Overview
Hot and humid conditions set the stage for a round of severe thunderstorms that developed during the evening of Friday, July 28, 2023. There were two areas of storm development: one that initiated near the Twin Cities and another over northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin. A few intense supercells produced very large hail of 2 to 4 inches in diameter in the Medford, Galesville, Holmen, and West Salem, Wisconsin areas, along with some damaging winds. The storms eventually merged into bowing segments that produced more widespread wind damage along the Highway 21 corridor in west-central and central Wisconsin. Lone Rock, Wisconsin also sustained substantial wind damage with a 77 mph wind gust measured at the Lone Rock Tri-County Airport. |
Photos:
Tennis Ball Size Hail West Salem, WI (anonymous) |
Tree Damage West Salem, WI (anonymous) |
Departing Severe Thunderstorm West Salem, WI (anonymous) |
Large Hail Town of Hamilton, WI (Mary Leske) |
Large Hail West Salem, WI (Fred Hill) |
Hail Damage to Vehicle West Salem, WI (Fred Hill) |
Departing Storms and Mammatus Clouds NWS La Crosse, WI (Mike Kurz) |
Wind Damage West Salem, WI (Brandon Phillips) |
Baseball Size Hail West Salem, WI (Todd Hammes, Jr.) |
Wind Damage Warrens, WI (Monroe County EM) |
Baseball to Softball Size Hail Between West Salem/Bangor, WI (Natalie Elskamp) |
2-inch Hail Medford, WI (Lisa Maglio) |
Large Hail Medford, WI (Tracy Swedlund) |
Wind Damage Monroe Center, WI (Kathleen Specht) |
Baseball Size Hail Galesville, WI (Brenda Redsten) |
Large hail Platteville, WI (Dana Priebusch) |
Tree damage I-94/Warrens, WI (NWS Survey) |
Tree damage McMullen County Park (NWS Survey) |
Large hail northern La Crosse Co. (Joe Langeberg) |
Radar:
KARX volumetric radar scan of the supercell that produced hail up to tennis ball size near Medford, WI. | KMKX volumetric radar scan of the supercell that produced hail up to 4" in diameter over La Crosse County. | Supercell produced an intense wind core just above ground level approaching Onalaska, WI. | Bow echo impacting Juneau and Adams counties produced widespread wind damage. |
Storm Reports
Storm reports from July 28, 2023
Preliminary Local Storm Report...Summary National Weather Service La Crosse WI 527 PM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0608 PM Hail 7 NW Medford 45.21N 90.44W 07/28/2023 E1.00 inch Taylor WI Public Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). 0613 PM Hail Fennimore 42.98N 90.66W 07/28/2023 M1.00 inch Grant WI Law Enforcement Quarter size hail has been falling for 10 minutes. 0624 PM Hail Medford 45.14N 90.35W 07/28/2023 E1.75 inch Taylor WI Emergency Mngr Golfball size hail at the fairgrounds. 0625 PM Hail 1 NE Medford 45.15N 90.33W 07/28/2023 M2.00 inch Taylor WI Public 0625 PM Hail 1 W Medford 45.14N 90.37W 07/28/2023 M2.50 inch Taylor WI Broadcast Media 0625 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 SSE Wabasha 44.36N 92.04W 07/28/2023 Wabasha MN Public Multiple large trees downed, some making roadways impassable. No power. 0629 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NE Nelson 44.43N 91.99W 07/28/2023 Buffalo WI Public Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from 1 NE Nelson. Powerlines blown down. Riverland Energy Cooperative reports 618 people without power. 0645 PM Hail 6 W Goodrich 45.14N 90.20W 07/28/2023 M0.75 inch Taylor WI Public 0712 PM Hail Platteville 42.74N 90.48W 07/28/2023 M2.00 inch Grant WI Trained Spotter Golf ball to hen egg size hail in Platteville. 0718 PM Hail 2 NE Centerville 44.10N 91.43W 07/28/2023 E0.50 inch Trempealeau WI Public Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). 0719 PM Hail Galesville 44.08N 91.36W 07/28/2023 M3.00 inch Trempealeau WI Trained Spotter Measured and confirmed with photo. 0721 PM Hail Galesville 44.08N 91.36W 07/28/2023 M1.75 inch Trempealeau WI Public 0730 PM Hail 4 NW Stevenstown 44.07N 91.23W 07/28/2023 M2.00 inch Trempealeau WI Trained Spotter 0730 PM Hail 4 NE New Amsterdam 44.03N 91.27W 07/28/2023 E1.75 inch La Crosse WI NWS Employee 0730 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 4 NW Black River Falls 44.34N 90.91W 07/28/2023 M67 MPH Jackson WI Mesonet Mesonet station BRVW3 I-94 Eb. 0733 PM Hail Holmen 43.96N 91.26W 07/28/2023 M1.75 inch La Crosse WI Public 0733 PM Hail 3 E Holmen 43.96N 91.20W 07/28/2023 M2.75 inch La Crosse WI Public 0739 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NW Onalaska 43.90N 91.24W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public Report from mPING: 1-inch tree limbs broken; Shingles blown off. 0740 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 2 NNW Onalaska 43.91N 91.23W 07/28/2023 M50 MPH La Crosse WI Public 4 inch diameter branches down. 0740 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Black River Falls 44.30N 90.85W 07/28/2023 Jackson WI Public Several trees down. 0741 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 NNW Onalaska 43.90N 91.23W 07/28/2023 M65 MPH La Crosse WI Trained Spotter 0743 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Onalaska 43.89N 91.23W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public 0745 PM Hail 4 E Holmen 43.98N 91.19W 07/28/2023 E1.00 inch La Crosse WI Public 0745 PM Hail 1 NW West Salem 43.91N 91.09W 07/28/2023 M3.00 inch La Crosse WI Public Verified by picture. 