Iowa County Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Wisconsin Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in Iowa County is about the same as Wisconsin average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in Iowa County is higher than Wisconsin average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #12
| Iowa County | 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, #1
| Iowa County | 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, #14
| Iowa County | 183.34 |
| 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 13,854 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of Iowa County were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 54 | Cold: | 193 | Dense Fog: | 158 | Drought: | 91 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 1,135 | Hail: | 3,733 | Heat: | 105 | Heavy Snow: | 251 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 81 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 226 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 6,187 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 14 | Winter Storm: | 440 | Winter Weather: | 223 |
| Other: | 963 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near Iowa County.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Iowa County.
No historical earthquake events found in or near Iowa County.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 77 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Iowa County.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 2.4 | 1983-07-03 | 4 | 42°58'N / 90°08'W | 0.50 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Iowa | |
| 6.7 | 1965-05-15 | 2 | 42°55'N / 90°04'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Iowa | |
| 7.2 | 1955-04-18 | 2 | 42°50'N / 90°08'W | 43°02'N / 89°55'W | 17.30 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Iowa |
| 7.7 | 1985-05-30 | 2 | 42°55'N / 90°25'W | 43°00'N / 90°08'W | 14.20 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Iowa |
| 11.1 | 1956-04-03 | 2 | 43°06'N / 90°15'W | 43°09'N / 90°18'W | 3.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Iowa |
| 11.5 | 1984-06-07 | 5 | 42°58'N / 89°59'W | 43°05'N / 89°50'W | 10.00 Miles | 450 Yards | 9 | 200 | 250K | 0 | Iowa |
| 11.9 | 1984-06-07 | 2 | 42°48'N / 90°14'W | 42°52'N / 90°09'W | 5.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Iowa |
| 13.8 | 1954-04-07 | 2 | 43°08'N / 90°23'W | 43°10'N / 90°15'W | 6.40 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 4 | 25K | 0 | Iowa |
| 16.2 | 1985-05-30 | 2 | 42°55'N / 90°27'W | 42°55'N / 90°25'W | 1.80 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 16.7 | 1969-06-29 | 2 | 42°54'N / 89°52'W | 42°56'N / 89°47'W | 3.80 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Iowa |
| 17.9 | 1984-06-07 | 2 | 42°44'N / 90°20'W | 42°48'N / 90°14'W | 6.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Lafayette |
| 19.1 | 1958-05-31 | 2 | 42°43'N / 90°09'W | 42°44'N / 90°06'W | 1.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Lafayette |
| 19.3 | 1969-06-04 | 2 | 42°50'N / 90°34'W | 42°42'N / 90°07'W | 24.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 19.8 | 1965-04-11 | 4 | 42°52'N / 90°35'W | 43°10'N / 90°28'W | 21.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Clinton |
| 20.0 | 1988-05-08 | 2 | 42°56'N / 90°35'W | 42°59'N / 90°28'W | 7.50 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 22.8 | 1969-06-26 | 2 | 42°58'N / 90°35'W | 2.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Grant | |
| 23.4 | 1963-09-02 | 2 | 42°43'N / 89°59'W | 42°43'N / 89°47'W | 9.90 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Lafayette |
| 24.0 | 1998-05-15 | 2 | 42°33'N / 90°24'W | 42°48'N / 90°12'W | 20.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 11 | 1.7M | 140K | Lafayette |
| Brief Description: A supercell thunderstorm, after dropping a couple tornadoes in northeast Iowa, eventually moved northeast into Lafayette county, creating another tornado. This tornado touched down just southwest of Benton and hopped/skipped northeast for 20 miles. It caused moderate to severe damage to 40 different farms and their outbuildings, and homes. Numerous power lines were downed. Eleven people were injured: 2 children near Cuba city, 3 children southwest of Truman, and 6 adults in a vehicle on Highway 81 south of Benton. Several farm fields sustained damage. After the F2 tornado tore through Lafayette county a series of severe thunderstorms pummeled southcentral and southeast Wisconsin with numerous reports of tree limb damage and trees downed, which in turn downed a few power lines. The highest reported wind gust was 65 mph near Reedsburg (Sauk Co.). Other notable damage included roofs and doors ripped off of buildings in Mayville (Dodge Co.) and a deck ripped off a house in Ripon (Fond du Lac Co.) where several cars where also damaged by felled trees. | |||||||||||
