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Appleton Metro Area Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes

 

The chance of earthquake damage in Appleton Area is about the same as Wisconsin average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Appleton Area is higher than Wisconsin average and is higher than the national average.

Topics:Earthquake IndexVolcano IndexTornado IndexOther Weather Extremes EventsVolcanos NearbyHistorical Earthquake EventsHistorical Tornado Events

Earthquake Index, #900

Appleton Area
0.00
Wisconsin
0.00
U.S.
1.81

The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.

Volcano Index, #129

Appleton Area
0.0000
Wisconsin
0.0000
U.S.
0.0023

The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.

Tornado Index, #389

Appleton Area
171.77
Wisconsin
153.98
U.S.
136.45

The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.

Other Weather Extremes Events

A total of 7,996 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Appleton Area were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:

TypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCountTypeCount
Avalanche:0Blizzard:22Cold:77Dense Fog:151Drought:68
Dust Storm:0Flood:371Hail:2,191Heat:68Heavy Snow:184
High Surf:0Hurricane:0Ice Storm:32Landslide:0Strong Wind:122
Thunderstorm Winds:3,590Tropical Storm:0Wildfire:7Winter Storm:184Winter Weather:77
Other:852 

Volcanos Nearby

No volcano is found in or near Appleton Area.

Historical Earthquake Events

No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Appleton Area.

No historical earthquake events found in or near Appleton Area.

Historical Tornado Events

A total of 63 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Appleton Area.