0746 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg West Salem 43.90N 91.09W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public Healthy tree split in half along with several large branches blown down in the area. 0746 PM Hail 1 W West Salem 43.90N 91.09W 07/28/2023 M2.50 inch La Crosse WI Public 0746 PM Hail 1 WSW West Salem 43.90N 91.10W 07/28/2023 M2.00 inch La Crosse WI Public 0746 PM Hail 1 WSW West Salem 43.90N 91.10W 07/28/2023 M2.00 inch La Crosse WI Public 0746 PM Hail 1 WSW West Salem 43.90N 91.10W 07/28/2023 M2.00 inch La Crosse WI NWS Employee 0746 PM Hail 1 NNE West Salem 43.91N 91.07W 07/28/2023 M2.50 inch La Crosse WI Public Tennis ball hail broke windows. 0747 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg West Salem 43.90N 91.07W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public Several large trees and branches blown down near the high school parking lot. 0747 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 NE West Salem 43.91N 91.07W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public Several trees blown down. One was blocking the road. 0747 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg West Salem 43.90N 91.07W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public Corrects previous tstm wnd dmg report from West Salem. Large branches down and several trees split or snapped off. 0750 PM Hail 1 NE Barre Mills 43.84N 91.11W 07/28/2023 M1.25 inch La Crosse WI Public Photo from social media. 0750 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Bangor 43.89N 90.99W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public Large tree down on house. 0750 PM Hail 2 NE West Salem 43.91N 91.05W 07/28/2023 E2.75 inch La Crosse WI Law Enforcement Law enforcement reports baseball size hail on Neshonoc Rd. 0750 PM Hail 1 NE Barre Mills 43.84N 91.11W 07/28/2023 E1.50 inch La Crosse WI Public Report from mPING: Ping Pong Ball (1.50 in.). 0752 PM Hail 2 E West Salem 43.90N 91.04W 07/28/2023 M4.00 inch La Crosse WI Public Social media photo with rulers for reference. 0752 PM Hail Bangor 43.89N 90.99W 07/28/2023 M2.75 inch La Crosse WI Public 0753 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 W Onalaska 43.88N 91.23W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public Report from mPING: 3-inch tree limbs broken; Power poles broken. 0755 PM Hail Bangor 43.89N 90.99W 07/28/2023 M1.50 inch La Crosse WI Law Enforcement 0755 PM Flood West Salem 43.90N 91.08W 07/28/2023 La Crosse WI Public Street flooding reported. 0804 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Millston 44.19N 90.64W 07/28/2023 Jackson WI Public Multiple reports of large trees downed or uprooted. 0809 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Warrens 44.13N 90.50W 07/28/2023 Monroe WI Amateur Radio Trees down in Warrens area. 0830 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 WNW Necedah 44.03N 90.08W 07/28/2023 M71 MPH Juneau WI Mesonet Mesonet station NEHW3 Necedah. 0831 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Necedah 44.02N 90.07W 07/28/2023 Juneau WI Emergency Mngr Trees down and power outages reported. 0834 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Monroe Center 44.12N 89.95W 07/28/2023 Adams WI Public Mature pine trees downed. Power outages. 0834 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 SSW Strongs Prairie 44.05N 89.98W 07/28/2023 Adams WI Public Multiple mature trees downed across Hwy 21 between Arkdale and Necedah. 0835 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 N Camp Douglas 43.93N 90.27W 07/28/2023 M58 MPH Juneau WI AWOS AWOS station KVOK Volk Field. 0839 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg Mauston 43.80N 90.08W 07/28/2023 Juneau WI Emergency Mngr Trees down and reports of power outages. 0846 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 E Wonewoc 43.66N 90.20W 07/28/2023 M72 MPH Juneau WI Public 0916 PM Hail 1 E Sextonville 43.28N 90.28W 07/28/2023 M1.00 inch Richland WI Public 0920 PM Hail 2 ESE Sextonville 43.27N 90.25W 07/28/2023 M1.75 inch Richland WI Amateur Radio 0932 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 N Lone Rock 43.21N 90.20W 07/28/2023 Richland WI Public Extensive damage reported to barns and trees. Nearby airport recorded 77mph wind gust.
