Storm Record · Dane, Jefferson, Sauk Counties
July 18, 2012: Straight-line wind in Dane, Jefferson and Sauk Counties
What the National Weather Service recorded
A frontal boundary draped across central and southern Wisconsin was the focus for the development of thunderstorms during the day on July 18th. An upper-level wave moving out of the Plains towards the western Great Lakes provided extra dynamic lift and shear to produce severe thunderstorms with large hail up to 2 inches in diameter and damaging wind gusts up to 71 mph during the late afternoon and evening hours. There were many reports of uprooted trees and broken large tree branches and scattered reports of power outages once tree debris fell on power-lines.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database · episode 67474
Every report, in the Weather Service's words
Where It Hit
| Location | County | Hazard | Size | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk City | Sauk | Wind | 81 mph wind | Law enforcement officials reported building damage in Sauk City caused by severe thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 80 mph (70 knots). |
| Mt Horeb (1 E) | Dane | Wind | 71 mph wind | A trained spotter measured a severe thunderstorm wind gust of 71 mph (62 knots). |
| Lone Rock Airport | Sauk | Wind | 60 mph wind | |
| Watertown (5 SW) | Jefferson | Wind | 60 mph wind | A trained spotter reported a severe thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 60 mph (52 knots). |
Service areas this storm touched