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Tornadoes in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest & central Wisconsin |
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| Background Information | Statistics (1850-Present) | Records (1850-Present) |
| Date | Time | Location | Other Counties Affected |
Length (miles) |
Width (yards) |
Deaths** | Injuries** | EF-Scale | ||
| Month | Day | Year | ||||||||
| 3 | 28 | 2020 | 1935-1941 CST | Potosi 1N to Ellenboro 2WNW | None | EF1 | ||||
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Damage to trees, power lines, and several farm buildings.
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| 6 | 26 | 2018 | 0942-0943 CST | Georgetown 1.5W | None | 0.09 | 10 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
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A brief tornado touched down north of County Road H and east of Quarry Road between Dickeyville and Cuba City. The Grant County Emergency Manager reported no damage with the tornado.
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| 5 | 9 | 2018 | 1231-1233 CST | Fennimore 3.5N to Homer 3.2S | None | 1.55 | 70 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
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A brief EF-0 tornado touched down near Fennimore (Grant County) as scattered thunderstorms moved across the area. The tornado touched down outside of Fennimore along Golf Road. The tornado was only on the ground for a couple of minutes but damaged a machine shed, barn, trees and blew windows out of a house. This tornado caused $25,000 in property damage. More information on this tornado can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/arx/may0918
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| 6 | 29 | 2014 | 2100-2111 CST | 1.4 NNE Fennimore to 2.5 W Centerville | None | 8.18 | 600 | 0 | 0 | EF1 |
| A tornado touched down 2 miles northeast of Fennimore and skipped along an east path to 3 miles northwest of Montfort. The tornado damaged several mature hardwood trees, several outbuildings. The tornado was rated an EF1 with a maximum estimated winds of 110 mph. Total path length was 8.2 miles and maximum width of the tornado was 600 yards. This caused $410,000 in property damage and and 6,000 in crop damage. More information on this tornado can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/arx/jun2914 | ||||||||||
| 6 | 16 | 2014 | 2149-2150 CST | 1.6 NNE Platteville to 1.7 NNE Platteville | None | 0.49 | 25 | 0 | 0 | EF1 |
| A second tornado (EF1) hit the northeast corner of Platteville, near the Golf and Country Club. The track was about 1/2 mile long with a 50 yard width. Damageincluded some trees knocked down and a roof off an apartment building. This tornado caused $540,000 in property damage and $1,000 in crop damage. More information on this tornado can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/arx/jun1614 | ||||||||||
| 6 | 16 | 2014 | 2145-2150 CST | 2 WNW Platteville to 1.7 ESE Platteville | None | 3.76 | 100 | 0 | 5 | EF2 |
| A tornado formed along a squall line west of Platteville, just south of County Road B, and traveled through Memorial Park on to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus. Five people were injured, one of them seriously. There was extensive damage done to 5 buildings and the satdium on campus. Roofs of 2 new residential halls were partially destroyed and a third residential hall was also damaged along with one academic building. Two large lighting structures at the football stadium were knocked over, with one crashing across the bleachers causing the concrete foundation underneath the bleachers to be substantially moved. Damage continued into nearby homes and businessesas the tornado tracked across Business Highway 151. The top level of a split level home was ripped off one house, another house lost part of a roof and a porch while several other homes had windows blown out and trees knocked down. A gas station/convenience store was leveled by the tornado where it also ripped a pump out of the ground and blew over a semi. Numerous other businesses and vehicles suffered blown out windows. After hitting a cementery on the south side of town, the tornado dissipated just before reaching U.S. Highway 151 southeast of town. A total of 12 homes were destroyed with another 20 damaged. The tornado caused $11.5 million in property damage and $2,000 in crop damage. More information on this tornado can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/arx/jun1614 | ||||||||||
| 5 | 29 | 2013 | 1646-1654 CST | 0.6 ESE Garnavillo to 1 SE Wyalusing | Clayton | 6.38 (1.56 miles in Grant County) |
200 Clayton 10 Grant |
