Richland County, WI Tornadoes

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Tornadoes in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest & central Wisconsin
Background Information	Statistics (1850-Present)	Records (1850-Present)

Richland County (WI) Tornadoes*
1850-2020

Date			Time	Location	Other Counties Affected	Length (miles)	Width (yards)	Deaths**	Injuries**	EF-Scale
Month	Day	Year	Time	Location	Other Counties Affected	Length (miles)	Width (yards)	Deaths**	Injuries**	EF-Scale
7	13	2015	1733-1735 CST	Lone Rock 0.2 ENE to Lone Rock0.3 ENE	None	0.05	50	0	0	EF0
			A small, short-lived tornado produced roof damage and blew down two large trees onto a house in Lone Rock. Other trees were snapped off about 20 feet above the ground. This tornado caused $10,000 in property damage. More on this tornado can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/arx/jul1315aft
6	22	2015	0806-0812 CST	Plugtown 2.9 E to Byrds Creek 1.1 W	Crawford	7.39	40 Crawford 60 Richland	0	0	EF0
			A tornado caused mainly tree damage in far southeast Crawford County before moving into Richland County. The tornado then traveled across rural portions of southwest Richland County north of Westport and Port Andrews . A few homes along County Roads W and M were damaged along with numerous trees. This was the third of 3 tornadoes that affected the La Crosse County Warning Area. The other 2 were in Fayette & Crawford counties. Property damage was estimated to be $4,000 in Crawford County & $30,000 in Richland County. More on this tornado can be found at: https://www.weather.gov/arx/jun2215
5	24	2006	1557-1603 CST	Richland Center 2SW to Richland Center 2S	None	1	15	0	0	F0
			A small tornado touched down briefly near Richland Center producing minor damage to sheds, outbuildings, and trees. This tornado caused $4,500 in property damage. Elsewhere around southwest Wisconsin, law enforcement officials and the public reported penny to quarter size hail. In addition, wind gusts were estimated up to 65 mph near Richland Center and up to 60 mph near Keyesville where it blew off a roof of a barn.
8	18	2005	1540-1550 CST	Muscoda to Orion 2NE	Grant	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). It 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). Richland County was declared a federal disaster area.
8	18	2005	1505-1540 CST	Liberty 2W to Hub City 1W	Vernon	20	40	0	3	F2
			This was third of 27 tornadoes to touch down in Wisconsin on this date (a single day record for the state). This was the strongest tornado in southwest Wisconsin. It 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). This tornado caused $3.3 million in property damage ($800,000 in Vernon County and $2.5 million in Richland County) and $268,900 in crop damage ($193,900 in Vernon County and $75,000 in Richland County). Richland County was declared a federal disaster area.
5	8	1988	1530-1555 CST	Richland Center 4SW to Cazenovia 1W	None	20	150	0	0	F2
			This tornado started southwest of Richland Center, tracked to ½ mile east of Buck Creek before lifting just west of Cazenovia. Numerous barns, farm sheds, and trees were damaged in addition to 2 homes.
6	26	1973	1801 CST	?	None	?	?	0	0	F1
8	11	1972	1830 CST	West Lima 5W	Vernon	3.8	50	0	0	F1
			The public reported a tornado about 5 miles west of West Lima.
6	13	1972	1800 CST	Fox Hollow	None	2	50	0	0	F1
			A small tornado touched down in Fox Hollow area about 6 miles west of Richland Center.
8	1	1967	2300 CST	Ithaca	None	2	100	0	0	F1
9	3	1964	1515-1545 CST	Excelsior 3S to Sextonville 2NW	None	17.1	850	0	4	F2
			The tornado initially touched down near Highway 60 and County F (about 3 miles south of Excelsior) and then moved east across the townships of Richmond, Eagle, and Orion. The tornado dissipated near Richland Lane or about 2 miles northwest of Sextonville. It destroyed all barns on two farms. Only the houses were left standing.
5	8	1964	1730 CST	Readstown 2E to Hillsboro 3W	Vernon	35	300	0	2	F2
			This tornado tracked northeast from east of Readstown to 2 miles south of Viola, to 3 miles northwest of Yuba, to west of Hillsboro. Two people were injured in Richland County. Barns were leveled.
7	3	1951	2000 CST	Cazenovia 3SW	None	0.5	50	0	0	F2
			A barn and sheds were destroyed and scattered over a wide area. Shingles from the barn roof were dropped eight miles away. Estimated damage was $20,000.
5	21	1918	1815 CST	Elkport 4SW to Baraboo	Clayton (IA) Grant Iowa 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. The tornado then hit Lone Rock destroying much of the town and killing 4 people there. Four more people were killed on three separate farms before the event dissipated to a downburst in the Baraboo area. Total damage was estimated at $650,000.
10	10	1913	1330 CST	Soldiers Grove 2W to Mauston	Crawford Juneau Vernon	45	400	0	0	F2
			This tornado, which moved across 4 counties, was part of a complex of tornadoes and downbursts produced about $300,000 in property losses. Starting in Crawford County, this tornado tracked northeast through Richland, Vernon, and Juneau counties. Many barns were destroyed south of Soldiers Grove (Crawford County). Five homes were destroyed and over 100 more were damaged in the northwest part of Mauston (Juneau County) before the tornado lifted.
9	22	1894	0100 CST	Akan to Willow Townships (Richland Center 3N)	None	15	100	0	0	F2
			Skipped east northeast from Akan to Willow Townships passing 3 miles north of Richland Center. Barns were destroyed and debris was carried over a mile.
8	11	1887	1600 CST	?	None	?	?	?	?	?
8	2	1884	1700 CST	Cazenovia 3SW to Ironton	Sauk	10	300	?	2	F2
			Moved northeast from 3 miles southwest of Cazenovia to near Ironton. Ten buildings were unroofed or destroyed in Cazenovia and another ten on farms northeast of that town. The event dissipated by the time it reached Ironton. Twenty horses and cattle were killed.
* 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.

Last Updated Friday, April 24, 2020 - Jeff Boyne

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