Strong Wind in Wisconsin

Events

1,179

Deaths

13

Injuries

12

Damage

$4.0 million

• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, October 20, 20182 deaths · 1 injured · $36,000 · 17 eventsThe passage of a strong cold front and vigorous upper low pressure area produced gusty gradient winds and numerous rain and snow showers for the morning into the early afternoon hours. Gusty winds of 45 to 55 mph occurred and were most prevalent within the precipitation areas.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in Wisconsin, November 12 to 13, 20032 deaths · $2,000 · 68 kt wind · 4 eventsStrong winds developed across northern Wisconsin in the wake of a rapidly intensifying low pressure system that moved across Wisconsin and northern Lake Michigan.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, March 28, 20212 deaths · 1 eventStrong winds, high waves and cold water on Lake Winnebago, located just north of the city of Fond du Lac, contributed to a canoe capsizing, leading to two direct deaths. Neither victim was wearing a personal flotation device.
• Lightning Strikes and Strong Wind in Wisconsin, August 27, 20071 death · $280,000 · 18 eventsA large convective thunderstorm complex moved southeast through southern Wisconsin during the mid-morning hours and gradually diminished in strength. On the back side of the thunderstorm complex a wake low pressure formed, which resulted in a tight surface pressure gradient.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, September 7, 20101 death · $80,000 · 14 eventsA closed mid to upper-level low tracking across the northern U.S. took an associated surface low from the Dakotas, to Lake Superior and into southern Canada. The tight pressure gradient around this system produced strong winds across southern Wisconsin during the day.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, June 6, 20081 death · $20,000 · 2 eventsStrong winds developed during the late morning hours of the 6th, ahead of an intense low pressure system that moved across the northern Plains. The strong winds continued for most of the afternoon, producing frequent gusts in excess of 35 mph.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, July 10, 20091 death · $15,000 · 1 eventA thunderstorm complex moved west to east across far southern Wisconsin and a wake-low developed on its northwest side. Strong gusty winds of 35 to to 43 knots (40 to 50 mph) were generated in the tight surface pressure gradient.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, September 29 to 30, 20111 death · $10,000 · 5 eventsStrong and gusty northwest winds developed over Southeast Wisconsin behind a cold front trailing from rapidly strengthening low pressure that tracked across northern Wisconsin into northern Lower Michigan on Thursday, September 29th.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in Wisconsin, February 20 to 21, 20141 death · $3,000 · 4 eventsA rapidly deepening low pressure area moved north through Wisconsin with strong west to northwest winds in its wake. The strong winds began with the passage of the occluded front during the evening of February 20th.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, April 18, 20041 death · $750 · 2 eventsHigh winds, which were not associated with thunderstorms, gusted to around 55 mph. According to law enforcement officials, a woman was killed in Thorp (Clark County) when the top of a tree snapped off and fell on her.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, November 17 to 18, 20131 death · $5,000 · 2 eventsLow pressure intensified as it moved from east central Wisconsin to eastern Upper Michigan. Strong west winds along and behind a cold front gusted to 35 to 55 mph across southern Wisconsin.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, October 31, 20141 death · $5,000 · 1 eventStrong low pressure and associated cold front moved southeastward from Canada into the Great Lakes region. Strong north winds occurred in the wake of the cold front over eastern WI. A 51-foot grain auger was toppled to the ground by the high winds, killing a farmer.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, May 5, 20103 injured · $240,000 · 20 eventsStrong southwest to west winds affected all of south-central and southeast Wisconsin on May 5th. Maximum wind gusts were 39 to 45 knots (45 to 52 mph). Small trees were knocked down or tree limbs were broken.
• Damaging Winds and High Wind in Wisconsin, July 19 to 21, 2017$771,000 · 61 kt wind · 14 eventsA surge of warm, moist, and unstable air aloft brought large thunderstorm complexes across southern WI during the evening of July 19th into the early morning hours of July 20th.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in Wisconsin, March 8, 20171 injured · $335,000 · 56 kt wind · 20 eventsStrong damaging winds occurred due to a very deep low pressure area that affected the Upper Mississippi River Valley and Great Lakes region.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in Wisconsin, March 12 to 13, 2026$445,000 · 59 kt wind · 20 eventsStrong low pressure tracked east across northern WI to Lake Huron. Westerly wind gusts of 50-68 mph were recorded. Numerous branches down and some power lines. Power outages in the tens of thousands mainly over southeast WI.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, April 18 to 19, 2004$280,000 · 20 eventsStrong gradient winds affected south-central and southeast Wisconsin for many hours. Maximum wind gusts were generally in the 40 to 49 kt range (46 to 57 mph). There were numerous newspaper reports of broken tree branches hitting power lines with a resultant power outage.
• Damaging Winds and Strong Wind in Wisconsin, September 17, 2021$601,000 · 68 kt wind · 4 eventsA line of severe thunderstorms that produced four brief tornadoes, numerous downed trees and power lines across the southern part of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, moved eastward into west-central Wisconsin and produced additional damage near Hudson and west of Roberts.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in Wisconsin, March 16, 2016$151,000 · 53 kt wind · 20 eventsStrong low pressure tracked from Central WI to the eastern portion of Upper MI. Strong westerly wind gusts occurred as the low moved to the northeast. Many tree limbs or whole trees were brought down with some snapped or uprooted.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, November 27, 2019$124,000 · 20 eventsStrong low pressure over southern WI moved to Lake Huron by the end of the day. As the low moved away, strong westerly winds developed and brought down tree limbs. Some power outages occurred as tree limbs fell on electrical wires.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, December 5, 2001$105,000 · 20 eventsStrong, gradient, widespread winds from the south to southwest affected south-central and southeast Wisconsin during the afternoon and early evening hours of December 5, 2001.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, January 24, 2006$100,000 · 20 eventsStrong post, cold-frontal northwest winds, gusting to 39 to 44 knots (45 to 51 mph), affected south-central and southeast Wisconsin. Scattered power outages were noted due to broken tree branches hitting power-lines.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, November 5, 2007$96,000 · 20 eventsStrong, post-cold-frontal, northwest winds gusting to 39 to 47 knots (45 to 54 mph) raked south-central and southeast Wisconsin during the daylight hours. They were accompanied by scattered rain/ice pellet/snow showers that briefly lowered visibilities to 1/2 to 1 mile.
• High Wind and Strong Wind in Wisconsin, December 4 to 5, 2017$94,000 · 53 kt wind · 20 eventsAn intensifying low pressure area from the Upper Mississippi River Valley into Ontario, Canada brought strong winds to southern WI before and after the polar cold frontal passage. Sporadic minor to modest tree damage occurred.
• Strong Wind in Wisconsin, October 6, 2009$95,000 · 18 eventsStrong west-southwest winds with sustained speeds of 26 to 30 knots (30 to 35 mph) and gusts to 39 to 49 knots (45 to 57 mph) raked south-central and southeast Wisconsin during the late afternoon and evening hours of October 6th.

Strong Wind everywhereEvery kind of event in Wisconsin

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.