0 | 0 | EF0 |
| This tornado initially touched down in Clayton County where it damaged a pole barn and knocked down numerous trees from east of Garnavillo to the Wisconsin stateline. It then crossed the Mississippi River and it went through a campground north of Bagley before dissipating. This tornado cauused $20,000 in property damage (all in Clayton County). | ||||||||||
| 9 | 4 | 2012 | 1837-1843 CST | 1.9 SW Patch Grove to 2 SSW Patch Grove | None | 0.72 | 75 | 0 | 0 | EF2 |
| A slow moving tornado formed on the edge of a passing severe thunderstorm between Patch Grove and Bloomington. The tornado was mainly confined to one landowner near Hickory and Maine roads in rural Grant County. Several outbuildings, a barn, and the home were demolished or heavily damaged. Trees on the property were also sheared off or blown over. Considering the roof was torn off and several walls were down or damaged, the tornado was rated an EF2, but it is possible the slow movement allowed the tornado to remain nearly stationary long enough to cause worse damage. Interviews by local residents and video suggests the tornado may have moved to the northwest at times as well. The tornado cause $420,000 in property damage and $8,000 in crop damage. More information on this tornado can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/arx/sep0412 | ||||||||||
| 4 | 26 | 2009 | 1745-1746 CST | Tennyson 2.6 ENE to Tennyson 2.8 ENE | None | 0.13 | 15 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
| A trained spotter witnessed a brief touch down of a tornado five miles north of Dickeyville in an open field with no damage. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 12 | 2008 | 1329-1330 CST | Union 0.6 NE | None | 0.25 | 50 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
| A brief tornado touched down 0.6 miles northeast of Union, or 0.2 miles north of the intersection of Town Hall Road and County Road AD. Winds were estimated at 70 to 80 mph. An enhanced area of tree damage occurred, with a few 18 inch diameter pines snapped off 15 feet above the ground. A nearby residence sustained little damage, although power lines were downed. Property damage was estimated at $3,000 and crop damage was estimated at $10,000. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 7 | 2008 | 1252-1253 CST | Millville 2.6 NE to Millville 2.9 NE | None | 0.1 | 30 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
| A tornado touched down in Grant County across the Wisconsin River from Wauzeka, WI (Crawford County). The tornado touch down was brief, as witnessed by a Grant County sheriff, and in a fairly remote area of Wisconsin DNR managed land. The touch down was about 1.8 miles south of Wauzeka in northern Grant County at 1:52 p.m. CDT. The tornado was recorded as an EF0 intensity (65 to 85 mph winds). This supercell thunderstorm continued to produce funnels on its track east along the Wisconsin River through Boscobel and Muscoda (Grant County). No additional tornadoes were confirmed however. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 3 | 2007 | 1440-1442 CST | Tennyson 2S | None | 0.25 | 30 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
| A small tornado touched down briefly between Dickeyville and the Tennyson area, but no damage was reported. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 3 | 2007 | 1430-1432 CST | Potosi | None | 0.2 | 20 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
| A small tornado touched down briefly in Potosi, causing minor structural damage to the roof of a shed. Damage was estimated at $1,000. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 3 | 2007 | 1422-1424 CST | Potosi 2 SE | None | 0.25 | 30 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
| A small tornado touched down briefly near Highway 61 and 35 just southeast of Potosi, causing some minor tree and crop damage. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 26 | 2007 | 1715-1716 CST | Cuba City 2 NW | None | 0.3 | 40 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
| A tornado briefly down briefly in an open field near Cuba City. Storm spotters also reported a funnel cloud near Potosi. | ||||||||||
| 3 | 31 | 2007 | 1718-1719 CST | Potosi 2.1 ENE | None | 0.25 | 50 | 0 | 0 | EF0 |
| A weak tornado briefly touched down in Potosi, toppling a few trees and causing minor damage to some buildings. Damage was estimated at $6,000. | ||||||||||
| 8 | 18 | 2005 | 1540-1550 CST | Muscoda to Orion 2NE | Richland | 4 | 30 (Grant) 25 (Richland) |
0 | 0 | F1 (Grant) F0 (Richland) |
