Storm Events Database

Storm Events Database

Event Details

Event Tornado
-- Scale EF1
-- Length 4.79
-- Width 660
State WISCONSIN
County/Area IRON
WFO DLH
Begin Date 07/27/2010 18:20:00 CST-6
Begin Range 6
Begin Azimuth NW
Begin Location SPRINGSTEAD
Begin Lat/Lon 46.08/-90.22
End Date 07/27/2010 18:26:00 CST-6
End Range 3
End Azimuth N
End Location SPRINGSTEAD
End Lat/Lon 46.08/-90.12
Deaths Direct/Indirect 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 3/0
Property Damage 160.00K
Crop Damage
Episode Narrative A major severe weather episode occurred across northwest Wisconsin, with thunderstorms producing tornadoes, high winds, and large hail. A significant squall line with embedded supercells moved into northwest Wisconsin from Minnesota, with one particular storm producing three tornadoes in Ashland and Iron Counties. The Turtle Flambeau Flowage area of Iron County was hit the worst, with several injuries at a campground, massive tree damage, and structural damage occurring. Another area of major damage occurred in the Drummond and Delta areas, as down burst winds caused structural damage and destroyed hundreds of trees.
Event Narrative This tornado likely began on the southern tip of Big Island. Aerial photographs taken by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources showed evidence of tornado damage on smaller islands over the western part of the flowage between the Turtle Dam and Springstead Landing. These islands had large sections of trees completely destroyed - either snapped or uprooted, and the aerial photographs revealed trees laying across one another in a cross-hatched pattern, in a few cases at 90 degree incidence angles.

Substantial tree damage began occurring near Springstead Landing and east into a small neighborhood near the intersection of Flowage Rd. and Franks Ln. A stand of large trees between Flowage Landing Rd. and Simmons Rd. was completely demolished with similar evidence of tornadic winds. All of the trees were snapped or uprooted.

Impacts to cabins in the area started on the western edge of Simmons Rd. and then continued into the neighborhood near the northern tip of Flowage Rd. Some structures in this area were damaged by falling trees. The tree damage in this neighborhood was still rather significant, with large trees up to 2 feet in diameter uprooted or snapped. The tornado then continued east where uprooted and snapped trees were noted along the edge of the shoreline near campsites D-31, C-2, and D-35 before damage became much more sporadic near the canoe portage. It was at this point where the damage path narrowed and the tornado likely ended. Three campers were injured while camping at remote campsites on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage.


All events for this episode:

Location County/Zone St. Date Time T.Z. Type Mag Dth Inj PrD CrD
Totals: 0 3 229.00K 0.00K
MAPLE DOUGLAS CO. WI 07/27/2010 15:58 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 1.50K 0.00K
BLUEBERRY DOUGLAS CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:00 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 1.50K 0.00K
IRON RIVER BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:20 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 52 kts. EG 0 0 10.00K 0.00K
IRON RIVER BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:20 CST-6 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
IRON RIVER BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:30 CST-6 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
INO BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:30 CST-6 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 8.00K 0.00K
INO BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:35 CST-6 Hail 2.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
INO BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:35 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 52 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
BENOIT BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:45 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
MASON BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 16:48 CST-6 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
MARENGO ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:02 CST-6 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HIGH BRIDGE ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:14 CST-6 Hail 0.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HIGH BRIDGE ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:17 CST-6 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HIGH BRIDGE ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:19 CST-6 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
MORSE ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:21 CST-6 Tornado EF2 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
MELLEN ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:22 CST-6 Hail 1.00 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
MELLEN ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:26 CST-6 Hail 1.50 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
GLIDDEN ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:28 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HAYWARD SAWYER CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:50 CST-6 Hail 1.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
INO BAYFIELD CO. WI 07/27/2010 17:53 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
PEEKSVILLE ASHLAND CO. WI 07/27/2010 18:12 CST-6 Tornado EF0 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
SPRINGSTEAD IRON CO. WI 07/27/2010 18:20 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 3 160.00K 0.00K
STONE LAKE SAWYER CO. WI 07/27/2010 18:30 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.50K 0.00K
SPOONER WASHBURN CO. WI 07/27/2010 18:30 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.50K 0.00K
MERCER IRON CO. WI 07/27/2010 18:30 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 5.00K 0.00K
MERCER IRON CO. WI 07/27/2010 18:30 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 10.00K 0.00K
BIRCHWOOD WASHBURN CO. WI 07/27/2010 18:52 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 15.00K 0.00K
PARK FALLS PRICE CO. WI 07/27/2010 19:00 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 2.00K 0.00K
RADISSON SAWYER CO. WI 07/27/2010 19:06 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 1.00K 0.00K
Totals: 0 3 229.00K 0.00K