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Strong to Severe Storms Possible Later Today

A potent spring storm will bring swaths of rain, strong to severe storms, and winds gusting as high as 45 mph to the region today into tonight. If you have outdoor plans, stay weather aware! Be ready to shelter indoors if a storm should near your location. Read More >

Tornadoes in northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota, and southwest & central Wisconsin

Background Information
 
Statistics (1850-Present)
 
Records (1850-Present)
 

Clark County (WI) Tornadoes*
1850-2020
Date Time Location Other
Counties
Affected
Length
(miles)
Width
(yards)
Deaths** Injuries** EF-Scale
Month Day Year
9 24 2019 2026-2031 CST Globe 4.4NNE to Loyal 7W None 4.69 60 0 0 EF1
 
An EF1 tornado tracked across rural sections of central Clark County. The tornado touched down near the Black River southwest of Greenwood and then moved northeast before dissipating west of Loyal. Along its path, the tornado damaged trees, barns, silos, and crops. At least three cows were killed at one farm. This tornado caused $280,000 in property damage.
7 19 2019 1824-1826 CST Withee 2.5NNW to Withee 2.7N None 0.28 40 0 0 EF1
 
A brief tornado occurred north of Withee. The tornado touched down in a field, crossed Center Road before dissipating in a wooded area. Trees were blown onto a mobile home and numerous power poles along Center Road were snapped or bent. This tornado caused $30,000 in property damage. More on this tornado can be found at: http://www.weather.gov/arx/jul2019
7 19 2019 1817-1819 CST Withee 4W to Withee 3.8 WNW None 0.23 30 0 0 EF0
 