| This was fourth of 27 tornadoes to touch down in Wisconsin on this date (a single day record for the state). This 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. This tornado was $200,000 in property damage ($100,000 in both Grant and Richland Counties) and $45,000 in crop damage ($20,000 in Grant County and $25,000 in Richland County). | ||||||||||
| 6 | 18 | 1998 | 1610-1612 CST | Lancaster | None | 0.1 | 35 | 0 | 1 | F0 |
| Several homes were damaged and hundreds of trees were knocked down. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 16 | 1996 | 1900-1905 CST | Bagley 2NW | None | 2 | 30 | 0 | 0 | F0 |
| Local law enforcement officials reported a tornado touched down near the town of Bagley on the Mississippi River. | ||||||||||
| 7 | 4 | 1994 | 1235 CST | Dickeyville | None | 3 | 300 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| Five homes, two sheds, and two farms were damaged with damage estimated at $200,000. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 12 | 1994 | 2342 CST | Patch Grove 1 NE to Mt. Hope 1S | None | 5 | 300 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| This tornado moved east and ripped a roof from a large hay barn, threw over a grain elevator, damaged several homes and leveled numerous three and power lines. | ||||||||||
| 7 | 8 | 1993 | 2310 CST | Platteville 3N | None | 0.5 | 75 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| Three houses, two barns, and two sheds were damaged. Trees were blown down as well. | ||||||||||
| 7 | 8 | 1993 | 2230 CST | Beetown 1E | None | 0.25 | 50 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A mobile home, car, pole shed, and nearby trees were damaged. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 19 | 1993 | 1622 CST | Georgetown 1NE | None | 1 | 50 | 0 | 0 | F0 |
| Minor tree damage was reported, and power lines were knocked down. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 19 | 1993 | 1621 CST | Platteville 3S | None | 0.1 | 25 | 0 | 0 | F0 |
| Minor tree damage was reported, and power lines were knocked down. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 19 | 1993 | 1612-1616 CST | Sinsinawa 1W to Sinsinawa 1N | None | 2 | 75 | 0 | 0 | F0 |
| Minor tree damage was reported, and power lines were knocked down. | ||||||||||
| 4 | 8 | 1991 | 1519 CST | Bloomington 1.5S | None | 0.75 | 25 | 0 | 0 | F0 |
| A gravity box was tipped over. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 8 | 1988 | 1515-1521 CST | Boscobel 2NE to Blue River | None | 1.2 | 30 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| 5 | 8 | 1988 | 1515-1525 CST | Stitzer 2ENE to Montfort 2NW | None | 7.5 | 200 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| 5 | 8 | 1988 | 1500 CST | Union 2SSE | None | 0.5 | 35 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| 5 | 8 | 1988 | 1455-1507 CST | Mount Hope 1NE to Fennimore 2NW | None | 10 | 40 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| Four homes were damaged, and two barns, several farm buildings and many trees were downed. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 8 | 1988 | 1454-1506 CST | Mount Ida 6SW to Mount Ida 4NE | None | 10 | 40 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| 5 | 8 | 1988 | 1452 CST | Beetown 1NE | None | 1.5 | 30 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| 5 | 8 | 1988 | 1448 CST | Rockville | None | 0.5 | 25 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| Grant County was visited by 7 tornadoes causing $500,000 in damages. Small tornadoes damaged some farm buildings and trees near Beetown, Union, Boscobel, and Rockville. A tornado path over 7 miles long between Stitzer and Montfort damaged mainly trees along with a few farm buildings. A tornado around Mount Ida damaged 2 homes, destroyed farm buildings, and uprooted trees. Another tornado with a 10 mile long track between Mount Hope and Fennimore damaged 4 homes, downed 2 barns, and several farm buildings and trees. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 30 | 1985 | 2250-2330 CST | Livingston 1NW to Dodgeville 2N | None | 16 | 500 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| The tornado caused over $100,000 worth of damage to area farms north of Livingston. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 30 | 1985 | 2122-2245 CST | Elkader 6W to Mt. Hope 2S | Clayton (IA) | 33 | 1500 | 2 | 27 | F3 |