| 24.3 | 1988-05-08 | 3 | 42°35'N / 90°14'W | 42°43'N / 89°58'W | 16.00 Miles | 123 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Lafayette |
| 24.3 | 1964-09-03 | 3 | 43°12'N / 90°38'W | 43°18'N / 90°19'W | 17.10 Miles | 800 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Richland |
| 25.4 | 1966-07-13 | 2 | 42°43'N / 90°30'W | 42°44'N / 90°26'W | 2.70 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 26.0 | 1969-06-29 | 2 | 42°36'N / 90°14'W | 42°39'N / 90°02'W | 10.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Lafayette |
| 26.3 | 1984-06-07 | 5 | 43°05'N / 89°50'W | 43°17'N / 89°31'W | 26.00 Miles | 450 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Columbia |
| 26.5 | 1985-05-30 | 2 | 42°55'N / 89°49'W | 42°57'N / 89°25'W | 21.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dane |
| 26.8 | 1963-09-02 | 2 | 43°10'N / 89°53'W | 43°11'N / 89°26'W | 22.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 1 | 0K | 0 | Iowa |
| 27.1 | 1970-09-09 | 2 | 42°41'N / 90°40'W | 42°47'N / 90°23'W | 15.70 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 28.7 | 1989-06-26 | 2 | 43°25'N / 90°07'W | 0.30 Mile | 73 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Sauk | |
| 29.3 | 1988-05-08 | 2 | 43°17'N / 90°27'W | 43°31'N / 90°13'W | 20.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Richland |
| 30.1 | 2005-08-18 | 2 | 43°22'N / 89°54'W | 43°21'N / 89°41'W | 11.10 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 600K | 20K | Sauk |
| Brief Description: This tornado spun up from the same supercell thunderstorm that spawned the "Viola" tornado earlier in Vernon and Richland counties. This Sauk County tornado spun up at 1633CST about 3.6 miles northeast of Leland, or about 1/4 mile south of the intersection of Ruff and Pine Hollow Roads. The tornado headed east-southeast for about 11.1 miles in Sauk County, and crossed the Columbia County line at 1655CST about 4.5 miles north-northeast of Prairie du Sac, between Wiegans Bay and a boat launch site. This tornado crossed CTH C about 0.5 mile west of Stones Pocket Road, and moved through old Badger Ammunition Plant just south of the greatest density of roads within the Plant grounds. This rain-wrapped tornado was video taped and photographed, and damaged many structures, trees, and power-lines. As for residential buildings, 10 received minor damage, 1 had major damage, and one was destroyed. One business building had minor damage. As for agricultural buildings, 5 received minor damage, and 6 were destroyed. This tornado was rated an F2 with estimated winds of 98-136 knots (113-157 mph). Average path width was about 150 yards. The largest single-day tornado outbreak in Wisconsin recorded history for south-central and southeast Wisconsin occurred on August 18, 2005. Sixteen tornadoes were documented on this day in south-central and southeast Wisconsin, a new single-day record. A line of supercells developed and pushed across south-central Wisconsin during the afternoon hours, and then pushed east across southeast Wisconsin during the evening hours. Most of the tornadoes were associated with two supercells. One main supercell tracked across Sauk County and then into Columbia, producing one F0 and one F2 tornado. The F2 tornado crossed into Columbia County. Another main supercell produced an F3 tornado that devastated the area north of city of Stoughton (Dane Co.), and a weaker F1 tornado just south of the city of Rockdale (Dane Co.). This supercell then tracked into southwestern Jefferson County a short time later, producing two F0 tornadoes and four F1 tornadoes. The sixteen (16) tornadoes contributed largely to both the new state record of 27 tornadoes on a single day, and 62 tornadoes for a calendar year. In additiion, there were scattered reports of funnel clouds, damaging straight-line, downburst winds, and large hail across south-central and southeast Wisconsin. The total direct damage estimate for the afternoon and evening tornado and severe weather outbreak in south-central and southeast Wisconsin on August 18th was about $36.6 M ($35.7 property and $948 K crop). Additional indirect costs totaled almost $1.9 M, resulting in a total direct and direct cost of about $38.5 M. Synoptically, a surface low pressure system was located over extreme southeast Minnesota early in the afternoon. A warm front extended east southeast from the low with dew points pooling in the lower 70s along it. The surface low moved east into east central Wisconsin by 2100CST that evening. Favorable wind shear associated with the warm front, combined with the strong instability supplied by the heat and humidity, helped to produce numerous tornadic supercells. | |||||||||||
