May 22, 2011, Tornado Outbreak

Tornadoes

Tornado - Near Lugerville, WI Price County Date May 22, 2011 Time (Local) 2:33 PM to 2:38 PM CDT EF Rating EF-1 Est. Peak Winds 95 mph Path Length 2.8 miles Max Width 600 yards Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: A weak tornado developed and tracked roughly along Price Lakes Road for slightly over 3 miles, before dissipating near Le Tourneau Lake. The damage consisted of primarily trees and large tree limbs blown down or snapped in a convergent pattern along the road. Some large pine trees were snapped. Structural damage was very minor, with one house experiencing some roof damage and a blown in window. Track Map

Tornado - Near Prentice, WI Price County Date May 22, 2011 Time (Local) 5:39 PM to 5:41 PM CDT EF Rating EF-0 Est. Peak Winds 70 mph Path Length 1.15 miles Max Width 350 yards Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: A weak tornado tracked for just over a mile around U.S. Highway 8 to the west of Prentice. The damage was primarily to trees, with a few 6-12 inch diameter pine trees snapped and blown in a convergent damage pattern. A metal barn also had some minor damage, mainly to eaves and siding. Track Map

Tornado - Near Worcester, WI Price County Date May 22, 2011 Time (Local) 5:52 PM to 5:53 PM CDT EF Rating EF-0 Est. Peak Winds 75 mph Path Length 1.12 miles Max Width 400 yards Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: A brief, weak tornado occurred north-northwest of Prentice. Only tree damage was noted along the damage path. Track Map

Tornado - Near Dover, WI Price County Date May 22, 2011 Time (Local) 6:01 PM to 6:04 PM CDT EF Rating EF-0 Est. Peak Winds 80 mph Path Length 2.14 miles Max Width 350 yards Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: A tornado affected the area near the intersection of County Highway H and Willow Road. A citizen reported a tornado around this location that further corroborates the damage survey findings. Damage along the path was mostly to trees. A small shed was destroyed, a metal barn lost some roof paneling, and several large trees were snapped at one property. Track Map

Tornado - Near Dover, WI Price County Date May 22, 2011 Time (Local) 6:26 PM to 6:27 PM CDT EF Rating EF-0 Est. Peak Winds 70 mph Path Length 0.8 miles Max Width 275 yards Injuries/Deaths 0/0 Summary: A brief weak tornado caused some minor tree damage in far northeast Price County. Track Map

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

Photos

Price County looking north on Price Lake Road. This photo nicely shows the convergent tree damage paths. On the left (west) side of the road, the trees leaning to the northeast, while the trees in the foreground were blown down to the northwest across the road. (Photo courtesy Brandon Kosharek, EM Price County)	Price County looking south on Price Lake Road. The most severe damage was along this part of the road. Interesting to note that a majority of the trees blown down were shallow-rooted pine trees - the birch and aspen fared much better. (Photo courtesy Brandon Kosharek, EM Price County)	Damage near Balsam Road east of Butternut, Wisc., looking north. (NWS Storm Survey Photo)	Damage near Balsam Road east of Butternut, Wisc., looking south. (NWS Storm Survey Photo)
Damage near County Road H and Willow Road east of Phillips, Wisc. (NWS Storm Survey Photo)	Damage near County Road H and Willow Road east of Phillips, Wisc. (NWS Storm Survey Photo)	Damage near Highway 8 four miles west of Prentice, Wisc.. (NWS Storm Survey Photo)	A wall cloud after it produced a tornado 11 miles east of Phillips, Wisc. (Photo Courtesy Kathi Schoenborn)

Radar

2:38PM Reflectivity	2:38PM Storm-Relative Velocity	5:38PM Reflectivity	5:38PM Storm-Relative Velocity
5:52PM Reflectivity	5:52PM Storm-Relative Velocity	6:04PM Reflectivity	6:04PM Storm-Relative Velocity
6:25PM Reflectivity	6:25PM Storm-Relative Velocity

Storm Reports

Click the image above for Storm Reports from around the country.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
753 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0225 PM     HAIL             9 SSE LORETTA           45.77N 90.76W 
05/22/2011  E1.25 INCH       SAWYER             WI   PARK/FOREST SRVC

            AT FLAMBEAU RIVER STATE PARK HEADQUARTERS. SOME SPORADIC 
            TREE DAMAGE WITH A FEW LIMBS BROKEN OFF OR TREES SNAPPED 
            ACROSS PARTS OF THE STATE FOREST.