| A tornado touched down west of Elkader and tracked east-northeast at about 45 mph. While the tornado did miss the town of Elkader (Clayton County), it did hit the County Care Facility and killed two residents. More than 20 farmsteads were also struck, with significant damage to dwellings, farm buildings, machinery, livestock, and crops. Total damage in Clayton County alone was estimated at $9,000,000, including $1,500,000 at the care facility alone. The tornado crossed the Mississippi River near Bagley and continued for another 11 miles south of Patch Grove, north of Bloomington, to just south of Mt.Hope. An elderly woman and her son were injured just northeast of Bagley when their farmhouse was leveled. Nearly $2,000,000 in damage occurred to 17 homes and 45 farm buildings. Numerous trees, including a 100 year old stand of pine trees, were leveled or twisted. Even when the tornado lifted, damaging wind hit the townships of North Lancaster and Liberty, as well as the town of Stitzer. There were 2 deaths and 25 injuries in Clayton County, and 2 injuries in Grant County. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 30 | 1983 | 2240 CST | Lancaster 12W | None | 0.1 | 80 | 0 | 0 | F0 |
| Reported by the public; there was no damage. | ||||||||||
| 8 | 19 | 1980 | 0330 CST | Livingston 3W | None | 0.8 | ? | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A tornado touched down on County Highway E, about 3 miles west of Livingston, then moved northeast. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 26 | 1973 | 1800-1841 CST | Muscoda to Sauk City | Iowa Sauk |
24 | 50 | 0 | 2 | F1 |
| A small tornado touched down at Muscoda. The tornado then followed the Wisconsin River Valley reaching the Spring Green area at 1835 CST and then travelled alog Highway 60 toward Sauk City. | ||||||||||
| 9 | 28 | 1972 | 1530 CST | Hazel Green | None | 3.3 | 50 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A weak (F1) tornado leveled trees in Hazel Green (Grant County) near the intersection of Highways 80 and 11. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 1 | 1972 | 1900 CST | Lancaster | None | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | F0 |
| A small tornado touched down briefly in Lancaster. Witnesses heard a whooshing sound of a tornado during a calm period between showers. | ||||||||||
| 10 | 30 | 1971 | 2100 CST | Platteville 5N | None | 0.5 | 50 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| 9 | 9 | 1971 | 1350 CST | Lancaster 3S | None | 1 | 50 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A small tornado touched down briefly 3 miles south of Lancaster | ||||||||||
| 6 | 24 | 1971 | 1845 CST | Bagley to Bloomington | None | 34.2 | 50 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A skipping tornado moved east-southeast from Bagley towards Bloomington. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 7 | 1971 | 0105 CST | Between Bagley and Wyalusing | None | 4.3 | 100 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A tornado moved northeast between Bagley and Wyalusing. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 18 | 1971 | 2230 CST | Hazel Green 5W | None | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A tornado touched down briefly 5 miles west of Hazel Green. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 18 | 1971 | 2002 CST | Lancaster 7SW | None | 2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A tornado touched down briefly 7 miles southwest of Lancaster. | ||||||||||
| 9 | 9 | 1970 | 1840 CST | Dubuque area to just east of Dickeyville | None | 7.8 | 200 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| 9 | 9 | 1970 | 1715 CST | Tennyson 1E to Leslie 1NW | Lafayette | 13 | 200 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| Ten homes and a church were destroyed or severely damaged in Platteville. A trailer was destroyed and some homes were unroofed. This tornado moved northeast into Lafayette County. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 29 | 1969 | 1630 CST | Lancaster 6S | None | ? | ? | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A tornado touched down 6 miles south of Lancaster. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 26 | 1969 | 0900 CST | Fennimore 3E | None | 2 | 100 | 0 | 2 | F2 |
| A barn collapsed, injuring two people. Other farm buildings were destroyed as this tornado moved northeast. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 4 | 1969 | 1345 CST | Union 3W to Darlington 1N | None | 25 | 200 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| Barns and other buildings were destroyed or damaged on 20 farms from Union to Belmont. Only the shell of one house remained. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 4 | 1969 | 1300 CST | Cassville 4N to Cassville 5ENE | Lafayette | 5 | 50 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| Over 30 head of cattle were killed when a barn collapsed. Buildings on three farms were destroyed. The funnel dissipated after crossing Highway 81. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 31 | 1969 | 1300 CST | Bagley to Mount Hope | None | 16 | 50 | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| A tornado travelling northeast touched down at several places from near Bagley on the Mississippi River to Mount Hope. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 7 | 1967 | 1800 CST | Bloomington | None | 0.3 | 75 | 0 | 0 | F0 |
