Storm Record · Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Walworth, Waukesha Counties
July 11, 2011: Straight-line wind across five counties
What the National Weather Service recorded
A pair of mesoscale convective complexes crossed southern Wisconsin during the early morning hours of July 11th. The first complex weakened as it moved eastward through northern sections of South Central and Southeast Wisconsin, though it produced severe wind gusts that caused damage across eastern Green Lake County into Fond Du Lac and Dodge counties. The second, stronger, complex moved along and south of the I-94 corridor. Embedded bow echo structures on radar indicated portions of the complex that caused widespread damaging wind gusts that downed power lines, blew over trees, damaged buildings, and flattened barns and corn fields. At the height of the event, WE Energies reported 28,000 customers were without power in Southeast Wisconsin.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database · episode 55752
Every report, in the Weather Service's words
Where It Hit
| Location | County | Hazard | Size | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delavan | Walworth | Wind | 81 mph wind | Local newspapers reported trees and power lines down in and around the town of Delavan due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 70 knots (80 mph). The severe wind gusts felled 40 trees and damaged roofs and gutters on buildings at Lake Lawn Resort on the northeast side of Delavan Lake. |
| Busseyville | Jefferson | Wind | 64 mph wind | Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down in an 8-mile wide swath from near Busseyville to north of Palmyra due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 56 knots (64 mph). Corn crops were also blown down by the damaging winds. |
| Dousman (2.5 SW) | Waukesha | Wind | 64 mph wind | Local newspapers reported trees down southwest of Dousman due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 56 knots (64 mph). A motorcyclist was injured when he had to lay down his bike to avoid a downed tree across the road. The wind sensor at the National Weather Service office recorded a peak wind gust of 54 mph (47 knots). |
| Downtown Waukesha (2 SW) | Waukesha | Wind | 64 mph wind | A trained spotter reported many trees down in a 5-mile wide swath from southwest of Waukesha to Elm Grove. Several bikes were damaged by falling tree branches at Frame Park in Waukesha. A building was severely damaged by the winds at Sunset Drive and Chapman on the southwest side of Waukesha. The damage was due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 56 knots (64 mph). |
| Juneau | Dodge | Wind | 64 mph wind | Local newspapers reported trees blown down in the town of Juneau from thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 64 mph (56 knots). A large tree limb punched a hole through the metal roof of a park shelter in Juneau. |
| Daleyville | Dane | Wind | 64 mph wind | The Dane County Emergency Manager reported trees and power lines down in a 10-mile wide swath from near Daleyville to north of Albion due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 56 knots (64 mph). Corn crops, valued at $300,000, were also flattened. A home in Belleville suffered roof damage when a tree fell on it. |
| Fox Lake (5 NW) | Dodge | Wind | 64 mph wind | The Dodge County Emergency Manager reported 3 large trees blown down, many large tree branches down, and corn flattened in a 3-mile wide swath from northwest to southeast of Fox Lake from thunderstorm wind gusts measured at 64 mph (56 knots). |
| Kekoskee | Dodge | Wind | 64 mph wind | The Dodge County Emergency Manager reported trees and power lines blown down in a 4-mile wide swath from Kekoskee to east of Brownsville from thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 64 mph (56 knots). |
| Tibbet (2.8 NE) | Walworth | Wind | 64 mph wind | Law enforcement officials reported trees and power lines down in a 5-mile wide swath from northeast of Tibbets to east of Elkhorn due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 60 knots (69 mph). Corn crops were also blown down by the damaging winds. Two county salt storage sheds off of County Highway NN in Elkhorn were also severely damaged by the thunderstorm gusts.Winds caused the paneling of one shed to collapse into the structure. The roof of the other shed was lifted from it's foundation, damaging electrical utilities attached to it and adjacent buildings before settling back down. Officials estimate it will cost $800,000 to repair the sheds. Trees also toppled over onto the Lauderdale Lakes Management district's community center on the corner of Sterlingworth Drive and U.S. Highway 12. |
| Lake Geneva (3 W) | Walworth | Wind | 64 mph wind | Law enforcement officials reported trees down in a 6-mile wide swath from west of Lake Geneva to east of Lake Geneva due to damaging thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 56 knots (64 mph). A car was damaged when a tree fell on it. |
Service areas this storm touched