0226 PM     TSTM WND DMG     13 SE LORETTA           45.74N 90.69W 
05/22/2011                   SAWYER             WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            NUMEROUS LARGE TREES BLOWN DOWN AND SNAPPED.

0228 PM     TSTM WND DMG     13 SE LORETTA           45.76N 90.66W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            NUMEROUS LARGE TREES BLOWN OVER AND SNAPPED.

0233 PM     TORNADO          12 SW FIFIELD           45.78N 90.62W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            2.8 MILE PATH LENGTH TO THE NNE FROM STARTING POINT. 
            MAINLY TREE DAMAGE. RATED LOW-END EF-1.

0235 PM     HAIL             7 ESE LORETTA           45.86N 90.71W 
05/22/2011  E1.25 INCH       SAWYER             WI   PARK/FOREST SRVC

            HAIL ACCUMULATED TO A DEPTH OF 6 INCHES ALONG THE SIDES 
            OF THE ROADS.


0235 PM     TSTM WND DMG     13 W PHILLIPS           45.70N 90.67W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

            TREES DOWN ALONG COUNTY HIGHWAY W NEAR PRICE AND SAWYER 
            COUNTY BORDER. TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

0238 PM     TSTM WND DMG     13 WNW PHILLIPS         45.77N 90.65W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

            TREES REPORTED DOWN ALONG PRICE LAKES RD SOUTH OF HWY 70.
            LIKELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST STORM THAT MOVED THROUGH
            THE AREA.

0239 PM     TSTM WND DMG     11 SW PARK FALLS        45.84N 90.62W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            NUMEROUS LARGE TREES BLOWN DOWN AND SNAPPED.

0249 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 W PARK FALLS          45.92N 90.53W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

0259 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 N PARK FALLS          45.98N 90.45W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

0304 PM     HAIL             3 N BUTTERNUT           46.06N 90.50W 
05/22/2011  E1.00 INCH       ASHLAND            WI   CO-OP OBSERVER  

0304 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NW PARK FALLS         45.95N 90.48W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            12-14 INCH DIAMETER TREES DOWN ACROSS KLEY RD

0307 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 N PARK FALLS          45.99N 90.45W 
05/22/2011                   ASHLAND            WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            MINOR DAMAGE TO SIDING ON A HOME AND BARN SEVERLY 
            DAMAGED.

0315 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SE BUTTERNUT          45.99N 90.47W 
05/22/2011                   ASHLAND            WI   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            REPORT OF DAMAGE TO BARNS AND OUTBUILDINGS. ALSO A 6 MILE
            STRETCH OF DOWNED TREES FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO 
            NORTHEAST...A MILE OR TWO SOUTH AND EAST OF BUTTERNUT. 
            DAMAGE TIME IS ESTIMATED BETWEEN 3 PM AND 330 PM.

0323 PM     HAIL             6 SW BUTTERNUT          45.95N 90.59W 
05/22/2011  E1.00 INCH       PRICE              WI   TRAINED SPOTTER 

0357 PM     TSTM WND DMG     10 NE BUTTERNUT         46.12N 90.35W 
05/22/2011                   ASHLAND            WI   POST OFFICE     

            SPORADIC TREE DAMAGE FROM NEAR AND EAST OF BUTTERNUT TO 
            THE NORTHEAST INTO THE AREA JUST NORTHWEST OF THE TURTLE 
            FLAMBEAU FLOWAGE. ALSO A LARGE VOLUME OF HAIL FELL IN 
            BUTTERNUT. EFFECTS WERE PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF TWO 
            STORMS THAT TRACKED OVER THE SAME AREA. TIME ESTIMATED 
            OFF RADAR.

0418 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 N MERCER              46.19N 90.06W 
05/22/2011                   IRON               WI   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN

0427 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NE STONE LAKE         45.87N 91.51W 
05/22/2011                   SAWYER             WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

            SOME SMALL TREES AND TREE BRANCHES DOWN NEAR HWY 70/27 
            INTERSECTION.

0440 PM     TSTM WND DMG     COUDERAY                45.80N 91.30W 
05/22/2011                   SAWYER             WI   EMERGENCY MNGR  

            SOME SMALL TREES AND TREE BRANCHES BLOWN DOWN EAST ON 
            HIGHWAY 70 TOWARDS COUDERAY.