| 32.0 | 1988-05-08 | 2 | 42°59'N / 90°51'W | 43°00'N / 90°41'W | 10.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 32.3 | 1994-07-04 | 2 | 43°18'N / 89°45'W | 43°22'N / 89°37'W | 8.00 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 5.0M | 500K | Sauk |
| 32.6 | 1957-05-25 | 2 | 42°54'N / 90°55'W | 43°00'N / 90°38'W | 15.60 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Grant |
| 33.2 | 1963-08-16 | 3 | 43°18'N / 89°43'W | 43°18'N / 89°31'W | 9.60 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 13 | 250K | 0 | Columbia |
| 33.2 | 1963-08-16 | 3 | 43°18'N / 89°43'W | 43°18'N / 89°31'W | 9.60 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 13 | 250K | 0 | Columbia |
| 33.2 | 1963-08-16 | 3 | 43°18'N / 89°43'W | 43°18'N / 89°31'W | 9.60 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 13 | 250K | 0 | Columbia |
| 33.3 | 1967-04-16 | 3 | 42°31'N / 89°56'W | 42°45'N / 89°29'W | 27.80 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Lafayette |
| 33.7 | 1959-05-19 | 2 | 42°48'N / 90°48'W | 42°50'N / 90°42'W | 4.90 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Grant |
| 33.7 | 1951-07-03 | 2 | 43°29'N / 90°14'W | 0.50 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Richland | |
| 33.8 | 1955-04-18 | 2 | 42°53'N / 89°35'W | 42°51'N / 89°24'W | 9.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dane |
| 35.0 | 2005-08-18 | 2 | 43°21'N / 89°41'W | 43°19'N / 89°32'W | 3.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 10K | 10K | Columbia |
| Brief Description: This tornado was a continuation of the "Leland" F2 Sauk County tornado that passed through the Badger Ammunition Plant grounds. It crossed into Columbia County from Sauk County at 1655CST about 5.4 miles west of Okee, or 1.2 miles northwest of the intersection of Gastrow Road and STH 188. This tornado headed east-southeast for 3.4 miles, while weakening, and ended at 1703CST about 3.2 miles southeast of Okee, or 0.2 mile southeast of the intersection of CTH J and Occonor Road. Some tree, power-line, and crop damage was noted, resulting in a F1 damage rating in Columbia County. Average path width was about 125 yards. The largest single-day tornado outbreak in Wisconsin recorded history for south-central and southeast Wisconsin occurred on August 18, 2005. Sixteen tornadoes were documented on this day in south-central and southeast Wisconsin, a new single-day record. A line of supercells developed and pushed across south-central Wisconsin during the afternoon hours, and then pushed east across southeast Wisconsin during the evening hours. Most of the tornadoes were associated with two supercells. One main supercell tracked across Sauk County and then into Columbia, producing one F0 and one F2 tornado. The F2 tornado crossed into Columbia County. Another main supercell produced an F3 tornado that devastated the area north of city of Stoughton (Dane Co.), and a weaker F1 tornado just south of the city of Rockdale (Dane Co.). This supercell then tracked into southwestern Jefferson County a short time later, producing two F0 tornadoes and four F1 tornadoes. The sixteen (16) tornadoes contributed largely to both the new state record of 27 tornadoes on a single day, and 62 tornadoes for a calendar year. In additiion, there were scattered reports of funnel clouds, damaging straight-line, downburst winds, and large hail across south-central and southeast Wisconsin. The total direct damage estimate for the afternoon and evening tornado and severe weather outbreak in south-central and southeast Wisconsin on August 18th was about $36.6 M ($35.7 property and $948 K crop). Additional indirect costs totaled almost $1.9 M, resulting in a total direct and direct cost of about $38.5 M. Synoptically, a surface low pressure system was located over extreme southeast Minnesota early in the afternoon. A warm front extended east southeast from the low with dew points pooling in the lower 70s along it. The surface low moved east into east central Wisconsin by 2100CST that evening. Favorable wind shear associated with the warm front, combined with the strong instability supplied by the heat and humidity, helped to produce numerous tornadic supercells. | |||||||||||
