The Severe Weather/Flooding Event of
May 31st - June 1st, 2000
Prior to May 31st, much of the upper Midwest was stuck under a stagnant weather pattern. A warm front was hovering over Iowa and Illinois, serving as the focus for most of the precipitation generation. A strong low level southerly flow continued to bring warm, moist air north of the front, with thunderstorm complexes forming during the night-time hours. On the evening of May 31st, this warm front had shifted farther to the north, over northern Iowa and northern Illinois. Thunderstorms developed north of the front early that evening, across southeast Minnesota and northeast Iowa. These storms then tracked due east into western Wisconsin. A few of those storms became severe, producing large hail. Toward midnight, the influence from the low level jet increased and storms started to redevelop over southcentral Minnesota, and then tracked eastward over the same areas. These "training" thunderstorms dumped up to 7 inches of rain in about 12 hours. Flash flooding and river flooding occurred across the areas hit the hardest by the rain. Even though the rain ended by Thursday night, runoff from the deluge would continue to cause flooding problems through Saturday.
Map of the 24 rainfall.
Radar estimated rainfall image for the same period.
The warm front gradually pushed northward on Thursday morning (June 1), while an associated area of low pressure moved over southern Minnesota. With the warm front sliding north of the area, temperatures and dewpoints quickly climbed, helping prime the area for severe weather. The main kicker for this would be a cold front which trailed from the low. This cold front slid across western Wisconsin in the afternoon, and off to the east in the evening. The Storm Prediction Center issued a Tornado Watch around 2 pm that afternoon, and thunderstorms had already started to develop by then. With good instability, along with wind shear, the storms organized initially into supercells. The largest and strongest of these supercells originated in the southeast corner of Minnesota, and then tracked over northern La Crosse County, into Monroe County, and then moved more southeast over Adams and Juneau Counties in central Wisconsin. A couple "weak" tornadoes touchdowned in Monroe and Juneau County, with straight-line wind (microburst) and hail damage along the storm's path. The supercells gradually developed into a line of severe thunderstorms by early evening, and moved into eastern Wisconsin.
Surface map from 3 pm
Radar Images:
- The supercell at 337 pm
- 0.5 degree base reflectivity at 347 pm
- 0.5 degree storm relative velocity (srm) at 347 pm
- Animation or composite reflectivity from 337-437 pm
- Animation of the 0.5 degree srm from 337-437 pm
Some severe weather reports from June 1st:
| Time | Location | Event |
| 304 pm | Cataract, Monore Co. WI | Tornado touchdown, reported by Sheriff |
| 342 pm | Tunnel City, Monroe Co. WI | 3/4 inch hail |
| 343 pm | Tomah, Monroe Co. WI | 60 mph wind gust |
| 350 pm | 4 miles southeast of Oakdale, Monroe Co. | 4.5 inch hail (softball) |
| 403 pm | Volk Field, Juneau Co. | 94 mph wind gust recorded by AWOS |
| 407 pm | New Lisbon, Juneau Co. WI | 90 mph wind gust |
| 418 pm | 7 miles east of Camp Douglas, Juneau Co. | 100 mph wind gust and 1 3/4 inch hail |
| 420 pm | 3 miles north of Mauston, Juneau Co. | Tornado reported by broadcast media |
Cataract WI tornado - F1
Todd Shea, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
Picture of the tornado track.
A tornado touched down near Dallas Ave, 3 miles southwest of Cataract WI right around 3 pm. It moved east for 4 1/2 miles, lifting near county road B about 3 miles southeast of Cataract. Damage consisted of sheared trees, demolished barns and sheds, light house damage, tossed farm equipment and debris thrown about 600 to 700 yards. Preliminary Fujita scale rating on this tornado is F1, with a maximum width of 125 yards. Approximate time of the tornado was 302 to 311 pm.
There were no reports of injuries. Most people interviewed knew there was a tornado watch in effect and a few heard the severe thunderstorm warning issued for northern Monroe County.
4 miles south of Cataract - shed damage |
4 miles south of Cataract - farm equipment tossed, sheared trees in background. |
Oakdale/Camp Douglas WI Storms
Todd Shea, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
The same thunderstorm that produced a brief tornado touchdown near Cataract produced hail as large as softballs through the Oakdale area and communities southeast along the Highway 12 - Interstate 90/94 corridor.
