Wisconsin Historical Tornado Data

Explore the history of tornadoes across Wisconsin. Discover when and where tornadoes have occurred, how tornado activity has varied over time, and other statistics in the searchable database below.

Interesting Wisconsin Tornado Facts

• Most active year: 2005 with 62 tornadoes.
• Largest single-day outbreak: 27 tornadoes on August 18, 2005.
• Strongest tornadoes: Three tornadoes since 1950 were rated F5/EF5: the devastating storms in Oakfield (1996), Barneveld (1984), and Baldwin (1958).

Where do the data come from?

The data are derived from official National Weather Service (NWS) damage surveys as well as the National Centers for Environmental Information Storm Events Database. Andy Boxell, the NWS Wisconsin State Liaison Meteorologist, and local NWS offices aided in compiling these statistics.

Pre-1950 tornadoes were compiled by Rusty Kapela, a retired meteorologist from the NWS office in Milwaukee, and Thomas Grazulis, a meteorologist famous for studying tornadoes.

A Note About Historical Tornado Records

Wisconsin tornado records date back to 1844, but earlier records should be interpreted with caution. Reporting practices, observation methods, and damage assessments have evolved considerably over time.

As a result, some tornadoes may have gone unreported, while others may have received different ratings under today’s assessment practices. Changes in the number of reported tornadoes may therefore not accurately reflect changes in tornado occurrence.

Explore Tornado Tracks

The NWS Tornado Dashboard allows users to explore the locations and details of individual tornadoes. The URL can be customized to display different parameters: https://noaa.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/f5eaf19924af427aac8d173d6328758e#date=20260101,20261231&state=wi.

• Adjust ‘date=20260101,20261231’ to modify the date range.
• Adjust ‘state=wi’ to modify the state.
• Remove ‘&state=wi’ to view the entire United States.

The Midwestern Regional Climate Center Tornado Tracks Tool displays estimated tornado tracks since 1950. Users can filter by tornado rating, year, month, and documented injuries and/or fatalities. The tool is updated at the end of each calendar year.

This page is updated after official tornado surveys are completed by the NWS, which may take days to weeks following an event. Last updated: 11:45 AM CDT on September 1, 2026

A note about EF/F ratings: On February 1, 2007, the National Weather Service adopted the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, replacing the original Fujita (F) Scale. EF tornado ratings are assigned based on damage assessments and estimated wind speeds. The F scale was based on damage intensity and not wind speed. A rating of N/A indicates that no rating is available, while U indicates an unknown intensity.

A note about EF/F ratings: On February 1, 2007, the National Weather Service adopted the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, replacing the original Fujita (F) Scale. EF tornado ratings are assigned based on damage assessments and estimated wind speeds. The F scale was based on damage intensity and not wind speed. A rating of N/A indicates that no rating is available, while U indicates an unknown intensity. 

Tornadoes by Strength (EF/F Rating)

Tornadoes by Month