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NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database

Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Onalaska, WI

Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.

No tropical storm or hurricane has passed within 75 miles of Onalaska, Wisconsin since records began in 1851. Since 1950, 56 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 3 of them rated EF3 or stronger.

Hurricanes
0

within 75 mi, since 1851

Tropical storms
0

below hurricane strength

Tornadoes
56

within 25 mi, since 1950

EF3 or stronger
3

no recorded deaths

Tornadoes within 25 miles of Onalaska

By decade

  • 2020s6
  • 2010s10
  • 2000s8
  • 1990s8
  • 1980s6(1 EF3+)
  • 1970s5
  • 1960s10(1 EF3+)
  • 1950s3(1 EF3+)
Strongest tornadoes near Onalaska, Wisconsin
DateRatingDistancePathKilled / injured
Jun 5, 1980F316 mi26.9 mi0 / 1
May 5, 1965F31 mi65.2 mi0 / 7
May 26, 1959F312 mi34.3 mi0 / 2
May 22, 2011EF27 mi13.79 mi0 / 0
May 8, 1988F225 mi27 mi0 / 0
Jun 26, 1986F218 mi5.5 mi0 / 0
Jun 5, 1980F213 mi70.2 mi0 / 0
Jul 18, 1971F219 mi1 mi0 / 0
May 4, 1964F221 mi9.7 mi0 / 2
May 14, 1961F27 mi1 mi0 / 0
Aug 28, 1960F224 mi0.5 mi0 / 0
Apr 19, 1957F26 mi0.1 mi0 / 0

The strongest 12 of 56, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.

How to read this page

A storm is listed when the centre of its track passed within 75 miles of Onalaska while it was at least a tropical storm, which is the reach of damaging wind and rain for a typical hurricane. Being on the list does not mean the city took a direct hit; the "closest" column says how near the centre came. Tornadoes are counted when any part of the path came within 25 miles.

Tornado records before the 1990s are thinner, because weak tornadoes in open country often went unreported before Doppler radar and mobile phones. A rise in the decade counts is mostly better reporting, not a change in the weather.

Tracks come from the National Hurricane Center's HURDAT2 database, tornadoes from the Storm Prediction Center's database. Both are the official federal records and both are revised as old storms are re-analysed.

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