| 35.2 | 1970-09-09 | 2 | 42°30'N / 90°25'W | 42°32'N / 90°17'W | 6.60 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Lafayette |
| 35.9 | 1967-08-02 | 3 | 43°08'N / 89°27'W | 43°07'N / 89°26'W | 2 | 5 | 25K | 0 | Dane | ||
| 36.6 | 1966-08-15 | 2 | 43°25'N / 90°08'W | 43°34'N / 89°35'W | 29.30 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 1 | 250K | 0 | Sauk |
| 37.2 | 1992-06-17 | 3 | 42°53'N / 89°32'W | 43°01'N / 89°16'W | 16.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 30 | 25.0M | 0 | Dane |
| 37.3 | 1988-05-08 | 2 | 43°10'N / 89°20'W | 43°15'N / 89°34'W | 7.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 1 | 25K | 0 | Dane |
| 37.4 | 1965-05-25 | 2 | 43°32'N / 90°00'W | 0.30 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 8 | 25K | 0 | Sauk | |
| 37.5 | 1979-06-09 | 2 | 42°36'N / 89°38'W | 2.50 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 5 | 250K | 0 | Green | |
| 38.0 | 1976-07-30 | 2 | 43°14'N / 89°27'W | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Dane | |||
| 38.3 | 1954-07-30 | 2 | 43°19'N / 89°35'W | 43°19'N / 89°26'W | 7.10 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Columbia |
| 38.5 | 2005-08-18 | 2 | 43°30'N / 90°40'W | 43°28'N / 90°22'W | 13.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 75K | Richland |
| Brief Description: Six tornadoes affected southwest Wisconsin, which was part of an all-time one day record of 27 tornadoes hitting the state. The first tornado touched down briefly just west of Centerville (Trempealeau County). The only damage reported with this tornado was several trees knocked down just north of Highway 35 along County Road G. A second and stronger tornado occurred just north of County Highway KK, or just west of Esofea (Vernon County). There was tree, agricultural and structural damage. A moblie home, which was on cement blocks, was completely destroyed. The occupant of the mobile home was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Another residence sustained minor damage, with windows blown out, outbuildings destroyed and a car turned 90 degrees. Power poles were snapped, corn was flattened and there was significant tree damage. The third and strongest tornado touched down just west of Liberty (Vernon County), then tracked along a continous path just north of Highway 56, to the northern most block of the town of Viola (Richland County). Three people were reported injured in Viola and almost every tree in the town was damaged or downed. Most homes in the village had at least minor damage, while a few sustained major damage, including roofs blown off. Many garages facing west or southwest were destroyed by the direct impact of the winds. Wind speeds associated with the tornado were estimated at 100 to 120 mph. The tornado path became more sporadic as it moved east of Viola across northern Richland County. The damage path extended from just north of County Highway MM and Highway 56 into Bloom City (Richland County), which apparently took a direct hit from the storm. The tornado continued on an east-southeast track, before lifting just west of Hub City (Richland County). A fourth tornado touched down along County Road N, or just east of the location where Interstate 90 and 94 split in eastern Monroe County. This tornado continued on a 10 mile track into Juneau County, ending just west of the Necedah Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. There was tree, agricultural and structural damage. A home, which was under construction, was completely destroyed. Three other homes sustained minor damage. Corn was flattened and there was significant tree damage as well. A fifth tornado touched down in the town of Muscoda (Grant County) causing minor damage to homes, but knocking down or shearing off numerous trees. This tornado crossed the Wisconsin River into the small community of Orion (Richland County). Several mobile homes were damaged, including several reportedly tossed into the air. Many trees were damaged there as well. The sixth and final tornado briefly touched down near the intersection of Highway 82 and 13 in Adams County. Mobile homes were damaged, along with nearby trees. Richland and Vernon County were declared federal disaster areas. | |||||||||||
| 38.5 | 1969-06-12 | 2 | 42°37'N / 89°35'W | 0.30 Mile | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Green | |
