Tornadoes in Wisconsin: What You Need to Know

6/17/2021 (Permalink)

Do you have an emergency plan for severe storms?

Tornadoes are known to cause widespread damage throughout the United States.  Wisconsin's peak tornado season runs from April through September with an average of 20 tornadoes per year. The majority of those tornadoes strike in the month of June. 

But how much do we truly know about these destructive entities that tear through our homes and businesses?

Here are a couple of quick facts about tornadoes:

• The average tornado travels Southwest to Northeast, but have been known to move in any direction.

• Tornadoes are most likely to occur between 3pm and 9pm, but can occur at any time.

• Dr. T. Theodore Fujita devised the F0-F5 Scale for tornadoes in 1971.

• In 2006 the National Weather Service unveiled the Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF Scale).

• A tornado normally appears transparent until it picks dust and mud from the ground.

• The USA averages around 1,200 tornadoes every year, more than any other country.

• In the southern hemisphere tornadoes usually rotate in a clockwise direction. In the northern hemisphere tornadoes usually rotate in a counterclockwise direction.

Signs of Danger

• Dark, green tinted sky

• Large hail

• Low-lying rotating cloud

• Loud roar similar to a freight train

We encourage everyone to be weather aware. Have a family plan in the event of a tornado warning. Know where your safe areas are wherever you are.  

For more information on tornadoes and thunderstorms and how to keep safe during these events, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services has provided a helpful guide that you can find here.