Distance (miles)DateMagnitudeStart Lat/LogEnd Lat/LogLengthWidthFatalitiesInjuriesProperty DamageCrop DamageAffected County
4.01964-05-08244°14'N / 88°25'W44°20'N / 88°10'W14.00 Miles63 Yards002.5M0Calumet
4.61984-04-27444°15'N / 88°32'W44°27'N / 88°18'W15.50 Miles60 Yards092.5M0Outagamie
6.71968-08-16244°15'N / 88°15'W2.00 Miles100 Yards0025K0Outagamie
9.31965-07-08244°10'N / 88°18'W44°11'N / 88°15'W0025K0Calumet
10.91970-12-01344°20'N / 88°39'W44°27'N / 88°26'W13.10 Miles67 Yards002.5M0Outagamie
11.11982-05-06244°22'N / 88°35'W44°27'N / 88°28'W9.00 Miles100 Yards00250K0Outagamie
12.51964-05-08244°07'N / 88°43'W44°14'N / 88°25'W16.60 Miles63 Yards052.5M0Winnebago
15.01959-05-06244°28'N / 88°33'W0025K0Outagamie
15.81984-04-27444°05'N / 88°45'W44°15'N / 88°32'W12.00 Miles60 Yards1102.5M0Winnebago
15.91979-08-09244°04'N / 88°18'W1025K0Calumet
17.41969-06-26344°30'N / 88°24'W44°35'N / 88°17'W7.70 Miles100 Yards012.5M0Outagamie
21.41970-04-22244°28'N / 88°04'W44°31'N / 88°01'W3.60 Miles800 Yards02250K0Brown
22.21968-08-16244°36'N / 88°15'W1.00 Mile100 Yards0125K0Brown
22.31967-06-30244°02'N / 88°10'W44°02'N / 88°02'W5.90 Miles100 Yards01250K0Calumet
23.11959-05-10244°29'N / 88°03'W44°31'N / 87°58'W4.30 Miles33 Yards032.5M0Brown
23.41970-04-22244°27'N / 88°02'W44°33'N / 87°58'W7.20 Miles800 Yards01250K0Brown
23.81954-06-20243°57'N / 88°18'W0.50 Mile33 Yards000K0Calumet
24.21974-04-21443°54'N / 88°41'W44°04'N / 88°32'W13.50 Miles200 Yards0352.5M0Winnebago
24.51969-06-26344°35'N / 88°17'W44°41'N / 88°12'W7.60 Miles100 Yards002.5M0Shawano
24.71967-06-30244°02'N / 88°02'W44°02'N / 88°01'W00250K0Manitowoc
26.31959-05-06244°31'N / 88°52'W44°32'N / 88°43'W7.20 Miles1760 Yards000K0Waupaca
27.71996-07-18243°56'N / 88°14'W43°53'N / 88°10'W4.40 Miles200 Yards11450K300KFond Du Lac
 Brief Description: A strong tornado (F2) struck Marytown, resulting in 1 fatility (81 year old male) and 1 injury. This tornado actually touched down in Calumet county about 1.1 miles SE of Jericho (see WFO GRB Stormdata report), and then headed southeast into into Fond du Lac county at a point 2.0 NW of Marytown. It destroyed or damaged at least a couple dozen barns, sheds, and homes on a southeastward path. Many large trees were uprooted. The north side of Marytown was hit the hardest, where a house trailer, 3 homes, and a machine shed were destroyed. The tornado exited Fond du Lac county at a point 2.5 miles SE of Marytown and re-entered Calumet county where it quickly dissapated. The path length in Fond du Lac county was 4.4 miles. M81PH
28.31994-07-05244°18'N / 87°48'W1.00 Mile150 Yards00500K50KManitowoc
28.71994-07-05444°17'N / 87°49'W44°19'N / 87°46'W3.50 Miles150 Yards025.0M500KManitowoc
28.71980-06-07244°04'N / 87°53'W0.20 Mile33 Yards00250K0Manitowoc
29.51981-04-04243°55'N / 88°05'W0.10 Mile23 Yards06250K0Calumet
30.01956-04-03443°59'N / 88°56'W44°03'N / 88°45'W9.60 Miles440 Yards002.5M0Waushara
31.31964-05-08244°35'N / 88°51'W44°38'N / 88°48'W3.30 Miles200 Yards01250K0Waupaca
32.21951-09-26444°22'N / 89°13'W44°28'N / 88°47'W22.30 Miles100 Yards63250K0Waupaca
33.91964-08-22243°48'N / 88°24'W2.00 Miles33 Yards023K0Fond Du Lac
34.81984-04-27344°32'N / 88°55'W44°43'N / 88°53'W8.00 Miles43 Yards002.5M0Waupaca
35.21990-06-02243°47'N / 88°27'W1.00 Mile100 Yards012.5M0Fond Du Lac
36.41950-06-25343°57'N / 88°57'W43°58'N / 88°56'W00250K0Green Lake
36.41964-08-22243°46'N / 88°27'W1.00 Mile500 Yards00250K0Fond Du Lac
36.71956-04-03443°56'N / 88°58'W43°59'N / 88°56'W1.90 Miles440 Yards7502.5M0Green Lake
36.82004-06-23244°16'N / 89°11'W44°16'N / 89°03'W7.50 Miles125 Yards00915K0Waupaca