0514 PM     TSTM WND DMG     10 SSE HAWKINS          45.38N 90.62W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            LARGE TREES BLOWN DOWN.

0518 PM     TSTM WND GST     LORETTA                 45.89N 90.85W 
05/22/2011  E50.00 MPH       SAWYER             WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

0529 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 S CATAWBA             45.47N 90.54W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            OUTBUILDINGS DESTROYED AT FARMSTEAD.

0532 PM     TSTM WND DMG     6 WNW OGEMA             45.48N 90.40W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            LARGE TREE BRANCHES BLOWN DOWN. 

0533 PM     HAIL             2 S KENNAN              45.50N 90.59W 
05/22/2011  E1.50 INCH       PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

0533 PM     HAIL             1 W CATAWBA             45.54N 90.55W 
05/22/2011  E0.50 INCH       PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

            DIME SIZE HAIL

0536 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     5 W CATAWBA             45.54N 90.64W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   PUBLIC  

0539 PM     TORNADO          5 W PRENTICE            45.54N 90.40W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            1 MILE PATH. 0.22 MILES WIDE. RATED EF-0.

0552 PM     TORNADO          5 NNW PRENTICE          45.61N 90.33W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            BRIEF SPIN UP. RATED EF-0.

0601 PM     TORNADO          4 S MUSSER LAKE         45.67N 90.26W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            1.9 MILE PATH LENGTH. MAX PATH WIDTH 0.21 MILES. RATED 
            EF-0.

0613 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 ENE MUSSER LAKE       45.76N 90.16W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            SEVERAL LARGE TREES BLOWN DOWN.        

0613 PM     TORNADO          1 NE PHILLIPS           45.71N 90.38W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   PUBLIC          

            TORNADO ON THE GROUND JUST NORTHEAST OF PHILLIPS

0613 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NE PHILLIPS           45.71N 90.38W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT 

            SHED DESTROYED NEAR COUNTY ROAD H AND WILLOW ROAD 
            REPORTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. LOCATION IS 
            ESTIMATED...DAMAGE COULD BE FROM A POSSIBLE TORNADO.

0626 PM     TORNADO          12 SW LAC DU FLAMBEAU   45.85N 90.08W 
05/22/2011                   PRICE              WI   NWS STORM SURVEY

            BRIEF TORNADO. RATED EF-0.


&&

$$

Survey Report

Note: Some data in this report was later changed. Please refer to the "Tornadoes" tab for the official record of the tornadoes for this event.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
704 PM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011

...RESULTS OF STORM DAMAGE SURVEY SAWYER/PRICE/TAYLOR/CHIPPEWA 
COUNTIES FROM STORMS SUNDAY EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH SURVEYED TWO SEPARATE STORM 
PATHS ACROSS NORTHERN WISCONSIN ON MONDAY FROM STORMS ON SUNDAY 
EVENING MAY 22.  AS A COURTESY TO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES 
IN THE TWIN CITIES AND LA CROSSE WISCONSIN... THE SURVEY TEAM ALSO 
SURVEYED ONE STORM PATH BEGINNING IN EXTREME EASTERN CHIPPEWA COUNTY 
JUST WEST OF GILMAN... AND ACROSS NORTHWEST TAYLOR COUNTY TO THE 
PRICE COUNTY LINE SOUTH OF CATAWBA. THE SURVEY TEAM FOUND TWO 
DISTINCT SWATHS OF DAMAGE ALONG EACH STORM PATH... INCLUDING 5 
SHORT-LIVED/WEAK TORNADOES.  DETAILS OF THE DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH 
BOTH STORM PATHS ARE LISTED BELOW:

NOTE: DUE TO THE HEAVILY FORESTED NATURE OF THE AREA WHERE THESE 
STORMS OCCURRED AND THE DIFFICULTY OF GROUND SURVEYING IN THIS 
AREA... PATH LENGTHS/WIDTHS AND BEGIN/END POINTS AND TIMES HAVE BEEN 
ESTIMATED.

STORM PATH 1: 
EXTREME EASTERN SAWYER COUNTY... PRICE COUNTY AND 
SOUTHEAST ASHLAND COUNTY... FROM 12 MILES WEST OF PHILLIPS TO 9 
MILES NORTHEAST OF BUTTERNUT.