A brief tornado occurred west of Withee. The tornado touched down near a farm where the roof was partially torn off a barn, the top of a silo was ripped off, pole barns were damaged along with between 15 and 20 trees. The tornado then crossed County Highway O before dissipating. This tornado caused $30,000 in property damage. More on this tornado can be found at: http://www.weather.gov/arx/jul2019
8 23 2011 1605-1630 CST Chili 7NW to Chili 2NE None 7.2 200 0 2 EF2
  A house was knocked off its foundation, roofs were blown off homes, and many barns were heavily damaged.  The tornado tracked east-southeast nearly parallel to County Road H, crossing County Road Y.
7 14 2010 1516-1613 CST North Branch 2.1NE to Sherwood 0.7NNW Jackson 30.77 150 0 0 EF0 in Jackson &
EF1 in Clark
  A National Weather Service survey team surveyed intermittent EF0 tree damage along Town House Road through the village of Merrillan to the Clark and Jackson County line. The survey team then found intermittent EF1 tree damage east along Ballard Road and County Road Z in extreme southern Clark County.  The tornado was the strongest (EF1)  in the vicinity of Lake Arbutus where extensive tree damage was found on the north side of the lake near Bush Road.  The tornado track appeared to be just north of this area with most of the damage caused by winds around the south side of the storm (rear flank downdrafts).  Property Damage:  $5,000 in each county.
6 4 2005 1527-1606 CST Loyal 2W to Dorchester 4W None 17 50 0 0 F1
  This was the first of 3 tornadoes in Clark and Taylor Counties. It touched down near Loyal knocking down a pole barn and power lines. The tornado then continued on a 17 mile long path, touching down intermittently. Several farm buildings along the tornado's path were damaged, along with one business being completely destroyed. This tornado caused approximately $600,000 in property damage and $10,000 in crop damage.
9 30 2002 1802-1805 CST Loyal 7S to Loyal 6.5S None
0.2
50 0 0 F0
  A tornado touched down briefly in a field just south of Loyal, but did no damage.
 6 25  2002   2115-2120 CST Abbotsford  None 
0.3
70  F1 
  A tornado touched down in Abbotsford causing considerable damage.  A large feed mill was demolished, with debris damaging 15 cars at a nearby dealership.  An electric generator from the feed mill was thrown about 2 blocks damaging the front of a building, before coming to rest on a minivan , demolishing it.  Utility poles were sheared off and tossed, as well as a railroad crossing guard.  One power pole was tossed through a car window, while yet another car was picked up and tossed onto another.  In addition to the tornado, straight-line winds estimated at 60 to 65 mph blew down numerous trees and power lines.
9 26 1986 1650 CST Thorp 2S None 0.5 50 0 0 F1
  This tornado touched down briefly at a farm and heavily damaged a barn. Trees were uprooted as well, damaging nearby cars. Windows were also blown out of a house.
8 12 1985 1755-1809 CST Neillsville 8SE None 1.25 150 0 0 F1
  A small tornado touched down along Blueberry Lane in the Town of Washburn. The tornado moved northeast and caused $110,000 damage to a machine shed and barn, and toppled numerous trees including a 100 year old forest of pines.
6 7 1984 2100 CST Stanley to Withee Township Chippewa 9 150 0 0 F2
  A tornado touched down in Chippewa County and moved east-northeast to Withee Township in Clark County. On one farm, two barns and machine sheds were flattened, along with a silo snapped in half. The tornado destroyed two other barns and sheds along the way. Some house damage was also reported. Several large trees were snapped or uprooted, including 13 in one yard.
8 16 1983 1710 CST Christie 2E None 0.1 25 0 0 F0
  This small tornado caused extensive damage to a farm and home. An empty silo was leveled and the top of another blown off. The house was tilted. The electric meter and all but one top story window was blown out. An outhouse and shed were knocked over. Further down the road, another barn was blown down along with a tree and chopper wagon.
7 19 1983 1655 CST Thorp 7S None 1 200 0 0 F1
  The tornado hit a farm ripping the top off a barn and cutting a silo in half. Also destroyed were a chicken shed, pig house, heifer shed, and farm machinery.
7 3 1983 1720 CST Unity 6W to Cherokee 2E None 12 55 0 0 F2
  A tornado briefly touched down near a home inflicting minor damage. It lifted and then touched down again 5 miles west of Unity leaving a 50-foot path through a corn field. A farmer spotted the tornado touching down for a third time 1 mile west of Unity where it hit some power lines. The tornado crossed Highway 13 into Marathon County, where it did much more damage.
7 15 1980 2307 CST Thorp 3 1/2SW None ? ? 0 0 F1
   A tornado touched down in a rural area 3 1/2 miles southwest of Thorp.
9 28 1971 1415-1501 CST Boyd 2S to Merrill 1N Chippewa
Marathon
Lincoln
75 300 0 5 F3
  A large (F3) tornado moved east northeast across central Wisconsin during the afternoon.  This tornado was first sighted south of Boyd and Stanley in Chippewa County.  Maple Grove Brethan Church on town road between County Roads H and G southwest of Stanley lost its doors and windows.  Three persons were injured as their car was blown 200 feet of County Road H (6 miles south of Stanley).  The tornado then continued into Clark County just south of Owen, north of Curtiss, south of Dorchester, south of Athens (Marathon County), weakening over Hamburg and lifting just north of Merrill (Lincoln County).  An estimated 60 farms received damage along the track, many destroyed.  Livestock and crop losses were also severe.  Damage estimated near $2 million.  A Dorchester farmer (Clark County) was pulled from the wreckage of a barn with a broken leg while a town of Holton (Marathon County) farmer received severe cuts and bruises.  Otherwise only minor injuries.  Times of passage at Thorp (2:45 pm), Curtiss (3:10 pm), and Athens (3:45 pm).  This tornado was on the ground for 75 miles.  There were 2 other tornadoes this afternoon.  One was in Dunn County and another tornado was on the ground for 75 miles as it transversed Marathon, Langlade, Menominee, Oconto, and Marinette counties.