 Brief Description: Thunderstorms that developed ahead of a strong cold front that moved through Wisconsin produced severe weather in the central and east central parts of the state during the evening. A line of thunderstorms tore the roof from a barn, downed numerous trees and power lines and blew a pickup truck into a ditch as the storms moved through the Wood county communities of Vesper, Nekoosa, and Wisconsin Rapids. Glass fragments caused a minor injury to one of the occupants of the pickup truck. The storms also produced 7 minutes of dime size hail 1 mile east of Wisconsin Rapids. The storms also damaged several buildings 4 miles west of Stevens Point (Portage co.), downed trees in Saxeville (Waushara co.) and dropped quarter size hail in Plover (Portage co.). As the storms moved through Portage county three tornadoes touched down. One of the tornadoes caused minor tree damage in an industrial park in Whiting. Eyewitnesses observed water being sucked out of a pond at the same time as doors to an office were sucked open. Another tornado downed several trees, knocked down a fence, damaged the roof of a house and damaged some outbuildings as it passed north of Almond. The third tornado was the strongest and was on the ground intermittently for 10 miles from southeast Portage county into southwest Waupaca county. It downed trees and overturned an irrigation system in Portage county. It strengthened in Waupaca county where it scoured asphalt off a road, destroyed a barn, sheared off the top 50 feet of a silo, crushing three calves, damaged a sheet metal outbuilding and killed 3 sheep. It tore the roof from a house and destroyed the garage, overturned a semi trailer and moved it 50 feet, blew hay wagons against trees and snapped off or uprooted numerous trees. Some of the debris from this tornado landed several miles east in the Fremont area (Waupaca co.). A tornado touched down in at least four locations from Little Chute to Kaukauna as the storms moved across Outagamie county. It toppled or twisted large trees, ripped parts of the roofs from residential and commercial buildings, destroyed storage sheds and an old barn and overturned semi trailers and dropped some of them on other vehicles. A brief tornado touchdown also occurred on the west side of Green Bay (Brown co.) where it caused some tree damage.
37.41974-04-21443°45'N / 88°50'W43°54'N / 88°41'W12.50 Miles200 Yards002.5M0Fond Du Lac
37.81970-12-01244°32'N / 89°13'W44°47'N / 88°40'W31.90 Miles200 Yards00250K0Waupaca
38.11992-09-07243°54'N / 89°02'W43°58'N / 88°53'W8.50 Miles400 Yards012.5M0Green Lake
39.01968-08-19243°45'N / 88°54'W43°46'N / 88°22'W26.40 Miles50 Yards0125K0Fond Du Lac
39.01962-06-17243°50'N / 88°50'W1.00 Mile33 Yards0025K0Fond Du Lac
40.21954-04-07243°42'N / 88°32'W43°44'N / 88°29'W1.90 Miles33 Yards003K0Fond Du Lac
40.71996-07-18543°42'N / 88°37'W43°43'N / 88°23'W13.30 Miles400 Yards01239.5M900KFond Du Lac
 Brief Description: A violent tornado struck the village of Oakfield at about 1815CST after it touched down 4 miles WNW of the village. During its approach on Oakfield it intensified to a F3 rating. When it tore through the village it intensified to a F4, but along its path 1 to 4 miles east of the village it intensified to F5 strength (estimated 265 mph winds). In this span 4 homes were completely swept clean off their foundations and a couple automobiles became airborne missles for a distance of about 400 feet. The core width of the most intense damage was about 150 to 200 yards, although at times, some secondary damage was observed in a 400 yard wide path. Oakfield residents heard local sirens about 8 minutes before the torando entered the village. Miraculously, no one was killed, but there were 12 injuries. Some of the injured were hospitalized. Along the tornadoes path, 60 homes and 6 businesses were destroyed. An additional 130 homes and businesses were damaged. In Oakfield, a commercial canning company was devastated. Two churches in the village were also destroyed, as well as numerous vehicles. In the rural areas along the tornadoes path, 18 barns and many sheds were destroyed or damaged, and about 500 acres of crops were wiped out. Total damage amounts were $39.5 million in public/private property, and $900,000 in crop losses. Residents reported that they had difficulty "popping" their ears as the tornado roared through their neighborhood. Prior to entering Oakfield, the tornado hopped and skipped a few times, and multiple votices were observed at times during its life cycle. Witnesses reported that the tornado "paused" for a minute or so on the southeast edge of Oakfield. As the tornado tore through Oakfield it changed it's heading to east. Corn fields just east of Oakfield were reduced to short 1 to 4 inch high stubble, and burn marks were clearly visible in the fields. In the third segment of the tornadoes life, when it turned northeast at a point 5.5 miles east of Oakfield, it's strength diminished rapidly. By the time it "roped out" 1 mile NW of Eden, it's supporting mesocyclone's position on WSR-88D Doppler was about 5 miles to the south! Debris was found east to the Lake Michigan shoreline, and cancelled checks were later found 125 miles E/SE near Muskegon, MI!