A NEARLY CONTINUOUS PATH OF MOSTLY NON-TORNADIC WIND DAMAGE WAS 
NOTED ALONG THE PATH OF THIS STORM FROM COUNTY ROAD W ALONG THE 
SAWYER/PRICE COUNTY LINE... NORTHEASTWARD TO JUST WEST OF PARK 
FALLS... TO 3 MILES EAST OF BUTTERNUT... TO AGENDA TOWNSHIP IN 
SOUTHEAST ASHLAND COUNTY.  THE MOST CONCENTRATED AREA OF DAMAGE WAS 
NOTED SOUTHWEST OF PARK FALLS ALONG PRICE LAKE ROAD. MOST DAMAGE 
CONSISTED OF TREES EITHER BLOWN OVER... PARTIALLY UPROOTED OR 
SNAPPED OFF.  DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS AND OTHER STRUCTURES WAS VERY 
MINOR TO NEGLIGIBLE. ONE HOUSE HAD SOME WINDOWS DAMAGED AND SIDING 
BLOWN OFF... AND A BARN WAS COLLAPSED ON BALSAM ROAD EAST OF 
BUTTERNUT. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WINDS WERE BETWEEN 70 AND 90 MPH. 

WITHIN THIS WIND DAMAGE SWATH THERE WAS ONE WEAK TORNADO ALONG PRICE 
LAKE ROAD:

TORNADO 1:
BEGIN: 233 PM CDT 12.7 SW OF PARK FALLS - LAT/LON 45.777N/-90.645W
END: 238 PM CDT 10.2 SW OF PARK FALLS - LAT/LON 45.821N/-90.619W
PATH LENGTH: 2.8 MILES
MAX PATH WIDTH: 0.34 MILES /ESTIMATED/
EF SCALE RATING: WEAK EF1

STORM PATH 2:
EXTREME EASTERN CHIPPEWA COUNTY... NORTHWEST TAYLOR COUNTY... AND 
SOUTHERN AND EASTERN PRICE COUNTY... FROM 5 MILES WEST OF GILMAN... 
TO 4 MILES WEST OF PRENTICE... TO 18 MILES NORTHEAST OF PHILLIPS.

THIS STORM ALSO PRODUCED A LONG PATH OF SPORADIC NON-TORNADIC WIND 
DAMAGE ALONG NEARLY THE ENTIRE PATH... GENERALLY BETWEEN 70 AND 80 
MPH. AGAIN... MOST DAMAGE CONSISTED OF BLOWN OVER... PARTIALLY 
UPROOTED OR SNAPPED OFF TREES.  IN ADDITION... THERE WAS VERY MINOR 
DAMAGE NOTED TO SIDING AND ROOFS OF A FEW BUILDINGS... AND A COUPLE 
OF FARM OUTBUILDINGS WERE EITHER DESTROYED OR DAMAGED. WITHIN THIS 
BROADER DAMAGE PATH... THERE WERE FOUR DISTINCT AREAS WHERE TREE 
DAMAGE REVEALED EVIDENCE OF CONVERGENT DAMAGE... INDICATIVE OF WEAK 
TORNADOES:

TORNADO 2:
BEGIN: 539 PM CDT 4.5 MILES W OF PRENTICE - LAT/LON 45.538N/-90.400W
END: 541 PM CDT 4.3 MILES W OF PRENTICE - LAT/LON 45.551N/-90.385W
PATH LENGTH: 1 MILE
MAX PATH WIDTH: 0.22 MILES /ESTIMATED/
EF SCALE RATING: EF0

TORNADO 3:
4 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF PRENTICE
552 PM CDT /TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR/
BEGIN: 45.608N/-90.333W
END: 45.619N/-90.316W
PATH LENGTH: 1 MILE
MAX PATH WIDTH: 0.24 MILES /ESTIMATED/
EF SCALE RATING: EF0

TORNADO 4:
BEGIN: 601 PM CDT 6.5 ESE PHILLIPS - LAT/LON 45.675N/-90.256W
END: 604 PM CDT 6.9 ESE PHILLIPS - LAT/LON 45.694N/-90.221W
PATH LENGTH: 1.9 MILES
MAX PATH WIDTH: 0.21 MILES
EF SCALE RATING: EF0

TORNADO 5:
17 MILES NORTHEAST OF PHILLIPS
626 PM CDT /TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR/
BEGIN: 45.850N/-90.076W
END: 45.855N/-90.071W
PATH LENGTH: 0.8 MILES
MAX PATH WIDTH: 0.16 MILES
EF SCALE RATING: EF0