WI Tornado Outbreak Largest in State History!!!

[PurdueWx80]

This was the adrenaline rush to beat all adrenaline rushes. Two long-lived tornadic supercells moved across southern WI this evening producing widespread damage to the NW of Madison with the worst just S and SE of the city. Damage viewed from aerial footage would suggest a possible F3 or F4 with near total destruction of some well-built homes in Stoughton. Unfortunately, there has been one confirmed fatality thus far of a gentleman who was taking cover in his basement. Apparently his chimney collapsed onto him.

I was at work during all of this - I was busy inside assisting with warnings and such for the on-cam met who shares a building with our facilities, but other employees watched a wall-cloud and funnel from the parking lot. Lots of amazing footage/pics from chasers employeed here as well. Will try to post some as soon as I can.

Check out the AP story on Yahoo!: http://tinyurl.com/92bb9

UPDATE - see post below regarding largest outbreak in state history!

[leonardo]

I was kinda watching unfold throughout the day and figured there would probably be some tornadoes, but nothing of this magnitude. I think that this would probably almost qualify as the biggest tornado outbreak of the year...and if I'm not mistaken...this is the first tornado fatality in the United States this year.

It was amazing to see that supercell track all the way from Minnesota through Wisconsin. It's pretty rare to see this type of stuff in August, but unfortunately, if the setup is right (which it was) these storms can be just as potent as storms in April or May.

Looks like there's gonna be a pretty decent shot of severe weather again tomorrow...more over Iowa it appears...and the tornado threat doesn't really appear to be quite as strong tomorrow. However, with temps progged to be in the middle to upper 90's tomorrow in my neck of the woods (southeast Iowa/west-central Illinois), I'd say the odds of a damaging squall line (potential derecho even??) are pretty good. What do you think of the severe weather potential tomorrow Purdue?

Oh, by the way, first post. Yay.

[wxmann_91]

First of all, welcome to Storm2k leonardo!

This is the fourth killer tornado of the year. So far, only 7 people have been killed by tornadoes this year.

Yeah I've been busy with SAT class today and when I returned home I suddenly realized what had happened. I didn't expect this either.

OK this is what I've heard - now you must hear this -

1. a bank bill from Stoughton was found 60 miles away.
2. debris was falling from the sky in the NWS weather forecast office west of Milwaukee
3. corn stalks and mountain dew label falling out of the sky in Sussex, WI (near Milwaukee)

This info from other forums BTW.

Hope to post a short analysis and some radar and sat images tomorrow or over the weekend if I can.

[leonardo]

yeah, some of the radar shots I saw on other forums were incredible. I mean, we're talking classic, wicked hook echo. Just from looking at damage photos, I'd say it was an upper F-3. About six years ago, April 8, 1999 my hometown was hit by an F-3 and the damage looked very similar. Thankfully, no one was killed, but dozens lost their homes. I was in the high school after getting home from a track meet and went through it, then had to walk through the damaged areas to get to where my dad parked the car. Once you walk through the debris and dodge fallen power lines and trees, it leaves quite the lasting impression. I've been interested ever since and started chasing some a couple of years ago.

needless to say, my prayers go out for everyone affected tonight.

[PurdueWx80]

It should be noted that the debris was falling some 30-60 miles from the tornadic portion of the storm.

I've posted some pics from a fellow employee who lives near Waukesha, WI. Don't have any pics of damage or of the tornado to show yet (which by the way was a wedge tornado near Oregon and Stoughton), but these are of mammatus and the anvil near her apartment. Click on the thumbnails to see the larger versions.

http://homepage.mac.com/apsnyder/PhotoAlbum1.html

Will get more on there once I get some of the chaser's photos and such.

[PurdueWx80]

Tomorrow does indeed look like another volatile situation (although to be honest, if one looked at the models prior to today, a tornado outbreak would not have been expected - they did a horrible job of predicting instability and low-level shear ahead of the surface low and shortwave trough).

The vigorous upper low currently in the Northern Rockies and Southern Canada will provide excellent kinematics/dynamics over a moist/unstable lower-level atmosphere across the Plains and Midwest - a bit west of today's outbreak. Initial convective mode looks to be supercellular with very large hail possible (some cells possibly tornadic once again near warm front/outflow, although the low-level shear and buoyancy won't be quite what it was today) - leonardo is absolutely correct in predicting squall line formation as the mid and upper dynamics suggest rapid cell mergers and cold pool formation. A derecho is not out of the question, although model progs this evening seem to indicate the wind field won't be quite strong enough to product widespread straight-line winds in excess of 70 mph.

[azskyman]

I was watching on radar and from afar here in Arizona. The system reminded me of the August killer tornadoes years ago that hit northeast Illinois at places like Plainfield.

You are lucky that more were not killed by these storms as people are not nearly so in-tuned to severe weather this time of year there.

[frankthetank]

I would've been out with the camera, but i was at work

There was one confirmed tornado (F0) just north of where i live near Centerville, WI (I was driving to work when they said doppler confirmed a tornado--i should've went in late!) and the others occured south of me (the one near Esofea is only about 30mins from where i live).

The LaCrosse Tornado Force Field held once again.