Rainfall
Public Information Statement National Weather Service La Crosse WI 547 PM CDT Sat Jul 29 2023 ...Rainfall reports from yesterday evening... Location Amount Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Iowa... ...Allamakee County... Postville 5.5 NE 0.21 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.14N/91.49W Lansing 4.1 NW 0.10 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.40N/91.29W ...Chickasaw County... Fredericksburg 0.3 S 0.84 in 0800 AM 07/29 42.96N/92.20W New Hampton 0.52 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.06N/92.32W New Hampton 0.4 SW 0.42 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.06N/92.32W Ionia 2W 0.07 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.03N/92.50W ...Clayton County... Mcgregor 0.43 in 0919 AM 07/29 43.02N/91.19W Monona 0.36 in 0919 AM 07/29 43.04N/91.39W Guttenberg Dam 10 0.30 in 0700 AM 07/29 42.79N/91.10W Big Spring Fish Hatchery 0.28 in 0900 AM 07/29 42.91N/91.47W McGregor 6.4 WNW 0.17 in 0643 AM 07/29 43.07N/91.29W Elkader 6SSW 0.10 in 0700 AM 07/29 42.78N/91.45W Littleport 0.09 in 0845 AM 07/29 42.75N/91.37W Elkader 6.8 WSW 0.06 in 0600 AM 07/29 42.81N/91.52W ...Fayette County... Waucoma 3.2 S 0.80 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.01N/92.03W Fayette 0.48 in 0645 AM 07/29 42.88N/91.83W Eldorado 1E - Turkey River 0.48 in 0845 AM 07/29 43.05N/91.81W ...Floyd County... Nora Springs 2.4 SSE 0.65 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.11N/92.99W 2 NE Dougherty 0.43 in 0915 AM 07/29 42.95N/93.01W Charles City 0.37 in 0908 AM 07/29 43.05N/92.67W Nashua 2SW 0.18 in 0700 AM 07/29 42.94N/92.57W ...Winneshiek County... 1 ENE Jackson Junction 0.87 in 0920 AM 07/29 43.11N/92.04W Decorah 4.9SE 0.13 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.26N/91.70W ...Minnesota... ...Olmsted County... Rochester 5.8 ENE 0.23 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.06N/92.38W ...Wabasha County... Lake City 0.46 in 0900 AM 07/29 44.44N/92.28W Wabasha 6.2 WNW 0.35 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.39N/92.16W Lake City 0.7 SE 0.27 in 0800 AM 07/29 44.43N/92.27W 1 N Kellogg 0.25 in 0900 AM 07/29 44.32N/92.00W Kellogg 0.1 N 0.20 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.31N/92.00W Lake City 0.11 in 0902 AM 07/29 44.32N/92.44W ...Wisconsin... ...Adams County... Oxford 4.0 W 0.85 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.79N/89.64W Grand Marsh 1.0 W 0.30 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.89N/89.73W ...Buffalo County... 1 NE Nelson 1.50 in 0640 PM 07/28 44.43N/91.99W Mondovi 12.1 SSE 0.84 in 0615 AM 07/29 44.40N/91.60W Independence 9.1 NW 0.44 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.46N/91.55W ...Clark County... Greenwood 0.6 NNW 0.38 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.77N/90.60W ...Crawford County... Prairie Du Chien Airport 0.38 in 0915 AM 07/29 43.02N/91.12W Steuben 4SE 0.25 in 0800 AM 07/29 43.13N/90.84W Prairie Du Chien 1.4 N 0.07 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.06N/91.14W ...Grant County... Platteville 1.22 in 0910 AM 07/29 42.74N/90.46W 1 NE Platteville 1.00 in 0742 AM 07/29 42.75N/90.46W Fennimore 0.82 in 0919 AM 07/29 42.98N/90.66W Dickeyville 0.1 SW 0.69 in 0700 AM 07/29 42.62N/90.59W Lancaster 0.66 in 0841 AM 07/29 42.83N/90.69W Prairie Du Chien 9.9 SE 0.64 in 0700 AM 07/29 42.95N/90.99W Patch Grove 0.1 NNW 0.55 in 0700 AM 07/29 42.94N/90.97W Platteville Municipal Airpor 0.50 in 0715 AM 07/29 42.68N/90.43W Bloomington 3.5 N 0.48 in 0646 AM 07/29 42.94N/90.92W Cassville 7.8 ENE 0.48 in 0700 AM 07/29 42.75N/90.84W Muscoda 0.5 WSW 0.25 in 0827 AM 07/29 43.18N/90.44W Muscoda 0.25 in 0905 AM 07/29 43.19N/90.46W ...Jackson County... 