 6 26  1969  1635 CST  near Medford Taylor  28.6  F1 
   Major damage occurred at the Taylor County Airport near Medford.
6 26 1969 1600-1635 CST York to Curtiss 5NNW Eau Claire
Jackson
45 ?? 0 4 F2
  This tornado tracked northeast from northern Jackson County, across parts of Eau Claire County, and into Clark County. Ten farms in the Withee area were damaged. Two injuries occurred in Clark County.
7 22 1967 2300 CST Loyal 2S to Marshfield 5E Wood 21 100 0 2 F2
  Three barns were destroyed and 16 cattle were killed at Spokeville. Buildings and trailers were destroyed at Marshfield (Wood Co.). Both injuries occurred in Wood County.
6 30 1967 2215-2230 CST Neillsville 10NE None 4.1 100 0 0 F1
   A small tornado moved east 10 miles northeast of Neillsville.
5 23 1964 1930 CST ? None ? ? 0 0 F2
6 23 1962 1620 CST Thorp None 2.3 ? 0 0
F2
  Tornado touched down momentarily.
9
3
1961
0015 CST
Thorp 5W
None
3.5
5
0
0
?
  A weak tornado touched down briefly 5 miles west of Thorp, WI.  This was the second of a family of four small tornadoes which touched down briefly between Glenwood and Athens.
11 15 1960 1425 CST Chili 2NW to Wausau 5W Marathon 35 100 0 0 F2
  The tornado crossed into Marathon County damaging 3 farms and leveling a barn near Rib Mountain.
9 22 1959 1830 CST Stanley 10SE None 0.5 30 0 0 F0
  Tornado moved across a corn field.
5 26 1959 1545-1645 CST Trempealeau 1E to Fairchild 4NE Jackson
Trempealeau
50 70 0 2 F2
  Skipped north-northeast from east of Trempealeau, passing 1 mile east of Hegg, near Northfield, and 1 mile southeast to 4 miles northeast of Fairchild. A café was destroyed in Clark County. Trees and sheds were downed. Minimal F2 damage. Both injuries occurred in Clark County.
6 4 1958 1930-2006 CST Cadott 2SE to Curtiss Chippewa 27 800 4 3 F4
  Deaths occurred in farm houses south of Boyd and Stanley (Chippewa Co.). There was a later touchdown with F1 damage in Marathon County. No injuries or deaths occurred in Clark County.
6 25 1950 1930 CST Unity 2W to Abbotsford 3NE Marathon 10 ?? 1 0 F2
  Three barns were destroyed causing $25,000 in damage. The tornado crossed into Marathon County and then lifted. This was 1 of 3 significant tornadoes in Wisconsin that day, including a F4 that hit Oneida County. The one death occurred in Clark County.
5 13 1942 1500 CST Black River Falls 3S to Loyal Jackson 40 150 1 1 F3
  This tornado moved north-northeast crossing both Jackson and Clark Counties. It hit first at the town dump 3 miles south of Black River Falls, and skipped through "German Hill", killing one man as his house was hurled 500 feet. Businesses and homes were destroyed along the east and southeast edge of Black River Falls and again 1 mile north of Hatfield. There might have been at least two tornadoes with a gap in damage around Neillsville. Total damage was $100,000.
4 4 1942 1655 CST Cadott 2S to Thorp Chippewa 20 100 0 0 F3
  Tornado moved east passing 2 miles south of Cadott, Boyd, Stanley, and Thorp. Twenty-six barns were damaged or destroyed. Three homes and a cheese factory were destroyed. Twenty head of livestock were killed. Damage estimates were $60,000.
6 13 1930 1730-1930 CST ? Trempealeau 
Jackson 
Marathon 
Lincoln
80 1300 0 0 ?
  The tornado moved through western Trempealeau County, northern Jackson County, eastern Clark County, and northwestern Marathon County.   This was one of six tornadoes to occur in west central Wisconsin on this date between 4PM and 8 PM.
6 2 1925 2230 CST Humbird to Loyal 1N None 20 100 0 0 F2
  Barns and other buildings were destroyed on 11 farms, totaling $30,000 in damage. The tornado tracked northeast.
9 21 1924 1430 CST Augusta 2ESE to Chelsea 2N Eau Claire
Taylor
65 400 18 50 F4
  What was probably a family of tornadoes moved northeast from near Augusta (Eau Claire County) to 10 miles southwest of Thorp (Clark County) to north of Chelsea (Taylor Co.). Near Rib Lake, at least 20 farms were destroyed or altogether obliterated. Thirty other farms were damaged. Fourteen people were killed in Clark County and four in Taylor County. The lack of alignment in the positions of destroyed farms, in the Withee-Thorp-Owen area hint strongly that more than one tornado was involved. Four people died and 13 were injured in that area at a Sunday School meeting in a farm house. One entire wall of a home was reportedly carried for 14 miles. Damage may have been F5 intensity 4 miles south of Thorp and north of Withee near the county border. Damage estimates were $229,000.
7 3 1907 1700 CST Neillsville 12SW to Elroy 1NE Jackson
Juneau
Monroe
Sauk
55 800 11 40 F4
  Most likely a family of tornadoes, they tracked south-southeast crossing a total of 5 counties. At least 20 homes were leveled. Three people were killed just outside of Oakdale (Monroe Co.) A hundred people were left homeless in town. Four people died at "Tunnel Siding" north of Elroy. At least four, and possibly six, people were killed north of Tomah.
7 3 1907 1645 CST Tioga 1N to Neillsville 3E None 12 150 1 30 F4
  This was the first event of a very complex outbreak that involved as many as seven tornadoes, with two or three on the ground at the same time. Only this first event, and the last event in Sauk County, were single tornadoes. One man was killed in open area near Tioga as he and his friends ran for cover. Nine were injured. Ten people were injured in another farm house. Parts of some homes were carried for over 4 miles. (Click here for picture of tornado)
5
2
1895
?
Humbird
None
?
?
?
3
?
7
16
1887
1400 CST
?
None
?
1000
?
?
?
5
1
1887
2100 CST
?
None
?
?
?
?
?
8
21
1883
1200 CST
?
Wood
?
?
?
?
?
* The data in this table came from Storm Data, Significant Tornadoes--1680-1991 by Thomas P. Grazulis, and Wisconsin Tornado Database 1950-2000 Geographic Techniques Report No. ST-WTDB01.
 ** Injuries and Deaths are for the entire tornado track.


Last Updated Sunday, April 26, 2020 - Jeff Boyne