Polk County, Wisconsin
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1952 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
34
Tornado reports
112
Hail reports
11
Floods since 1996
520
All events
4
Deaths
$16.2M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Polk County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 34 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Straight line winds estimated around 85 MPH produced significant damage on the south and east side of Amery. Emergency management reported minor damage to 26 residential and 3 business structures, major damage to 1 residential and 12 business structures, and the destruction of 7 …
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated to 50kts downed trees in Centuria.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Wind gusts estimated to 50kts downed several trees in Balsam Lake.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated to 50kts downed trees in St. Croix Falls.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm winds estimated near 50kts down trees in Amery.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Thunderstorm winds estimated to 50kts downed trees in Clayton.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Winter Weather Winter Weather
CoCoRaHS Observer 3 miles NNW of Deer Park measured 0.13 inches of ice accretion from freezing rain.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Visibilities were dramatically reduced, reaching below 1/2 mile at times, as heavy snow fell and sustained winds were 15 to 25 mph with frequent gusts over 30 mph. The 2-day snowfall reports ranged from about 6 to 10 inches throughout the county, with the highest reports being ac…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The heaviest snow fell during the evening of the 10th and early morning of the 11th. Interpolated snow amounts ranged from 4 inches in the northern part of the county to 2 inches in the southern part of the county. The highest report was 2.8 inches 3 miles NW of Turtle Lake.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
KOEO reported wind gusts as high as 30 mph during the evening as air temperatures dropped from -15F to -23F overnight. The lowest measured wind chill was -42F at 2AM on the 23rd.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
CoCoRaHS observers reported freezing rain and light ice accumulation overnight near Turtle Lake and Osceola.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Snowfall reports ranged from 5 to 9 inches, and the highest report was 9.2 inches near Turtle Lake. Winds became breezy at times, dropping surface visibilities at KOEO to 1 mile or less at times while snow was falling.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
The AWOS at L O Simenstad Municipal Airport reported a few hours of freezing drizzle. CoCoRaHS observers reported freezing drizzle 2 miles southwest of Frederic and 3 miles northwest of Turtle Lake.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Between 4 to 7 inches of snow fell across the county. CoCoRaHS observers measured 6.2 inches 3 miles NW of Turtle Lake and 5.5 inches 1 mile NNE of Osceola. Additionally, the AWOS station located at the Osceola Airport recorded visibility of one quarter mile due to falling snow w…
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snowfall totals across the county were estimated around 3 to 5 inches. The highest report was 4.4 inches 3 miles NW of Turtle Lake. The snow was generally light and fluffy, and fell over a period longer than 24 hours.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Snowfall amounts around 2 to 7 inches were estimated across the county, with the greatest amounts to the north. Winds also increased late Tuesday night, with gusts up to 30 mph measured at Osceola Municipal Airport into Wednesday morning.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Tree down along 105th St in Amery.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was reported down near the intersection of 150th St and 220th Ave, east of the village of Milltown.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Report of trees down in the village of Frederic.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was reported down near the intersection of 120th St and 220th Ave in the village of Luck.
Hail Hail
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Several hours of light freezing rain resulted in accumulations around 0.1 to 0.2 inches of flat ice across the county. A narrow band of heavy snow resulted in accumulations around 1 to 3 inches on top of the ice, leading to hazardous travel conditions Sunday.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
An estimated 4 to 8 inches of snowfall was measured across the county with the greatest amounts across the southeast portion.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
The wind chill dropped to -31 at the RWIS site near Osceola.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An estimated 2.5 to 5.5 inches of snowfall was measured across the county. The highest snowfall observation was 5.1 inches near Turtle Lake, WI.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Multiple bands of snow moved through and produced generally 5 to 8 inches of light fluffy snow. A CoCoRaHS observer measured 7.7 inches of snow accumulation 3.5 miles NW of Deer Park.
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Multiple bands of snow moved through and produced generally 4 to 7 inches of light fluffy snow. A CoCoRaHS observer measured 7.0 inches of snow accumulation 1.5 miles N of Somerset.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
The AWOS located at the L.O. Simenstad Municipal Airport in Osceola recorded several hours of extreme wind chills with a minimum recording of -40 degrees.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
An area of 2 to 4 inches fell across the county. 3.8 inches of snow was measured 2.5 miles SW of Frederic, WI.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Two to three inches of snowfall was measured across the county. The highest snowfall observation was three inches in Amery, WI.
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Hail Hail
Heavy Rain Heavy Rain
County Dispatch reported 4-5 inches of standing water in the village of Amery.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
County Dispatch reported trees down in the village of Balsam Lake.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was snapped.
Hail Hail
The hail damaged crops.
Hail Hail
Photos were provided with the hail shown next to a quarter.
Hail Hail
Tornado EF1 Tornado
A tornado was embedded within a line of storms. It mostly knocked down trees, but it did hit several homes and two farms. One home east-southeast of St Croix Falls had much of its roof removed. Hundreds of trees were broken or uprooted. It was rated EF1 with a path length of 5.0 …
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
About two dozen trees were knocked down and part of a fence was blown over.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Several trees were down to the east, blocking 198th St just south of US Highway 8. The direction of tree fall was consistent with rear flank downdraft associated with the tornado.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 14 | 0 |
| 2025 | 19 | 0 |
| 2024 | 21 | 1 |
| 2023 | 20 | 0 |
| 2022 | 18 | 1 |
| 2021 | 5 | 0 |
| 2020 | 10 | 1 |
| 2019 | 16 | 3 |
| 2018 | 10 | 0 |
| 2017 | 7 | 1 |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 |
| 2015 | 7 | 1 |
| 2014 | 15 | 0 |
| 2013 | 16 | 0 |
| 2012 | 17 | 1 |
| 2011 | 20 | 1 |
| 2010 | 26 | 3 |
| 2009 | 14 | 0 |
| 2008 | 24 | 2 |
| 2007 | 32 | 1 |
| 2006 | 9 | 0 |
| 2005 | 18 | 1 |
| 2004 | 15 | 0 |
| 2003 | 4 | 0 |
| 2002 | 6 | 0 |
| 2001 | 16 | 0 |
| 2000 | 9 | 2 |
| 1999 | 15 | 2 |
| 1998 | 5 | 0 |
| 1997 | 9 | 0 |
| 1996 | 15 | 0 |
| 1995 | 11 | 0 |
| 1994 | 3 | 0 |
| 1991 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | 3 | 0 |
| 1987 | 1 | 0 |
| 1986 | 6 | 0 |
| 1985 | 4 | 0 |
| 1984 | 3 | 1 |
| 1983 | 13 | 0 |
| 1982 | 7 | 0 |
| 1981 | 7 | 2 |
| 1980 | 2 | 1 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 1 |
| 1973 | 3 | 2 |
| 1971 | 1 | 0 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 1 |
| 1968 | 1 | 1 |
| 1967 | 1 | 1 |
| 1966 | 2 | 1 |
| 1963 | 1 | 0 |
| 1961 | 1 | 0 |
| 1956 | 1 | 0 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
| 1952 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Polk County, measured to its path.
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