Since i'm locked out of stormchaser forum, whats the outlook for SW and S Wi today? I don't work so i'm able and ready for action.

[PurdueWx80]

Updated w/ a pic from the Wisconsin State Journal website - it was clearly an F3 or F4 that occurred in Stoughton according to this shot.

[PurdueWx80]

The LaCrosse Tornado Force Field held once again.

Since i'm locked out of stormchaser forum, whats the outlook for SW and S Wi today? I don't work so i'm able and ready for action.

You'd probably have to drive out to MN or IA to possibly see anything worth seeing - otherwise the convection likely won't make it to the LaCrosse area until overnight as an MCS/squall line.

[PurdueWx80]

EXCELLENT slideshow of tornadic supercell as viewed from downtown Madison over Lake Monona (couple of radar shots too) available on http://www.flickr.com/groups/60268603@N00/pool/

And pics of the actual tornado: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/beenz777/ ... DBY4SWmH3q

[PurdueWx80]

More pics from WKOW-TV at http://www.wkowtv.com/index.php/photovi ... do-081805/

[Aquawind]

Thanx Purdue..Wicked pics..

Paul

[wxmann_91]

No analysis, but I do have some radar and satellite pics:

Here are some radar images (click to see radar images):

3:30 PM CDT - a band of thunderstorms that have already produced a few tornadoes crosses into WI. Hook echo already evident on the southern cell.

3:48 PM CDT - Tornado spotted in Esofea, WI. 3 people are injured.

4:05 PM CDT - Strong hook on the southernmost cell. At this time though, no tornadoes are being reported.

4:31 PM CDT - Hook continues to be evident, and major damage is reported from a tornado near Bloom City, WI.

[url=http://www.geo-earth.com/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=16364]4:48 PM CDT - Hook is at its strongest - multiple tornadoes reported just north of Camp Douglas, WI.
[/url]

5:30 PM CDT - The supercell, which was cycling, has finished and is producing tornadoes once again. Notice the other cells developing around it.

(Switching from La Crosse to Milwaukee radar now)

6:00 PM CDT - An interesting development occurs. The original cell has now produced several tornadoes in Sauk County, but notice the other cells developing the word "MSN", or Madison.

6:26 PM CDT - The cell south of Madison continues to mature, now displaying a hook. (This is the cell that will eventually produce the killer tornado around Stoughton.) It cuts off the warm moist inflow for the original cell, thus, the original cell that originated in southeastern Wisconsin now begins to dissipate.

[url=http://www.geo-earth.com/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=16368]6:42 PM CDT - Damage reported in Stoughton, WI, southeast of Madison.
[/url]

7:15 PM CDT - Tornado reported near Fort Atkinson, WI.

[url=http://www.geo-earth.com/forums/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=16371]7:35 PM CDT - Two minutes earlier, west of Jefferson, WI, a tornado is reported growing larger.
[/url]

8:42 PM CDT - Tornadoes have ended, but funnel clouds continue to be reported and a strong hook is still evident.

9:47 PM CDT - The lake breeze front finally takes its toll on the supercell. It passes through Racine, WI, but doens't do much damage.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Satellite image from about the time the Stoughton tornado actually occurred.

[Astro_man92]

Does any one know how many tornades actually happened last night? and If any happened I michigan?

I feel sorry for the man that dies

The only good thing about that storm is that we got over an inch of rain WOO HOO.

Here is some live info of my weather info the station is on top of the middle school

My Schools website
Is Harbor springs a resort community?
LIVE Data (no lies here) for HARBOR SPRING, MI

I think the drought level here improved

Does any one know a drought observation link??

[PurdueWx80]

Does any one know how many tornades actually happened last night? and If any happened I michigan?

I feel sorry for the man that dies

The only good thing about that storm is that we got over an inch of rain WOO HOO.

Here is some live info of my weather info the station is on top of the middle school

My Schools website
Is Harbor springs a resort community?
LIVE Data (no lies here) for HARBOR SPRING, MI

I think the drought level here improved

Does any one know a drought observation link??

We won't know how many tornadoes occurred until the NWS completes their storm surveys (both the Lacrosse office and the Milwaukee office will be involved). Could take a couple days, or be as soon as this afternoon.

The drought monitor is updated Tuesdays and made public Thursday mornings so you'll have to wait until next Thursday to get the most updated info w/ last night and tonight's rainfall included. http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html

[wxmann_91]

Does any one know how many tornades actually happened last night? and If any happened I michigan?

I feel sorry for the man that dies

The only good thing about that storm is that we got over an inch of rain WOO HOO.

Here is some live info of my weather info the station is on top of the middle school

My Schools website
Is Harbor springs a resort community?
LIVE Data (no lies here) for HARBOR SPRING, MI

I think the drought level here improved

Does any one know a drought observation link??

28 tornadoes were reported yesterday. These are preliminary counts. Final counts won't probably be finalized until later this year or next year.

SPC Preliminary Storm Reports from 8-18-05

[Astro_man92]

Thanks

[wxmann_91]

These are images from a storm chaser, Scott A. Kampas (of course, used with permission):





He compared it to a tornado in Hesston, KS back in 1990. Pretty scary stuff.

[WindRunner]

I count probably 18 at the most from those reports.