Storm Events Database
- Data Access
- Search
- FTP Access
- Database Download
- Storm Data Publication
- Documentation
- Storm Data FAQ
- Storm Data Preparation
- Tornado EF Scale
- External Resources
- NOAA's SPC Reports
- NOAA's SPC WCM Page
- SHELDUS
Storm Events Database
Event Details
| Event | Tornado |
| -- Scale | EF1 |
| -- Length | 21.09 |
| -- Width | 75 |
| State | WISCONSIN |
| County/Area | COLUMBIA |
| WFO | MKX |
| Begin Date | 04/25/2008 16:18:00 CST-6 |
| Begin Range | 3 |
| Begin Azimuth | ESE |
| Begin Location | DEKORRA |
| Begin Lat/Lon | 43.46/-89.42 |
| End Date | 04/25/2008 16:44:00 CST-6 |
| End Range | 4 |
| End Azimuth | N |
| End Location | FRIESLAND |
| End Lat/Lon | 43.63/-89.07 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 0/0 |
| Property Damage | 600.00K |
| Crop Damage | 0.00K |
| Episode Narrative | The first widespread severe weather outbreak to affect south-central and southeast Wisconsin occurred on April 25th. It consisted of mostly large hail up to 1.25 inches in diameter, a couple damaging, straight-line wind reports, two tornadoes in Columbia County, and scattered flash flooding due to heavy rains and traning thunderstorm cells. Additionally, lightning struck several buildings and started fires that left damage. Many power outages were reported thanks to tree branches snapping power lines, and up to 11,000 customers in southern Wisconsin lost power for varying time periods. Synoptically, low pressure over southeast Minnesota moved northeast with a trailing cold front. Just ahead of the cold front was found strong warm air advection and moisture advection associated with a low-level jet. Surface dewpoints poked into the mid to upper 60s ahead of the cold front while a favorable jet stream pattern existed aloft. |
| Event Narrative | A long-tracked, partially rain-wrapped, tornado traveled through mostly rural areas of Columbia County and affected only a small portion of one village; otherwise property damage would have been more extensive. This tornado spun up about 2.75 miles east of Dekorra, just northwest of the intersection of STH 51 and CTH VJ, near Columbia Lake. It then tracked east-northeast through the far southeast reaches of the village of Wyocena, and crossed STH 22 just north of Patchin Road. It then moved through the intersection of CTH G and W. Hill Road, where the last structural damage to a couple barns and home occurred. Thereafter, this tornado tracked more northeast through rural areas (crossing STH 33 midway between Cunningham Road and Englehart Road), and eventually exited Columbia County just east of North County Line Road and Sterk Road. It continued for a few more miles through southeastern Green Lake County. Based on ground damage evidence, this tornado briefly lifted a couple times when it was north of STH 33. Most of the structural damage occurred south and southeast of Wyocena. Otherwise the rural damage consisted of uprooted trees or broken branches. At least two trained spotters video taped the tornado. The Columbia County Emergency Management situation report indicated that 4 residential homes sustained minor damage, and 1 home suffered major damage. Additionally, 2 farm buildings had minor damage, 2 suffered major damage, and 3 were destroyed. The report estimated that private sector damage totaled about $550,000 (excluding electrical line damage). Public sector debris clearance totaled $3500, and protective measures totaled $1000. The Sheriff's Office had to close down 4 roads until power lines and trees could be cleared. Electrical line replacement is estimated at about $50,000. The lat-long pairs of numbers for this tornado segment in Columbia County include: N43.46179/W89.41637, N43.49223/W89.27809, N43.54813/W89.18491, and N43.63221/W89.06693. On the EF-scale, DI #1 (SBO) was used with a DOD of 6, for an EF-rating of EF1 and an wind estimate of about 100 mph (87 knots). |
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 1.106M | 0.00K | |||||||
| (MKE)MITCHELL APT MI | MILWAUKEE CO. | WI | 04/24/2008 | 16:35 | CST-6 | Lightning | 0 | 0 | 200.00K | 0.00K | |
| DODGEVILLE | IOWA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 08:00 | CST-6 | Lightning | 0 | 0 | 75.00K | 0.00K | |
| DOWNTOWN WAUKESHA | WAUKESHA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 10:02 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| KEWASKUM | WASHINGTON CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 14:25 | CST-6 | Lightning | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 0.00K | |
| COBB | IOWA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 14:38 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| CLYDE | IOWA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:22 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| SAUK CITY | SAUK CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:25 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| OKEE | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:25 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| MERRIMAC | SAUK CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:27 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| BARABOO | SAUK CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:31 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| LEWISTON | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:32 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| IRON RIDGE | DODGE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:35 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| LOMIRA | DODGE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:40 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| PORTAGE | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:43 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ENDEAVOR | MARQUETTE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:46 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| SHARON | WALWORTH CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 15:55 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| EDEN | FOND DU LAC CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:00 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| OKEE | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:05 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 0.00K | |
| MERRIMAC | SAUK CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:05 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 0.00K | |
| PRINCETON | GREEN LAKE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:06 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| GREENBUSH | SHEBOYGAN CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:18 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| DEKORRA | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:18 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 600.00K | 0.00K |
| WYOCENA | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:20 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| PORTAGE | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:22 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| PORTAGE | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:30 | CST-6 | Lightning | 0 | 0 | 50.00K | 0.00K | |
| PORTAGE | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:30 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.25 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ELKHART LAKE | SHEBOYGAN CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:35 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| DALTON | GREEN LAKE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:38 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| RANDOM LAKE | SHEBOYGAN CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:43 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| MANCHESTER | GREEN LAKE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:44 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| KINGSTON | GREEN LAKE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:47 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| WATERTOWN | DODGE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 16:48 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| GREEN LAKE | GREEN LAKE CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 17:01 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| RIPON | FOND DU LAC CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 17:02 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| KOHLSVILLE | WASHINGTON CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 17:07 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| SUSSEX | WAUKESHA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 18:00 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| DOUSMAN | WAUKESHA CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 18:15 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 56 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 30.00K | 0.00K |
| WHITEWATER | WALWORTH CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 18:30 | CST-6 | Lightning | 0 | 0 | 100.00K | 0.00K | |
| WALDO | SHEBOYGAN CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 19:00 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 0.00K | |
| BOLTONVILLE | WASHINGTON CO. | WI | 04/25/2008 | 19:00 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 0.00K | |
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 1.106M | 0.00K |
