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Storm Events Database
Event Details:
| Event | Tornado |
| -- Scale | F0 |
| -- Length | .1 Miles |
| -- Width | 25 Yards |
| State | WISCONSIN |
| County/Area | IOWA |
| WFO | MKX |
| Report Source | NWS STORM SURVEY |
| NCEI Data Source | PDS |
| Begin Date | 2005-08-18 15:55 CST |
| Begin Location | 3ESE AVOCA |
| Begin Lat/Lon | 43.16667/-90.46667 |
| End Date | 2005-08-18 15:55 CST |
| End Location | 3ESE AVOCA |
| End Lat/Lon | 43.16667/-90.46667 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 0/0 |
| Property Damage | |
| Crop Damage | |
| Episode Narrative | The largest single-day tornado outbreak in Wisconsin recorded history for south-central and southeast Wisconsin occurred on August 18, 2005. Sixteen tornadoes were documented on this day in south-central and southeast Wisconsin, a new single-day record. A line of supercells developed and pushed across south-central Wisconsin during the afternoon hours, and then pushed east across southeast Wisconsin during the evening hours. Most of the tornadoes were associated with two supercells. One main supercell tracked across Sauk County and then into Columbia, producing one F0 and one F2 tornado. The F2 tornado crossed into Columbia County. Another main supercell produced an F3 tornado that devastated the area north of city of Stoughton (Dane Co.), and a weaker F1 tornado just south of the city of Rockdale (Dane Co.). This supercell then tracked into southwestern Jefferson County a short time later, producing two F0 tornadoes and four F1 tornadoes. The sixteen (16) tornadoes contributed largely to both the new state record of 27 tornadoes on a single day, and 62 tornadoes for a calendar year. In additiion, there were scattered reports of funnel clouds, damaging straight-line, downburst winds, and large hail across south-central and southeast Wisconsin. The total direct damage estimate for the afternoon and evening tornado and severe weather outbreak in south-central and southeast Wisconsin on August 18th was about $36.6 M ($35.7 property and $948 K crop). Additional indirect costs totaled almost $1.9 M, resulting in a total direct and direct cost of about $38.5 M. Synoptically, a surface low pressure system was located over extreme southeast Minnesota early in the afternoon. A warm front extended east southeast from the low with dew points pooling in the lower 70s along it. The surface low moved east into east central Wisconsin by 2100CST that evening. Favorable wind shear associated with the warm front, combined with the strong instability supplied by the heat and humidity, helped to produce numerous tornadic supercells. |
| Event Narrative | This tornado briefly spun up and dissipated at 1555CST about 2.5 miles east-northeast of Avoca, or about 0.6 mile west-northwest of the intersection of STH 130 and Leaches Crossing Road. Only some tree damage was noted on a storm survey. This tornado was rated a F0 with estimated wind speeds of 35-63 knots (40-72 mph). |
Event Map:
Note: The tornado track is approximate based on the beginning (B) and ending (E) locations. The actual tornado path may differ from a straight line.
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 1 | 23 | 35.668M | 950.00K | |||||||
| AVOCA | IOWA CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 15:55 | CST | Tornado | F0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| LOGANVILLE | SAUK CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 16:15 | CST | Hail | 1.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 100.00K |
| CLYDE | IOWA CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 16:18 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 15.00K | 50.00K |
| SPRING GREEN | SAUK CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 16:26 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 5.00K | 5.00K |
| SPRING GREEN | SAUK CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 16:30 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 2.00K | 0.00K |
| LELAND | SAUK CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 16:33 | CST | Tornado | F2 | 0 | 0 | 600.00K | 20.00K |
| MT HOREB | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 16:55 | CST | Funnel Cloud | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| OKEE | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 16:55 | CST | Tornado | F2 | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 10.00K |
| MERRIMAC | SAUK CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:00 | CST | Tornado | F0 | 0 | 0 | 5.00K | 0.00K |
| BLACK EARTH | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:03 | CST | Funnel Cloud | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| WESTFIELD | MARQUETTE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:08 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00K | 1.00K |
| LODI | COLUMBIA CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:10 | CST | Tornado | F0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| VERONA | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:10 | CST | Funnel Cloud | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| FITCHBURG | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:15 | CST | Tornado | F3 | 1 | 23 | 34.310M | 750.00K |
| DANE | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:17 | CST | Tornado | F0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 2.00K |
| STOUGHTON | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:25 | CST | Thunderstorm Wind | 65 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 50.00K | 0.00K |
| MADISON | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 17:38 | CST | Funnel Cloud | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| COTTAGE GROVE | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:00 | CST | Hail | 1.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| FT ATKINSON | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:04 | CST | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| BUSSEYVILLE | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:05 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 2.00K |
| ROCKDALE | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:10 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 75.00K | 0.00K |
| FT ATKINSON | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:15 | CST | Tornado | F0 | 0 | 0 | 50.00K | 2.00K |
| FT ATKINSON | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:20 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 30.00K | 2.00K |
| OREGON | DANE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:25 | CST | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 1.00K |
| FT ATKINSON | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:27 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 30.00K | 2.00K |
| FT ATKINSON | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:37 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 355.00K | 0.00K |
| FT ATKINSON | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:44 | CST | Tornado | F1 | 0 | 0 | 20.00K | 2.00K |
| FT ATKINSON | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:45 | CST | Tornado | F0 | 0 | 0 | 7.00K | 1.00K |
| FT ATKINSON | JEFFERSON CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 18:48 | CST | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| EAST TROY | WALWORTH CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 19:39 | CST | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| LA GRANGE | WALWORTH CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 19:58 | CST | Thunderstorm Wind | 56 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| WATERFORD | RACINE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 20:02 | CST | Funnel Cloud | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| WATERFORD | RACINE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 20:10 | CST | Thunderstorm Wind | 61 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 1.00K | 0.00K |
| UNION GROVE | RACINE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 20:34 | CST | Funnel Cloud | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K | |
| RACINE | RACINE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 20:45 | CST | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| RACINE | RACINE CO. | WI | 08/18/2005 | 20:45 | CST | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| Totals: | 1 | 23 | 35.668M | 950.00K |