| 39.8 | 1991-03-27 | 2 | 42°50'N / 89°24'W | 42°49'N / 89°22'W | 4.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Green |
| 40.1 | 1968-04-20 | 2 | 43°06'N / 89°21'W | 0.10 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Dane | |
| 40.5 | 1967-06-11 | 2 | 42°24'N / 90°06'W | 42°26'N / 90°01'W | 4.30 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Jo Daviess |
| 41.2 | 1970-09-09 | 3 | 42°30'N / 90°40'W | 42°33'N / 90°35'W | 4.70 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Dubuque |
| 41.5 | 1970-09-09 | 2 | 42°24'N / 90°30'W | 42°30'N / 90°25'W | 7.70 Miles | 70 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Jo Daviess |
| 42.4 | 1964-05-08 | 2 | 43°30'N / 90°40'W | 43°33'N / 90°29'W | 9.30 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Richland |
| 42.7 | 1964-05-08 | 2 | 43°26'N / 90°43'W | 43°30'N / 90°40'W | 4.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Vernon |
| 43.4 | 1966-07-09 | 2 | 42°30'N / 90°40'W | 42°30'N / 90°38'W | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Dubuque | ||
| 43.6 | 1964-05-08 | 2 | 43°33'N / 90°29'W | 43°38'N / 90°24'W | 6.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Richland |
| 43.8 | 1960-11-15 | 2 | 42°47'N / 89°20'W | 42°50'N / 89°17'W | 3.00 Miles | 67 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3K | 0 | Rock |
| 43.9 | 1988-05-08 | 2 | 42°48'N / 89°21'W | 42°51'N / 89°15'W | 5.00 Miles | 173 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Rock |
| 44.1 | 1991-03-27 | 2 | 42°49'N / 89°22'W | 42°51'N / 89°13'W | 7.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Rock |
| 44.2 | 1985-05-30 | 3 | 42°53'N / 91°08'W | 42°56'N / 90°52'W | 14.00 Miles | 1500 Yards | 0 | 2 | 2.5M | 0 | Grant |
| 44.8 | 1979-08-09 | 2 | 43°39'N / 90°19'W | 43°38'N / 90°14'W | 2.70 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Juneau |
| 44.8 | 1967-03-31 | 2 | 43°38'N / 90°11'W | 43°40'N / 90°08'W | 1.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Wood |
| 45.2 | 1969-06-04 | 2 | 42°46'N / 91°00'W | 42°44'N / 90°55'W | 4.10 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Grant |
| 45.4 | 2005-08-18 | 3 | 42°55'N / 89°26'W | 42°56'N / 89°03'W | 17.00 Miles | 600 Yards | 1 | 23 | 34.3M | 750K | Dane |
| Brief Description: A strong and destructive tornado spun up at 1715CST about 2.8 miles southeast of the geographic center of Fitchburg (or 2.0 miles north of center of Oregon), about 400 yards southwest of the intersection of CTH MM and Schnieder Rd. It continued east-southeast to the southern edge of Lake Kegonsa and tore through residential neighborhoods about 1/3 to 1/2 mile north of CTH B (Civil Towns of Dunn and Pleasant Springs, and far-northern Stoughton). It moved over the crossing of CTH A with Interstate 90/39, and stayed close to CTH A to its exit point at 1905CST where CTH A crosses into Jefferson County, about 2.8 miles south-southwest of Rockdale. One person was crushed to death in their basement from fireplace and chimney bricks that crashed through the floor. Twenty-three (23) other people were directly injured. In addition, Emergency Management officials received reports of 2 other indirectly-related deaths associated with this strong tornado. In these two cases, the people were already very ill or suffering from a life-ending disease. Injuries they received during the tornado contributed (secondary) to their death, but were not the primary cause of death, based on medical examiner reports. Consequently, these additional two deaths do not appear in the official death tally in the header strip of this event. Numerous homes, businesses, farm buildings, vehicles, power-lines, trees, and other personal effects were either damaged or destroyed along its path that grew to a maximum width of about 600 yards north of Stoughton. As for residential structures, 220 sustained minor damage, 84 had major damage, and 69 were destroyed. As for business structures, 6 sustained minor damage, 1 had major damage, and 1 was destroyed. As for agricultural structures, 5 sustained minor damage, 5 had major damage, and 40 were destroyed. Total estimated damage amounts (directly-related) for private and public sectors combined was $35.06 M, broken down to $34.31 M in property damage and $750 K in crop losses, for the tornado segment in Dane County. This tornado was probably the 3rd most costly tornado in Wisconsin's recorded history (1996 Oakfield tornado and 1984 Barneveld tornadoes were more costly). The $34.31 M in property damage was broken down to private losses (total of 32.29 M) and public losses (total of $2.02 M), per Emergency