There was extensive roof, siding and window damage in and around Oakdale in eastern Monroe County. Nearly every building in town had damage on the north and west facing walls. Hundreds of cars, including those traveling along the interstate, had broken windshields and sustained large dents. There were numerous trees and large branches broke or blown to the southeast.
Those interviewed said the storm hit around 345 pm and they heard the tornado warning. Some heard tornado sirens from Tomah or the communities to the southeast.
Similar damage was visible in Camp Douglas. Volk Field reported a wind gust to 94 mph at 403 pm with 2 inch hail falling.
House siding damage to Oakdale. |
Damage in Oakdale. |
New Lisbon/Mauston Tornado - F1
Todd Shea, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
A tornado apparently touched down 2 miles north of New Lisbon, just east of the Lemonweir River around 400 pm Thursday afternoon. It then tracked southeast for approximately 6 1/2 miles before lifting just east of Highway 58 about 4 miles north of Mauston. Preliminary rating on this tornado will be F1 with a maximum width of 100 yards.
Damage consisted of sheared or blown down trees, barns and sheds demolished, garages heavily damaged, and some light structural damage to homes. Harest hit were homes and farms along 8th Avenue north of New Lisbon, along Meredith Road north of Mauston, and along Highway 58 north of Mauston.
There were no reports of injuries. Nearly everyone that was interviewed heard the tornado warning for Juneau county via local radio and television, from outdoor warning sirens in nearby communities, or via NOAA Weather Radio.
There was also downburst (microburst) wind damage south and west of New Lisbon along Highway 80 and County Roads B and A. Downburst wind damage was also seen along Interstate 90/94 between Camp Douglas and New Lisbon with hundreds of trees blown down or sheared off.
3 miles north of Mauston - Woodlawn Hills Subdivision |
Tree damage along Highway 58 - north of Mauston: end of tornado track |
Tree damage along Highway 58 - north of Mauston |
Garage hit along Highway 58 |
Garage hit along Highway 58 |
Garage hit along Highway 58: note the tools still hanging |
Rocky J. Squirrel can't out fly the tornado |
Tornado damage crossing Meredith Rd. north of Mauston |
Tornado damage crossing Meredith Rd. north of Mauston |
Tornado damage crossing Meredith Rd. north of Mauston |
Tornado damage along Meredith Rd. north of Mauston |
Tornado damage along Meredith Rd. north of Mauston |
Projectile from tornado |
Damage north of New Lisbon, near start of tornado track |
Damage north of New Lisbon |
The Flooding
photos by: Pete Corrigan, Hydrologist WFO-DMX and Mike Welvaert, Senior Meteorologist WFO-LSE
Austin area - flooding from Dobbins Creek at Intersection of 10th St. SE and Oakland Pl. SE. |
Austin area - flooding from Dobbins Creek in Dreisner Park. Water is about 4 feet deep in park. |
Austin area - USGS gage house on Cedar River south of Austin. |
Spring Valley - sandbagging...flash flooding from Spring Valley Creek flooded portions of downtown earlier that morning. Sandbags were left in place incase of another quick rise. |
Preston - south branch of the Root River. Water is up against leeve protecting the Water Treatment Plant. River level 935 feet (crested earlier around 938 ft). |
Near Lanesboro - vehicles crossing flooded road (MN Route 250) north of Lanesboro, where the Root River has escaped its banks. Not a smart thing to do. The gage reading at this time (LNEM5) was 12.38 feet and crested more than 4 feet higher than this. The road was closed about 20-30 minutes after this picture. |
Near Lanesboro - Root River flooding agricultural lands north of Lanesboro, view is looking east from MN HWY 250. |
Near Spring Grove - County Road 27 washout from Waterloo Creek south of Spring Grove. |
Soldier's Grove water over Highway 131 - road closed. |
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Gays Mills - flooding in the city. At the peak, water was flowing across much of the town right through the city streets. |
A crossing over the Kickapoo River at Haney Valley Rd. Located about 1/2 way between Barnum and Petersburg. |
Steuben - water crossing roadway on Hughes road, just north of Highway 179. The water is 3 feet deep. |
Water over Highway 56 just southeast of Viola. Also, crossing a flooded roadway is a VERY dangerous thing to do. |
Same highway, 4 1/2 hours later. |
Flooding of a park in Readstown. |
