A line of thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front during the afternoon hours on Tuesday (5/26). The strongest storm produced wind damage across portions of north-central Wisconsin.
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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 GRB wrote it up.
A line of thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front during the afternoon hours on Tuesday (5/26). The strongest storm produced wind damage across portions of north-central Wisconsin.
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 Green Bay, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 26, 12:23 PM CST, 3 hours 31 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Green Bay WI 123 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 Forecast discussion for routine afternoon forecast issuance .KEY MESSAGES... - Hot this afternoon with record to near-record temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s. - 50 to 70% chance for showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and this evening, with some strong to marginally severe storms possible with large hail and strong winds. - Isolated thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon across central Wisconsin. An isolated storm could become severe with large hail and damaging winds. - Above normal temperatures for the next week, with highs mainly in the upper 70s and 80s. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 120 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 Backdoor cold front/composite lake breeze off Superior is slowly dropping across Upper Michigan into northern WI. Ahead of the front it is hot and dry with early afternoon temperatures already into the mid to upper 80s. Highs will reach the lower 90s, so could see records in some locations. Record high for GRB today is 92 set in 2018. Despite the heat, dewpoints are lagging the models which is leading to MLCAPEs only up to 200J/kg thus far while SBCAPE is over 1000J/kg. 18z sounding at GRB is quite dry through 700-600mb. Overall think the drier air is why some models have backed off of coverage and intensity of storms this afternoon and evening. CI most likely will be closer to the front where there is currently a batch of developing cu from Oneida into Marinette counties. Expect isolated to scattered showers and storms to eventually form in this area, then spread/expand as front moves southward into this evening. Dry air and DCAPE over 1000 do lead to downburst winds as the primary hazard. For storms that get taller, CAPE in the hail growth zone also results in hail as hazard. Overall the forecast is pretty similar, but the coverage of storms does look a bit less. Once the front slides through north to south this evening, winds turn northeast and cooler/moisture airmass arrives. Could be fog late tonight, especially where showers and storms are most prevalent into this evening. Post frontal airmass with gradient northeast winds on Wednesday will not be as toasty. Trimmed highs from NBM and went more with consensus of models/ensembles. Result will be upper 60s near Lake Michigan, upper 70s/near 80 Fox Valley and northern WI, and mid 80s over central WI. Greatest potential for storms, mainly non-severe, on Wednesday will be across central WI. High pressure then builds in the rest of the week into the coming weekend. Dry weather is expected. Other than Thursday when temperatures will be around normal, readings will push above normal into early next week, with highs in the mid 70s to mid 80s. The warmest day will be Friday. Despite the Canadian high settling overhead, temps at night even in northern WI will remain above 40, so no frost issues. && .AVIATION...for 18Z TAF Issuance Issued at 1224 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 A cold front will sag south across the area this afternoon, with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing by late afternoon, and continuing across central and east-central Wisconsin through the evening. Kept TEMPO groups for mostly likely 4-hour period for thunderstorms for the TAF sites. Dry weather is then expected overnight, though where storms occur some IFR/MVFR fog is possible. South to southwest winds will gust to around 15 kts at times this afternoon, but will turn northeast in the wake of the frontal passage this afternoon/evening. Light winds below 10 kts are then expected overnight. NE winds around 10 kts are expected Wednesday. && .GRB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION.....JLA AVIATION.......JLA
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Green Bay WI 133 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 WIZ005-010>013-018>022-030-031-035>040-045-048>050-073-074-271845- Vilas-Oneida-Forest-Florence-Northern Marinette County-Lincoln- Langlade-Menominee-Northern Oconto County-Door-Marathon-Shawano- Wood-Portage-Waupaca-Outagamie-Brown-Kewaunee-Waushara-Winnebago- Calumet-Manitowoc-Southern Marinette County- Southern Oconto County- 133 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for north-central and northeast Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight Scattered thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening. A few storms could become strong to severe with large hail and damaging winds. Record to near-record temperatures are expected this afternoon, with highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Tuesday Isolated thunderstorms are possible Wednesday afternoon across central Wisconsin. An isolated storm could become strong to severe with large hail and damaging winds. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are requested to report any wind damage or hail to the National Weather Service in Green Bay. LMZ521-522-541>543-271845- The Bay of Green Bay south of a line from Cedar River MI to Rock Island Passage-Lake Michigan from Washington Island to Sheboygan- 133 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwest Lake Michigan and the waters of Green Bay. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight A few thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and this evening. Any thunderstorms would pose a hazard to mariners. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Tuesday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. JLA
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Green Bay WI
306 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
WIZ011-019>021-073-074-262100-
Menominee WI-Forest WI-Langlade WI-Northern Oconto County WI-
Southern Marinette County WI-Southern Oconto County WI-
306 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN MARINETTE...