Manager reports and NWS estimates. The private losses included a total of $25.45 M for residential structures, $1.29 M for businesses, $4.25 M for agricultural structures, $1.00 M for damage to vehicles, boats, and other personal effects, $200 K to agricultural machinery and tools, and $96 K in public road system damage. The public losses making up part of the $34.31 M consisted of $2.02 M in damage to public utility systems. The $750 K in damage attributed to crop losses occurred on an estimated 1,550 acres of land. Additional monetary costs incurred in the public sector (totaling $1.84 M) which are considered indirectly-related damage expenses, and not included in the "direct" totals listed in the header-strip of this event, include: $1.38 M in debris clearance, $308 K in protective measures, and miscellaneous damage/expenses of $144 K. Therefore, the grand total of direct and indirect damage amounts and expenses attributed to this tornado segment in Dane county totaled about $36.89 M. Just south of the tornado, extending out another mile or so, tree and power-line damage resulted from rear-flank downdraft damage - in some cases south to STH 51. This damage is separate from tornado damage, and isn't included in the numbers in previous sentences. Debris from this tornado was lofted by the parent's updraft and carried downstream to scattered locations in the counties of Jefferson, Waukesha, Milwaukee, Walworth, Racine, and Kenosha. This tornado was extensively photographed and video-taped by storm spotters (amateur radio operators, etc.), storm chasers, and private citizens. On occasions, this tornado displayed multiple-vortex characteristics. Due to partial back-building (to the west-southwest) of the supercell's updraft tower, this tornado moved slowly, and was described by some eyewitnesses and spotters as being nearly stationary at times north of Stoughton. The overall slow movement (supercell moved at 12-17 knots, or 10-15 mph), coupled with structures that were not thoroughly reinforced (based on NWS damage survey), allowed the tornado's cyclonic winds to more severely damage buildings in its path. Consequently, although some of the worst damage resembled what would be left by a F4 tornado for well-built homes, this tornado was rated at the top of the F3 category with estimated winds near 174 knots (200 mph). The F3 category has estimated wind speeds of 137-179 knots (158-206 mph). A sampling of newspaper headlines and personal quotes included: "The Sky Just Exploded," "Hard to Believe There Weren't More Deaths," "New Technology Lowers Tornado Deaths," "Counting Losses, Blessings," "It Was Probably The Most Intense Storm In The Country This Year," "It's a Mess Out Here," and "I've Never Experienced Anything Like This." The tornado cut electrical power for 1700 customers in the Stoughton area. The estimated average path length was about 175 yards. M54PH The largest single-day tornado outbreak in Wisconsin recorded history for south-central and southeast Wisconsin occurred on August 18, 2005. Sixteen tornadoes were documented on this day in south-central and southeast Wisconsin, a new single-day record. A line of supercells developed and pushed across south-central Wisconsin during the afternoon hours, and then pushed east across southeast Wisconsin during the evening hours. Most of the tornadoes were associated with two supercells. One main supercell tracked across Sauk County and then into Columbia, producing one F0 and one F2 tornado. The F2 tornado crossed into Columbia County. Another main supercell produced an F3 tornado that devastated the area north of city of Stoughton (Dane Co.), and a weaker F1 tornado just south of the city of Rockdale (Dane Co.). This supercell then tracked into southwestern Jefferson County a short time later, producing two F0 tornadoes and four F1 tornadoes. The sixteen (16) tornadoes contributed largely to both the new state record of 27 tornadoes on a single day, and 62 tornadoes for a calendar year. In additiion, there were scattered reports of funnel clouds, damaging straight-line, downburst winds, and large hail across south-central and southeast Wisconsin. The total direct damage estimate for the afternoon and evening tornado and severe weather outbreak in south-central and southeast Wisconsin on August 18th was about $36.6 M ($35.7 property and $948 K crop). Additional indirect costs totaled almost $1.9 M, resulting in a total direct and direct cost of about $38.5 M. Synoptically, a surface low pressure system was located over extreme southeast Minnesota early in the afternoon. A warm front extended east southeast from the low with dew points pooling in the lower 70s along it. The surface low moved east into east central Wisconsin by 2100CST that evening. Favorable wind shear associated with the warm front, combined with the strong instability supplied by the heat and humidity, helped to produce numerous tornadic supercells. | |||||||||||