| A brief touch down near Bloomington. | ||||||||||
| 7 | 13 | 1966 | 1500 CST | Platteville | None | 2.7 | 200 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| A tornado moving northeast dipped down briefly in Platteville | ||||||||||
| 5 | 19 | 1959 | 1715 CST | Bloomington 6S to Lancaster 5W | None | 5 | 200 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| A barn and a few sheds were leveled. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 25 | 1957 | 1630 CST | Bloomington to Fennimore | None | 15.6 | 40 | 0 | 0 | F2 |
| 4 | 26 | 1954 | 1600 CST | North of Andover | None | 1.3 | ? | 0 | 0 | F1 |
| 7 | 29 | 1948 | 1715 CST | Lancaster 9E | None | 2 | 50 | 1 | 1 | F2 |
| Two farms were hit, and one barn destroyed as this tornado tracked northeast. One man was killed in the barn and another was injured. Total damage estimates were $25,000. | ||||||||||
| 6 | 22 | 1944 | 1900 CST | Fennimore to Freeport 10ENE (IL) | Lafyette Stephenson (IL) |
80 | 800 | 9 | 78 | F4 |
| Moved southeast from near Fennimore into northern Illinois. Seven people were killed and 65 were injured in Grant County with $1 million in damage. The people were killed in three homes, all in the Belmont area of Lafayette County. Four people died in town and three in a single farm house southeast of town. About 25 homes and 60 barns were destroyed. Most of the injuries occurred at the south edge of Belmont, as 16 homes were destroyed. In Illinois, 66 farms lost barns and 21 homes were destroyed. One man was killed in a trailer near Winslow (IL), and a woman was killed as her home was leveled 3 miles northeast of Cedarville. Hundreds of livestock were killed in both states. Total damage was estimated at $2 million. | ||||||||||
| 9 | 3 | 1941 | 1730 CST | Millville 2E | Clayton | 5 | 30 | 0 | 1 | F2 |
| A tornado formed east of Millville in Clayton County Iowa, and moved northeast into Grant County Wisconsin near Cassville. Water was raised 60 feet in the air as the funnel crossed the Mississippi River into Wisconsin. A child was injured as a home was unroofed and overturned in Grant County, Wisconsin. | ||||||||||
| 5 | 21 | 1918 | 1815 CST | Elkport 4SW to Baraboo | Clayton Iowa Richland Sauk |
80 | 400 | 8 | 100 | F4 |
| One of the largest tornadoes during an outbreak of 19 in Iowa, this tornado touched down in Clayton County, Iowa and didn't lift until it hit Sauk County, Wisconsin, some 80 miles east-northeast. After causing extensive damage in Guttenberg, IA, the tornado crossed the Mississippi River 1 mile south of Glen Haven. Farms were lightly damaged in Grant County as the tornado probably lifted and re-formed. | ||||||||||
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| During the afternoon, a severe tornado leveled several barns, wind mills, fences, and telegraph poles; and unroofed houses as it moved from Platteville to Livingston in eastern Grant County. No loss of life was reported. | ||||||||||
| 3 | 10 | 1876 | 1630 CST | Hazel Green | None | 5 | 200 | 9 | 50 | F3 |
| "A solid mass of heavy rubbish" moved east northeast across Hazel Green destroying a large part of the town. Parts of a church steeple were carried more than 3 miles. Several people were "crushed beyond recognition" in their homes. Two children were carried 400 yards and set down. They were badly bruised, but they were alive. It was reported that two horses were carried to a height of 60 feet and set down 600 yards from their former site of the barn "unbruised but stone dead 20 feet apart". The village hearse was "carried off" and a coffin handle was found eight miles to the northeast. Southwest of Hazel Green "a furrow 600 feet long, 4 feet wide, and several feet deep was plowed." Newspapers reported that "Hazel Green will never be resurrected....23 homes (were) ground finer than grist from the mills of the Gods." During the 3 years prior, Hazel Green had weathered several damaging wind storms, a nitro-glycerine explosion, and a plague of scarlet fever. | ||||||||||
| * The data in this table came from Storm Data, Significant Tornadoes--1680-1991 by Thomas P. Grazulis, and Wisconsin Tornado Database 1950-2000 Geographic Techniques Report No. ST-WTDB01. ** Injuries and Deaths are for the entire tornado track. |
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Last Updated Sunday, April 26, 2020 - Jeff Boyne
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