Washburn County, Wisconsin
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1953 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
8
Tornado reports
125
Hail reports
11
Floods since 1996
417
All events
1
Deaths
$3.5M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Washburn County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 8 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
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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.
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A gust of 68 mph was recorded by the Minong RAWS station MRZW3.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Photos were received of trees snapped around six feet above the ground between Earl and Springbrook.
Ice Storm Ice Storm
Freezing rain began during the evening of the 3rd and continued through around sunrise on the 4th. Ice accumulations of a quarter of an inch plus were reported across the county with a high report of 0.35 in Spooner.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Snowfall totals for the event were in the 6 to 10 inch range. A high report of 13.2 inches was received from near Shell Lake.
Drought Drought
D2 Severe Drought conditions persisted across the far northwestern corner of the county at the start of March. Precipitation for the month was around 0.25 to 0.75 inches above normal across the county, with much of that falling over the first half of the month. This led to the co…
Drought Drought
D2 Severe Drought conditions persisted across the far northwestern corner of the county during the month of February. No changes in drought category were observed over the course of the month. Precipitation for the month was near to around 0.20 inches below normal in this area wi…
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills as low as -45F were reported in the county.
Drought Drought
D2 Severe Drought conditions persisted across the far northwestern corner of the county during the month of January. No changes in drought category were observed over the course of the month. Precipitation for the month was around 0.20 to 0.40 inches below normal in this area wit…
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Snowfall totals for the event were generally in the 4 to 8 inch range across the county. A pocket of heavier snowfall occurred in the Sarona area where 11 inches was reported.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Snowfall totals for the event were mainly below 6 inches. One location near Shell Lake did record a slightly higher amount of 6.2 inches.
Drought Drought
D2 Severe Drought conditions persisted across the far northwestern corner of the county during the month of December. No changes in drought category were observed over the course of the month. Precipitation for the month was around 0.20 to 0.40 inches above normal in this area bu…
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Snowfall totals of 4 to 8 inches were reported across Washburn County for the event. A high report of 10.1 inches was recorded near Sarona.
Drought Drought
D2 Severe Drought conditions were introduced across the extreme northwestern corner of Washburn County with the update on the 4th. With the update on the 18th, D2 Severe Drought further expanded into the northwestern corner of the county. No additional changes in drought category…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Photos were received showing trees down with one uprooted and down over the road near the southeast end of the Shell Lake airport.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was down on a power line and on fire.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
An 18 inch diameter pine tree was snapped six feet off the ground based on a photo.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees were down along County Highway F between County Highway K and Highway 53.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple trees were down in Spooner. It is unknown if they were snapped or uprooted as most of the images show that fallen trees had already begun to be cut up. However, one image appears to show a tree that was snapped close to the base.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Photos were received of maple, oak, ash, and aspen trees that were down due to strong thunderstorm winds. Trees were snapped off or tipped. A large super canopy white pine had snapped off. It may have been more than a couple dozen trees that came down though it was difficult to t…
Hail Hail
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
An approximately three foot in circumference tree was blown down causing damage to a fence and garage. In another area on the property there was an approximately 1.5 inch diameter branch impaled in the ground like a thrown spear.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Trees and tree limbs were down at the reporter's location.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Hector Dam Road was was completely washed out at one of the culverts for the Dahlstrom Branch of the Yellow River. Work did not start to replace the road until July 14 with work completed on the 17th.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Dispatch reported an estimated six to twelve inches of water on US Hwy 63 and 6th Ave intersection.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
The intersection of Cadle Road and Sunset Drive was washed out by the North Fork of the Clam River. Work to repair the washed out culvert was not completed until after July 21st.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
A video was received County Highway B partially washed out leaving only a thin layer of pavement on one half of the road where it passed over a culvert. Other washouts and closures were reported nearby in multiple locations by the Shell Lake Fire Department.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
County Highway B was completely washout out just east of Old Highway B. This damage was repaired with the road reopened on July 15th.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was down across the railroad tracks about 2 miles from Springbrook.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Numerous trees were down at the spotter's location along with the power being out.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Four trees were down at the reporter's location. One large poplar was uprooted, one was snapped at the base and one snapped midway up. The other was a medium maple tree. The neighbors had a medium white pine tree snapped four to six feet off the ground along with a birch tree sna…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Multiple birch and aspen trees were damaged. The trees were approximately 18 inches in diameter with some uprooted while others were snapped.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A photo was received showing several trees snapped near the trunk or uprooted.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A few trees were knocked down in the storm along with lawn furniture being tossed and damaged.
