Storm Record · Columbia, Dane, Jefferson, Sauk, Walworth, Waukesha Counties
May 17, 2017: Straight-line wind across six counties
1″
Largest hail
81
Strongest gust
16
NWS reports
What the National Weather Service recorded
A low pressure area and warm front resulted in rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms. Damaging winds caused tree damage and some structural damage. Large hail was also observed.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database · episode 115185
Every report, in the Weather Service's words
Where It Hit
| Location | County | Hazard | Size | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walworth (2.41 S) | Walworth | Wind | 81 mph wind | Numerous large branches down and a few rotten trees snapped. Over 100 square feet of siding removed from a home. A power pole was leaning from the strong winds. Some power lines down. |
| Whitewater (.86 NW) | Walworth | Wind | 75 mph wind | A considerable number of trees and limbs down in Whitewater. Some trees or limbs down on homes and vehicles. Roads were closed due to the large number of trees blocking the roads. No electricity into the next day with schools cancelled. A corn dryer on Howard Road was disconnected from its gas line, thereby causing a fire. |
| Whitewater (1.37 NW) | Jefferson | Wind | 75 mph wind | Trees down on the University of Wisconsin Whitewater campus including near Perkins Stadium on the north side of Whitewater in Jefferson County. |
| Dekorra (6.14 W) | Columbia | Wind | 70 mph wind | Numerous reports of trees and limbs down across the western portion of the county. |
| Cold Spg (2.62 SW) | Jefferson | Wind | 70 mph wind | A barn lost its roof, an uprooted tree and branches down. |
| Oconomowoc Lake (.98 WNW) | Waukesha | Wind | 70 mph wind | A large tree uprooted. |
| Summit Corners (1.02 S) | Waukesha | Wind | 70 mph wind | Numerous trees and limbs down. |
| Merrimac (1 W) | Sauk | Wind | 64 mph wind | Several trees and limbs down including power lines. |
| Ft Atkinson (.68 E) | Jefferson | Wind | 64 mph wind | Two street light poles down in Fort Atkinson, one downtown and the other on the northwest side of the city. Branches down in the city. |
| Oak Hill (.79 ENE) | Jefferson | Wind | 64 mph wind | A large uprooted tree landing on a house. |
| Oak Hill (3.68 NE) | Jefferson | Wind | 64 mph wind | |
| Baraboo (1.22 SW) | Sauk | Wind | 58 mph wind | A 20 inch diameter tree down. |
| Camp Randall Stadium (1.01 E) | Dane | Wind | 58 mph wind | A few trees and limbs down. |
| Portage (.69 S) | Columbia | Hail | 1" hail | |
| Lake Geneva (1.23 SE) | Walworth | Hail | 1" hail | |
| Portage (.85 SW) | Columbia | Hail | 0.75" hail |
Service areas this storm touched