Summer is back

[thablingster]

Watching these storms on Doppler radar is fascinating. Radar has come a long way in the past 10-15 years.

[hawing]

For a while in south central Wisconsin, the warnings came in almost too quickly to allow keeping track of them.

 

Rain, wind, maybe a little hail in my part of Madison (near west), but that seems to have been all.

There was a report of rotation near the Alliant Energy Center. Maybe NeedMoreFans can speak to that.

 

As of 5:30, the only tornado warning in southern Wisconsin is for Milwaukee County, with a reported tornado spotted near the zoo, moving toward the Domes and Miller Park. Noooo!

[NeedMoreFans]

There was a report of rotation near the Alliant Energy Center. Maybe NeedMoreFans can speak to that.

Not today...I have an event there tomorrow, though. It's outdoors, too. We were up in Waunakee today, and there were some very strange cloud formations. I saw clouds going straight up, straight down, coming from a couple directions at once...it was pretty crazy. No hail, though.

[hawing]

Now the tornado watch (for south central Wisconsin) has been extended to last until 3:00 AM. That's over 12 hours of tornado watchness. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/frown.gif

[owbc]

Wow, what a crazy weather day!

 

This afternoon, virtually every thunderstorm in the area was rotating, I've never seen so many tornado warnings before! Fortunately, there were no major tornadoes in Wisconsin, but there were a number of reported tornadoes and funnel clouds--and Wisconsin only averages 20-25 tornadoes per year. It will probably take several days for the damage assessment teams to determine the location and intensity of all the tornadoes, but it seems like the most damage was done from a tornado in Columbia County. There were also a reported tornado near Beaver Dam and another in Jefferson County near Johnson Creek and Ft. Atkinson. Stoughton had a possible tornado or microburst that caused damage. I also heard a report of a funnel cloud that moved from Waukesha County to near the Milwaukee County Zoo, but I don't think it even touched the ground. Not to mention all the flooding.

 

Anyway, I spent about 30 minutes watching one of the storms over Lake Mendota from Memorial Union (while the tornado warning was going on--not recommended). There were lots of particularly nasty looking scud clouds, but I did not see a wall cloud, which is usually associated with a tornado. However, one section of clouds appeared to be rotating, although it didn't ever appear like it was going to produce a tornado. Kind of disappointing, as it probably would have formed on the northern side of the lake.

 

The main threat now is flooding, as the storms should continue for another 24 hours, although the severe threat is only a "slight risk" tomorrow.

[hawing]

4.93" of rain in Milwaukee on Saturday - a new record - which makes Madison's equally new June 7 record of 2.23" look downright weak.

 

The NWS' new warning system (where warnings are tailored to the actual path of a storm, and don't necessarily pertain to the whole of a county) certainly got a workout. However, the TV stations have not caught up with that development. When there was a tornado warning for northern Dane County until 4:30 PM and a tornado warning for southeastern Dane County until 5:00 PM, the weather radio kept them straight, but the scrolls on TV would just say Dane County - which made for a confusing display for those just watching on TV.

 

Oh, goody, it's the weather radio alarm, again.

[PeaveyFury]

I could actually look out my window yesterday afternoon and look to the left and watch the clouds rotating to the left, then look to the right and watch the clouds rotating to the right. What I said at that point would be a strike-able offense here.

 

Tons and tons of rain again this morning so far in the Madison area, with no end in sight today. With storms still expected tomorrow and Tuesday, flooding is becoming a serious concern.

[hawing]

Not today...I have an event there tomorrow, though. It's outdoors, too.

Well, that didn't happen, and to a degree that might be just as well. I like dogs, but imagine the Wet Dog Fest that would have ensued.

[owbc]

8 confirmed tornadoes on Saturday