Wisconsin, 2025

Drought in Wisconsin, November 18 to 30, 2025

November 18 to 30, 2025 · NWS GRB · 11 events in 11 counties and zones

The first signs of drought were noted in the late summer and early fall, August to September timeframe, when there were sporadic areas reporting below normal rainfall across northern Wisconsin. The dry conditions expanded and precipitation deficits increased across much of the area in September and continued into October.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 11 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
11

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 GRB wrote it up.

The first signs of drought were noted in the late summer and early fall, August to September timeframe, when there were sporadic areas reporting below normal rainfall across northern Wisconsin. The dry conditions expanded and precipitation deficits increased across much of the area in September and continued into October. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23 when only a few tenths of an inch were recorded. A good majority of the precipitation for the month fell from the 24th through the 30th.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Oneida

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Oneida forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
45.706, -89.522 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Rhinelander, below normal precipitation was recorded from September through November. The October precipitation total was 1.18 inches or 30% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23, with only 0.15 inches recorded, which was only 12% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated that the southeast quarter of the county was designated in Severe Drought (D2), with Moderate Drought (D1) over the remainder of the county. The precipitation at the end of the month brought the monthly total to only 41% of normal.

Drought, Forest

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Forest forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
45.667, -88.770 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Argonne, below normal rainfall was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The October precipitation total was only 1.10 inches or 34% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23, with only 0.12 inches recorded, which was only 8% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated the southern half of the county was designated in Severe Drought (D2), with Moderate Drought (D1) or Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions over the northern half of the county. The precipitation at the end of the month brought the monthly total to only 63% of normal.

Drought, Lincoln

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
45.338, -89.735 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Merrill, below normal precipitation was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation total for October was 1.41 inches or 45% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23 with only 0.04 inches recorded, which was only 3% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated the eastern half of the county was designated in Severe Drought (D2) with Moderate Drought (D1) over the western half of the county. The precipitation at the end of the month brought the monthly total to only 57% of normal.

Drought, Langlade

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Langlade forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
45.262, -89.072 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Antigo, below normal rainfall was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation total for October was 0.99 inches or 33% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23, with only 0.09 inches recorded, which was only 7% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated the entire county was designated in Severe Drought (D2). The precipitation at the end of the month brought the monthly total to only 74% of normal.

Drought, Marathon

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Marathon forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
44.898, -89.759 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Wausau, below normal rainfall was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation total for October was only 1.41 inches or 35% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23, with only 0.07 inches recorded, which was only 6% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated the northeast quarter of the county was designated in Severe Drought (D2), with Moderate Drought (D1) over the remainder of the county, except over south-central portions where Abnormally Dry (D0) conditions prevailed. The precipitation at the end of the month brought the monthly total to only 65% of normal.

Drought, Shawano

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Shawano forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
44.789, -88.765 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Shawano, below normal rainfall was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation total for October was only 0.91 inches or 30% of normal. The peak in of the dry spell occurred from November 1-23, with only 0.11 inches recorded, which was only 12% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated that all but the far southeast portion of the county designated in Severe Drought (D2) with the remainder of the county in Moderate Drought (D1). The precipitation at the end of the month brought the monthly total to only 44% of normal.

Drought, Menominee

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Menominee forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
45.004, -88.710 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Below normal rainfall was first observed by nearby sites in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation totals for October from nearby stations were only 30-50% of normal. The peak of the dry spell occurred from November 1-23, with only a few tenths of an inch recorded. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated the entire county was designated in Severe Drought (D2). The precipitation at the end of the month from nearby stations brought the monthly total to only 40-70% of normal.

Drought, Northern Marinette

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Northern Marinette forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
45.351, -88.002 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Wausaukee, below normal rainfall was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation total for October was only 0.86 inches or 27% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23, with only 0.03 inches recorded, which was only 2% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated all of the northern portion of the county, except near the Florence County line and along the Michigan border, were designated in Severe Drought (D2). The precipitation at the end of the month brought the monthly total to only 60% of normal.

Drought, Southern Marinette

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Southern Marinette forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
45.351, -88.002 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Marinette, below normal rainfall was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation total for October was only 1.04 inches or 32% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23, with only 0.23 inches record which was only 29% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated all of the southern half of the county was designated in Severe Drought (D2). The precipitation at the end of the month brought the monthly total to only 34% of normal.

Drought, Northern Oconto

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Northern Oconto forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
44.999, -88.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At the closest observation point in Suring, below normal rainfall was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation total for October was 1.08 inches or 38% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23 with 0.11 inches recorded, which was only 11% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated all of the northern half of the county designated in Severe Drought (D2). The precipitation at the end of the month only brought the monthly total to only 49% of normal.

Drought, Southern Oconto

When
November 18, 7:00 AM CST to November 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Southern Oconto forecast zone
Reported by
Drought Monitor
Coordinates
44.999, -88.221 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

At Suring, below normal rainfall was first observed in late summer and continued through the fall. The precipitation total for October was 1.08 inches or 38% of normal. The peak in the dry spell occurred from November 1-23 with 0.11 inches recorded, which was only 11% of the monthly total. The Drought Monitor on the 18th indicated southern portions of the county near Suring designated in Severe Drought (D2) with the rest of the southern portion of the county in Moderate Drought (D1). The precipitation at the end of the month only brought the monthly total to only 49% of normal.

What these are

Drought
A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, November 2025

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: 1301024, 1301025, 1301026, 1301027, 1301028, 1301029, 1301030, 1301031, 1301032, 1301033, 1301034.