulses are expected to move overhead, spurring some convective development. Current guidance shows these impulses traversing our area Friday night/Saturday with another Saturday into Sunday. At the surface, this looks to take the form of MCSs that develop out to our west across the Dakotas and ride the baroclinic zone that sets up into northern Illinois. Given that these shortwave impulses are just starting to enter the hi-res timeframe they should hopefully become a bit more well defined for the upcoming packages. Have left the NBM PoPs through next week with the highest chances (50-70%) coming overnight Friday into Saturday and low end PoPs (20-30%) continuing on and off through the midweek timeframe. Temperatures will gradually warm back into the 80s through the weekend with the warming trend continuing into the work week with highs in the upper 80s to 90s by Tuesday. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1236 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025 A line of thunderstorms extending from La Crosse to the South Central Wisconsin/Illinois border is moving northeast through eastern portions of the local area. This line is producing some very heavy downpours and gusty winds. This will continue northeast out of our area with showers and weak thunderstorms behind this line as the associated MCV continues to trek east providing additional lift. Rain activity will come to an end for areas west of the Mississippi between 21-00Z with light isolated activity further east into the early overnight timeframe. Widespread IFR CIGs will move in overnight and continue through at least mid-morning before scattering out and returning to VFR by late in the period. Winds will become north/northwesterly over the coming hours at around 10 kts with a few higher gusts before becoming more north/northeasterly tomorrow morning. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && DISCUSSION...Barendse AVIATION...Barendse
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service La Crosse WI 338 AM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061-171300- 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- 338 AM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Thunderstorms can be expected today. A few of these could be strong to severe with damaging winds the main threat. Heavy rainfall could lead to localized flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Periodic thunderstorm chances are expected Friday night into Tuesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation might be needed this afternoon. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. DTJ
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1137 AM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025
WIZ053>055-061-161715-
Richland WI-Vernon WI-Crawford WI-Grant WI-
1137 AM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL VERNON...NORTHEASTERN
GRANT...RICHLAND AND NORTHEASTERN CRAWFORD COUNTIES THROUGH 1215 PM
CDT...
At 1134 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 7 miles south of Viroqua to 7 miles east of
Boscobel. Movement was northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Strong thunderstorms will be near...
Viroqua and Muscoda around 1140 AM CDT.
Westby and La Farge around 1150 AM CDT.
Richland Center around 1155 AM CDT.
Other locations impacted by these storms include Jersey Valley County
Park, Horrigan Ridge, Eagle Corners, Woodstock, Bloom City,
Gillingham, Fairview, Neptune, Buck Creek, and Highway 171 And County
U.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4321 9033 4320 9043 4311 9043 4299 9054
4321 9083 4333 9102 4370 9082 4364 9055
4335 9020
TIME...MOT...LOC 1634Z 204DEG 33KT 4345 9090 4335 9075 4312 9056
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
FalkinhamPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1204 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1200 PM Rain 1 W La Crescent 43.83N 91.32W
07/16/2025 M1.16 Inch Houston MN Trained Spotter
Fell in 1 hour.
&&Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1237 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025
WIZ055-161800-
Richland WI-
1237 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL RICHLAND COUNTY
THROUGH 100 PM CDT...
At 1236 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles east of Richland Center, moving northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of east central
Richland County, including the following locations... Keyesville,
Sextonville, Neptune, Highways 58 And 154, Ithaca, Highway 130 And
Count B, Loyd, Highway 58 And County B, Highway 58 And County K, and
Bear Valley.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 600 PM CDT for southwestern
Wisconsin.
&&
LAT...LON 4320 9021 4333 9038 4350 9019 4321 9019
TIME...MOT...LOC 1736Z 226DEG 30KT 4333 9022
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
FalkinhamPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
103 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1244 PM Rain 2 NW Onalaska 43.91N 91.23W
07/16/2025 M1.76 Inch La Crosse WI Public
1253 PM Rain 2 NNE French Island 43.88N 91.25W
07/16/2025 M1.63 Inch La Crosse WI ASOS
ASOS station KLSE La Crosse Regional
Airport.
1245 PM Rain 2 NNE La Farge 43.60N 90.63W
07/16/2025 M1.45 Inch Vernon WI Mesonet
Mesonet station FW6943 La Farge.
1230 PM Rain 3 NE Nodine 43.94N 91.41W
07/16/2025 M1.30 Inch Winona MN Mesonet
Mesonet station BSPM5 3 NE Nodine.
1203 PM Rain 1 ENE Boscobel 43.15N 90.68W
07/16/2025 M1.28 Inch Grant WI Mesonet
Mesonet station BBLW3 Boscobel.
1255 PM Rain Bangor 43.89N 90.99W
07/16/2025 M1.10 Inch La Crosse WI Mesonet
Mesonet station 6129D Bangor.
1259 PM Rain 2 E Onalaska 43.89N 91.18W
07/16/2025 M0.96 Inch La Crosse WI Mesonet
Mesonet station GW0323 Onalaska.
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
225 PM CDT Wed Jul 16 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0217 PM Rain 5 SE Cataract 44.03N 90.78W
07/16/2025 M3.40 Inch Monroe WI Emergency Mngr
&&The La Crosse radar (KARX), 94 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:27 UTC.
1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
This brief tornado crossed Interstate 90 and was captured on video. Some corn and small tree branches were damaged.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Wisconsin, 2025Warnings in Wisconsin, July 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: 1286192.