NORTHEASTERN MENOMINEE...SOUTHERN FOREST...NORTHEASTERN LANGLADE AND
NORTHERN OCONTO COUNTIES UNTIL 4 PM CDT...
At 306 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking an area of strong
thunderstorms 5 miles east of Bear Paw Scout Camp, or 30 miles
northeast of Shawano, moving southeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch 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.
The strong thunderstorms will be near...
Bear Paw Scout Camp around 310 PM CDT. Pound around 350 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by these strong thunderstorms include
Crooked Lake, White Potato Lake, Hickory Corners, Klondike, Beaver
and Coleman.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
&&
LAT...LON 4533 8914 4547 8908 4546 8905 4555 8905
4557 8904 4538 8843 4538 8841 4520 8784
4488 8835
TIME...MOT...LOC 2005Z 309DEG 14KT 4516 8830
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JGSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Green Bay WI
422 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
WIZ021-073-074-262230-
Northern Oconto County WI-Southern Marinette County WI-Southern
Oconto County WI-
422 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN MARINETTE AND
SOUTHERN OCONTO COUNTIES UNTIL 530 PM CDT...
At 422 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking an area of strong
thunderstorms 7 miles south of Pound, or 20 miles west of Marinette,
moving southeast at 15 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch 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.
The strong thunderstorms will be near...
Pound around 425 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by these strong thunderstorms include Lena,
Coleman, Spruce, County Line, Cullen and Pensaukee.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
&&
LAT...LON 4494 8849 4519 8800 4500 8759 4493 8768
4493 8774 4491 8778 4486 8778 4480 8784
4468 8799 4482 8825 4485 8825 4485 8832
TIME...MOT...LOC 2121Z 304DEG 12KT 4500 8803
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JGSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Green Bay WI
451 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
WIZ018>021-030-031-262315-
Menominee WI-Langlade WI-Shawano WI-Marathon WI-Northern Oconto
County WI-Lincoln WI-
451 PM CDT Tue May 26 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT MENOMINEE...NORTHEASTERN
MARATHON...LINCOLN...LANGLADE...WESTERN SHAWANO AND NORTHERN OCONTO
COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM CDT...
At 451 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6
miles east of Antigo, moving east at 20 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.
The strong thunderstorm will be near...
Antigo around 455 PM CDT. White Lake around 530 PM CDT. Neopit
around 535 PM CDT. Gardner Dam Scout Camp around 545 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by this strong thunderstorm include Polar,
Bryant, Neva, Phlox, Upper Bass Lake, Lake Noseum, Elton, Zoar,
Langlade and Boulder Lake Campground.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
&&
LAT...LON 4512 9004 4531 9005 4534 9005 4537 9004
4540 9004 4531 8831 4503 8847 4503 8849
4500 8849 4477 8862 4503 9004
TIME...MOT...LOC 2151Z 283DEG 15KT 4514 8903
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JGThe Green Bay radar (KGRB), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:51 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds downed trees and power lines in Antigo.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, May 2026
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: 1327695.