41.01961-09-22243°39'N / 88°15'W43°47'N / 88°04'W12.60 Miles300 Yards0025K0Fond Du Lac
41.51974-04-21343°39'N / 88°10'W43°54'N / 87°43'W28.10 Miles200 Yards172.5M0Sheboygan
42.11957-04-19244°04'N / 89°24'W44°14'N / 89°00'W22.80 Miles50 Yards0125K0Waushara
42.11977-06-05343°49'N / 88°44'W43°39'N / 88°42'W11.20 Miles300 Yards022.5M0Fond Du Lac
42.21954-04-15243°59'N / 89°11'W44°03'N / 89°05'W5.90 Miles33 Yards0025K0Waushara
42.31984-04-27344°40'N / 88°53'W44°56'N / 88°49'W17.00 Miles43 Yards002.5M0Shawano
42.51966-06-04244°53'N / 88°18'W44°55'N / 88°12'W4.70 Miles50 Yards0025K0Oconto
44.01951-09-26444°20'N / 89°18'W44°22'N / 89°13'W4.10 Miles100 Yards00250K0Portage
44.41986-06-11243°36'N / 88°21'W43°42'N / 88°15'W8.00 Miles100 Yards00250K0Fond Du Lac
45.61979-06-16244°53'N / 88°18'W44°59'N / 88°01'W15.20 Miles100 Yards00250K0Oconto
45.81992-08-29344°04'N / 89°31'W44°08'N / 89°00'W28.00 Miles800 Yards13025.0M0Waushara
46.21974-04-21343°36'N / 88°24'W43°39'N / 88°10'W11.90 Miles200 Yards152.5M0Fond Du Lac
46.31976-06-12244°27'N / 89°17'W0.20 Mile50 Yards0025K0Portage
46.61968-08-19243°45'N / 88°58'W43°45'N / 88°54'W2.30 Miles50 Yards0125K0Green Lake
46.91966-06-04244°57'N / 88°20'W44°59'N / 88°14'W4.90 Miles50 Yards0025K0Oconto
47.01951-06-19243°37'N / 88°30'W1.00 Mile467 Yards0025K0Dodge
47.01970-04-22244°35'N / 87°37'W44°40'N / 87°28'W8.90 Miles500 Yards00250K0Kewaunee
47.91974-04-21343°33'N / 88°45'W43°40'N / 88°20'W22.20 Miles200 Yards002.5M0Dodge
49.32004-06-23343°38'N / 88°44'W43°33'N / 88°25'W16.70 Miles400 Yards008.0M500KDodge
 Brief Description: This tornado was a continuation of the tornado that moved east-southeast from Markesan (Green Lake Co.) through the southwest corner of Fond du Lac County (civil Town of Alto). In Dodge County it maintained its F3 strength (175-200 mph) as it moved east-southeast through the city of Waupun and through rural areas of northern Dodge County to a point 2 miles southeast of Lomira, where it dissipated just west of U.S. Highway 41. Many homes and vehicles in the Dodge County portion of Waupun were damaged. Toward Lomira, several dozens of agricultural buildings and homes were damage. Numerous trees were uprooted from Waupun to near Lomira, and some crop damage was noted. Estimated damage in Waupun was about $3M, and $2.5M in the civil Towns of Lomira and Le Roy. Average path width was about 300 yards. Two rounds of severe weather affected parts of south-central and southeast Wisconsin on June 23rd, with the second round featuring 8 tornadoes, large hail (up to golf-ball size), and powerful straight-line downburst winds. A warm front moving north through the area resulted in favorable vertical wind shear to allow for supercell development. The 1st round of severe weather was due to a broken line of intense thunderstorms moving across Walworth, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties. Hail of up to 1 inch in diameter and torrential rainfall accompanied these storms before they moved over Lake Michigan and weakened. The 2nd round of severe weather was dominated by 2 cyclic supercells - one moved east/southeast through Marquette, Green Lake, Fond du Lac, and Washington Counties, spinning up 5 separate tornadoes, dumping hail stones up to 3 inches in diameter, and hurricane-force downburst winds. The large hail dented several vehicles. Two of these were rated F3. Refer to the individual tornado reports for more details. A more southerly supercell tracked across extreme southern Sauk County and then made a partial right turn and headed southeast through Dane County, spinning up 2 tornadoes in the process, as well as large hail