1 E Black River Falls 1.38 in 0815 AM 07/29 44.30N/90.73W Melrose 3.6 W 0.63 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.13N/91.07W ...Juneau County... New Lisbon 1.61 in 0901 AM 07/29 43.87N/90.17W 3 ESE Lemonweir 1.36 in 0530 AM 07/29 43.77N/89.96W 1.0 E Mauston 1.15 in 0800 AM 07/29 43.79N/90.06W Necedah 1.13 in 0848 AM 07/29 44.03N/90.08W 0.6 W Necedah 1.13 in 0848 AM 07/29 44.02N/90.08W Mauston Airport 0.23 in 0915 AM 07/29 43.83N/90.13W ...La Crosse County... Onalaska 2N 0.58 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.91N/91.23W Onalaska 1.9 E 0.41 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.89N/91.18W Onalaska 0.41 in 0906 AM 07/29 43.89N/91.18W Coon Valley 4.5 NNW 0.15 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.76N/91.06W ...Monroe County... Warrens 4.7 WSW 1.51 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.10N/90.59W 0.5 SW Sparta 0.43 in 0650 AM 07/29 43.94N/90.82W ...Richland County... 1 SSE Richland Center 0.46 in 0919 AM 07/29 43.32N/90.38W Cazenovia 4.4 SSW 0.36 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.47N/90.23W Richland Center 4 N 0.21 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.40N/90.39W ...Taylor County... Westboro 1.30 in 0905 AM 07/29 45.37N/90.31W Medford 0.8 ENE 1.16 in 0700 AM 07/29 45.14N/90.33W 6 W Goodrich 1.03 in 0809 AM 07/29 45.14N/90.20W 3 NE Lublin 0.69 in 0814 AM 07/29 45.11N/90.69W Medford Airport 0.64 in 0915 AM 07/29 45.10N/90.30W Medford 0.47 in 0900 AM 07/29 45.30N/90.30W 0.6 SE Medford 0.20 in 0845 AM 07/29 45.13N/90.34W ...Trempealeau County... Osseo 0.4 E 2.08 in 0600 AM 07/29 44.58N/91.21W Blair (IFLOWS) 1.22 in 0255 AM 07/29 44.30N/91.23W 0.8 SW Pigeon Falls (IFLOWS) 1.18 in 0517 AM 07/29 44.42N/91.22W Ettrick 4.0 WNW 1.04 in 0652 AM 07/29 44.19N/91.34W Whitehall (IFLOWS) 0.91 in 0848 AM 07/29 44.37N/91.32W Trempealeau 7.6 NNW 0.23 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.11N/91.48W Trempealeau 0.21 in 0906 AM 07/29 44.07N/91.51W 1 NW Trempealeau 0.16 in 0700 AM 07/29 44.03N/91.46W ...Vernon County... Hillsboro 2 SW 0.61 in 0700 AM 07/29 43.63N/90.38W Ontario 0.31 in 0800 AM 07/29 43.72N/90.59W La Farge 0.06 in 0900 AM 07/29 43.60N/90.63W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
Additional Information
Services
Weather Story graphic issued July 28 | Graphic highlighting developing storms during the evening of July 28 | Severe thunderstorm watch issued at 4:06 PM July 28 | Severe thunderstorm watch issued at 5:00 PM July 28 |
All local severe thunderstorm warnings from July 28 (courtesy of Iowa Environmental Mesonet) | SPC Day 3 Outlook for July 28 issued on July 26 | SPC Day 2 Outlook for July 28 issued on July 27 | SPC Day 1 Outlook from July 28 |
Summaries from other NWS Offices
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