Hail Hail
Winter Storm Winter Storm
A messy spring storm brought 5 inches of snow accumulation to the Spooner area with 0.12 inches of ice accumulation from freezing rain just south of there in Sarona.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Snowfall totals around the county were in the 5 to 8 inch range for the event. High reports of 8.8 inches were received from near Spooner and Sarona.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills as low as -36F were reported in the county.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Most snowfall totals in the county were under 6 inches, but a few locations in the far southern part of the county reached 6 inches with a high report of 6.5 inches near Shell Lake.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snow Squall. Visibilities quickly dropped to around 1/4 mile or less as the squall slowly passed through the southern part of the county.
Extreme Cold/Wind Chill Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
Wind chills as low as -46F were reported at the KHYR Sawyer County airport in Hayward.
Drought Drought
November began with D2 Severe Drought conditions across the entirety of the county. Precipitation during late October and the beginning of the month led to the removal of D2 Severe Drought across the western third of the county with the update on the 5th. Additional precipitation…
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Pictures were received of several small softwood trees with diameters ranging from 2 to 4 inches that were blown over and snapped.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Several gravel roads in the town of Casey were washed out by the heavy rainfall.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Washburn County dispatch reported a downed power line.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Washburn County dispatch reported a downed tree.
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Snowfall began around midday on the 24th and continued through the afternoon of the 25th across Washburn County. Snowfall over the first 18 hours or so amounted to around 7 to 9 inches with snowfall totals of 9-13 inches. A high report of 13.9 inches was reported near Spooner.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Snow Squall. A webcam at the intersection of US 53 and US 63 in Trego showed no snow on roads before a brief period of very low visibility followed by snow covered roads indicative of the passage of a snow squall.
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 9 | 0 |
| 2025 | 32 | 0 |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023 | 23 | 0 |
| 2022 | 27 | 0 |
| 2021 | 12 | 0 |
| 2020 | 5 | 0 |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 |
| 2018 | 10 | 0 |
| 2017 | 20 | 0 |
| 2016 | 5 | 0 |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 |
| 2014 | 23 | 0 |
| 2013 | 9 | 0 |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 |
| 2011 | 17 | 0 |
| 2010 | 14 | 0 |
| 2009 | 11 | 0 |
| 2008 | 12 | 0 |
| 2007 | 19 | 0 |
| 2006 | 11 | 0 |
| 2005 | 8 | 0 |
| 2004 | 8 | 0 |
| 2003 | 3 | 0 |
| 2002 | 5 | 0 |
| 2001 | 14 | 1 |
| 2000 | 11 | 0 |
| 1999 | 8 | 1 |
| 1998 | 7 | 0 |
| 1997 | 3 | 0 |
| 1996 | 11 | 0 |
| 1995 | 8 | 0 |
| 1992 | 1 | 0 |
| 1991 | 7 | 0 |
| 1990 | 2 | 0 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1987 | 2 | 0 |
| 1986 | 1 | 0 |
| 1985 | 2 | 1 |
| 1984 | 2 | 0 |
| 1983 | 4 | 0 |
| 1982 | 3 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1980 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978 | 1 | 0 |
| 1977 | 2 | 0 |
| 1974 | 5 | 0 |
| 1973 | 1 | 0 |
| 1972 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | 2 | 2 |
| 1969 | 1 | 1 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1965 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Washburn County, measured to its path.
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