Strong To Severe Storms Bring Widespread Impacts To West-Central, Central, & East-Central Wisconsin
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Animation showing radar imagery on the afternoon and evening of June 2, 2020. Radar reflectivity is shown, with warning polygons overlaid. Animation made with the assistance of IEM Cow applications.
Radar animation from the afternoon and evening hours of June 2, 2020. Radar reflectivity is shown in color-fill, with warnings indicated in outlined polygons. Plot made with the IEM Cow NEXRAD data plotter.
Introduction
A volatile atmosphere quickly exploded with severe storms during the late afternoon and evening hours of June 2, 2020. A very warm and humid atmosphere provided a rich environment for storms, and once the storms got going, they quickly became severe producing hail of 2+ inches and damaging down burst winds.
The line of storms developed earlier in the day across central Minnesota, extending into northwest Wisconsin. The line sagged southeast in the afternoon, with scattered storms developing just ahead of it by early evening. The storms continued to become more widespread in the early evening, with a portion of the storms organizing into line segments, enhancing the wind threat.
Along with the large hail and damaging winds, locally heavy rain accompanied many of the storms, resulting in urbanized street flooding at some locations.
Image of the state of Wisconsin, with storm reports received during the June 2, 2020 severe event overlaid. Reports are color-coded by hazard type, and located to where reports were called in from.
Map of storm reports received during the June 2, 2020 severe weather event. Reports are color-coded by hazard type.
Storm Reports
As convection moved across Minnesota and Wisconsin, there were numerous reports of severe weather including tornadoes, very large hail, and damaging winds. There were several reports of tree damage and downed powerlines due the strong thunderstorm winds, but a few structures also sustained damage as well. The La Crosse County area was particularly hit hard with very large hail, estimated to be 2.5 inches in diameter in a few locations! Continue to scroll down to view some pictures from this event.
Photos
Hailstone on the left is compared to a golf ball on the right. Hailstone is at least the size of a golf ball if not slightly larger.
Nine hailstones were collected and compared in size to a quarter. The quarter is on the middle right with the hailstones to the left, above and below it. A few hailstones are quarter sized with a few being slightly larger.
Two spiky hailstones in the palm of someone's hand. Both stones are roughly the size of a gold ball.
Damage to a recreational building at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in Tomah. The entire roof of the structure is missing with structural support beams fallen into and out front of the building. There is some damage to the far left side of the building's exterior wall.
Images taken in west-central Wisconsin during the June 2, 2020 severe weather event. Working clockwise from top left to bottom left: golf ball-sized hail in Holmen (photo used with the permission of Megan Hubbard), quarter-plus sized hail in Holmen (photo used with the permission of Patrick Barlow), damage at the Monroe County Fairgrounds in Tomah (photo used with the permission of Monroe County Emergency Management), severe hail in Holmen (photo used with the permission of Tony Decker).
Radar animation from the afternoon and evening hours of June 2, 2020. Radar reflectivity is shown in color-fill, with warnings indicated in outlined polygons. Plot made with the IEM Cow NEXRAD data plotter.
Map of storm reports received during the June 2, 2020 severe weather event. Reports are color-coded by hazard type.