| 45.5 | 1984-06-08 | 2 | 43°15'N / 89°20'W | 43°17'N / 89°17'W | 3.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Dane |
| 45.6 | 2005-08-18 | 2 | 43°31'N / 90°46'W | 43°31'N / 90°38'W | 7.00 Miles | 40 Yards | 0 | 0 | 800K | 194K | Vernon |
| Brief Description: Six tornadoes affected southwest Wisconsin, which was part of an all-time one day record of 27 tornadoes hitting the state. The first tornado touched down briefly just west of Centerville (Trempealeau County). The only damage reported with this tornado was several trees knocked down just north of Highway 35 along County Road G. A second and stronger tornado occurred just north of County Highway KK, or just west of Esofea (Vernon County). There was tree, agricultural and structural damage. A moblie home, which was on cement blocks, was completely destroyed. The occupant of the mobile home was taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Another residence sustained minor damage, with windows blown out, outbuildings destroyed and a car turned 90 degrees. Power poles were snapped, corn was flattened and there was significant tree damage. The third and strongest tornado touched down just west of Liberty (Vernon County), then tracked along a continous path just north of Highway 56, to the northern most block of the town of Viola (Richland County). Three people were reported injured in Viola and almost every tree in the town was damaged or downed. Most homes in the village had at least minor damage, while a few sustained major damage, including roofs blown off. Many garages facing west or southwest were destroyed by the direct impact of the winds. Wind speeds associated with the tornado were estimated at 100 to 120 mph. The tornado path became more sporadic as it moved east of Viola across northern Richland County. The damage path extended from just north of County Highway MM and Highway 56 into Bloom City (Richland County), which apparently took a direct hit from the storm. The tornado continued on an east-southeast track, before lifting just west of Hub City (Richland County). A fourth tornado touched down along County Road N, or just east of the location where Interstate 90 and 94 split in eastern Monroe County. This tornado continued on a 10 mile track into Juneau County, ending just west of the Necedah Wildlife Refuge Headquarters. There was tree, agricultural and structural damage. A home, which was under construction, was completely destroyed. Three other homes sustained minor damage. Corn was flattened and there was significant tree damage as well. A fifth tornado touched down in the town of Muscoda (Grant County) causing minor damage to homes, but knocking down or shearing off numerous trees. This tornado crossed the Wisconsin River into the small community of Orion (Richland County). Several mobile homes were damaged, including several reportedly tossed into the air. Many trees were damaged there as well. The sixth and final tornado briefly touched down near the intersection of Highway 82 and 13 in Adams County. Mobile homes were damaged, along with nearby trees. Richland and Vernon County were declared federal disaster areas. | |||||||||||
| 46.0 | 1979-08-09 | 2 | 43°39'N / 90°22'W | 43°39'N / 90°19'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Vernon | ||
| 46.6 | 1981-06-15 | 2 | 43°05'N / 89°13'W | 1.00 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dane | |
| 46.9 | 1967-06-11 | 2 | 43°11'N / 89°16'W | 43°12'N / 89°13'W | 1.30 Miles | 10 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Dane |
| 47.6 | 1980-06-05 | 2 | 43°43'N / 91°03'W | 42°42'N / 91°01'W | 70.20 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Vernon |
| 48.3 | 1966-04-19 | 2 | 43°38'N / 90°20'W | 43°45'N / 90°15'W | 8.60 Miles | 17 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Vernon |
| 49.7 | 1964-05-04 | 2 | 43°15'N / 91°04'W | 43°25'N / 90°57'W | 12.60 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 2 | 250K | 0 | Crawford |
| 49.9 | 1984-06-08 | 2 | 43°20'N / 89°22'W | 43°27'N / 89°14'W | 16.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Columbia |
* 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.