and downburst winds. One powerful downburst wind in Madison (Dane Co.) blew equipment off the roof of a business at the Midvale Shopping Mall. A semi southwest of Ft. Atkinson was blown over by straight-line wind gusts. This southern supercell eventually spun up another tornado in south-central Jefferson County which moved into north-central Walworth County. Refer to the individual tornado reports for more details. Both supercells had downbursts that generated large hail and powerful, hurricane-force winds north and south of their tracks. Over all of Wisconsin, 16 tornadoes were documented on June 23rd, which is the 4th highest single-day total (record is 24 on May 8, 1988). For south-central and southeast Wisconsin, the 8 tornadoes on June 23rd was tied for the 4th highest single-day total (record is 11 on May 8, 1988).
49.92004-06-23343°38'N / 88°51'W43°38'N / 88°44'W7.20 Miles400 Yards006.0M700KFond Du Lac
 Brief Description: This tornado was a continuation of the tornado that moved through the southern part of the city of Markesan (Green Lake Co.). It entered Fond du Lac County just south of Lake Maria Road, about 4.7 miles SW of Alto. It moved east-southeast on a line toward Waupun at F3 strength (estimated 175-200 mph), and actually merged with the Lake Maria tornado that moved east out of extreme southeastern Green Lake County. The merger took place just east of a dogleg/bend of Oak Grove Rd., about 2.2 miles SSW of Alto. The civil Town of Alto reported that 19 residential homes had major damage and 1 was destroyed. One business had major damage. Fourteen farms were affected with a tally of 8 ag-buildings/homes with minor damage, 19 with major damage, and 16 destroyed. Crop damage was severe. Public sector damage (roads/bridges) was about $225K. In the city of Waupun (Fond du Lac side), 4 homes had major damage, and roughly 150 had minor roof/siding damage due to severe tree damage. Average path width was about 300 yards. Two rounds of severe weather affected parts of south-central and southeast Wisconsin on June 23rd, with the second round featuring 8 tornadoes, large hail (up to golf-ball size), and powerful straight-line downburst winds. A warm front moving north through the area resulted in favorable vertical wind shear to allow for supercell development. The 1st round of severe weather was due to a broken line of intense thunderstorms moving across Walworth, Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties. Hail of up to 1 inch in diameter and torrential rainfall accompanied these storms before they moved over Lake Michigan and weakened. The 2nd round of severe weather was dominated by 2 cyclic supercells - one moved east/southeast through Marquette, Green Lake, Fond du Lac, and Washington Counties, spinning up 5 separate tornadoes, dumping hail stones up to 3 inches in diameter, and hurricane-force downburst winds. The large hail dented several vehicles. Two of these were rated F3. Refer to the individual tornado reports for more details. A more southerly supercell tracked across extreme southern Sauk County and then made a partial right turn and headed southeast through Dane County, spinning up 2 tornadoes in the process, as well as large hail and downburst winds. One powerful downburst wind in Madison (Dane Co.) blew equipment off the roof of a business at the Midvale Shopping Mall. A semi southwest of Ft. Atkinson was blown over by straight-line wind gusts. This southern supercell eventually spun up another tornado in south-central Jefferson County which moved into north-central Walworth County. Refer to the individual tornado reports for more details. Both supercells had downbursts that generated large hail and powerful, hurricane-force winds north and south of their tracks. Over all of Wisconsin, 16 tornadoes were documented on June 23rd, which is the 4th highest single-day total (record is 24 on May 8, 1988). For south-central and southeast Wisconsin, the 8 tornadoes on June 23rd was tied for the 4th highest single-day total (record is 11 on May 8, 1988).


* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.


 
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