Thunderstorms, some severe, may produce heavy to excessive rainfall and isolated flooding over portions of the Southern Plains through Saturday. Widespread showers and thunderstorms will spread east into the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, Mid Atlantic and Northeast. Dry conditions, combined with gusty winds will continue to support an elevated fire weather threat in the Desert Southwest. Read More >
Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week
The week of April 17-21, 2016 is Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin. The National Weather Service in Wisconsin and Wisconsin Emergency Management are asking that everyone take time to go over their safety plans so that they will be ready when severe weather strikes. The time to prepare is before the storms hit.
Wisconsin averages 23 tornadoes per year, with most tornadoes occurring from mid-afternoon into the early evening. The peak tornado season in Wisconsin is May through August, with June having the greatest number of tornadoes. A record-setting 62 tornadoes occurred in 2005. In 2012, Wisconsin had only 4 tornadoes. Last year, there were 16 tornadoes reported in the state, including seven in northeast Wisconsin.
The "average" Wisconsin tornado has a 7-10 minute duration, a path length of 4-6 miles, and a damage width of about 120 yards.
Another hazard of the warm-season is powerful, straight-line thunderstorm winds that can exceed 60 mph. Every year Wisconsin will get a few storms that generate hurricane-force winds of at least 75 to 100 mph. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are issued for these wind events.
Large hail is also a hazard with thunderstorms. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are also issued for storms with hail of at least 1" in diameter.
Click here for additional severe weather statistics for Wisconsin.
More Information to Help You Become Weather-Ready
Wireless Emergency Alerts - Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) send Tornado Warnings and Flash Flood Warnings to your cell phone. Click here to learn about WEA and how the alerts might impact how you receive a warning. Here is a new PSA featuring a Flash Flood Warning and Wireless Emergency Alerts: Click here
The "Be A Force of Nature" website is located on the National Weather Service's Weather-Ready Nation page. There is a wealth of preparedness material on the page! Click here
Videos with information about what to do before, during, and after a tornado:
Get Weather-Ready: Before a Tornado
Get Weather-Ready: During a Tornado
Get Weather-Ready: After a Tornado
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