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SE Wisconsin hail, heavy rain Wednesday; more on the way

By FOX6 News Digital Team
Published  April 19, 2023 3:53pm CDT
Severe Weather
FOX6 News Milwaukee

SE Wisconsin hail, severe thunderstorm warnings

FOX6 crews, DOT tower cameras and viewer images and video showed hail falling across the area Wednesday during severe thunderstorm warnings.

Several rounds of thunderstorms moved through southeast Wisconsin on Wednesday, April 19 with hail and heavy rain. Flash floods were reported in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. 

The first round moved into parts of the area around noon, sparking severe thunderstorm warnings for areas west and northwest of Milwaukee.

A second heavier round of storms lined up from Dodge into Washington and Ozaukee counties by mid-afternoon. This line produced hail greater than golf ball size in Jackson and prompted severe thunderstorm warnings for Dodge, Ozaukee and Washington counties.

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Wednesday storm reports

Hail reports

The National Weather Service reported the following totals, in inches, which could change:

Severe weather photo gallery

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Hail covering the ground in the Pike Lake/Hartford area of Washington Co. Thanks to FOX6 Viewer Ashley for the photo.

But it was so cold, how'd we get thunderstorms?

Temperatures only reached the 30s and 40s on Wednesday afternoon. How can we see severe thunderstorms? It was 10 degrees warmer aloft – around 5,000 feet. The thunderstorms were feeding off of that air and not the air at the surface. So while it could rain or snow at the temperatures we saw at the surface, it is what is above us that determines precipitation type. This is why weather balloons are so important!

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Did the thunder sound extra loud to you on Wednesday? There is a similar reason for that. Since we are cold at the surface and warmer above us, that is what is called an "inversion" in meteorology. When the lightning created the big boom of thunder, the sound waves got trapped in the colder air (below 5,000 feet). As a result, the thunder was louder than normal because it is bouncing around closer to the surface.

What is ahead for us?

Scattered thunderstorms will continue Wednesday night.

A warm front pushes in from the south on Thursday which will warm us up. Highs in the 60s on Thursday. Several rounds of thunderstorms are expected on Thursday, starting late morning and continuing until early evening. Strong winds, hail and heavy rain likely on Thursday. Once a cold front crosses early in the evening, thunderstorm chances will end.

However, there is now another chance for a few thunderstorms Friday afternoon.

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FOX6 Weather Extras

Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:

FOX6 Storm Center app

FOX6 News app

FOX Weather app

MAPS AND RADAR

We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.

SCHOOL AND BUSINESS CLOSINGS

When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.

FOX6 WEATHER IN SOCIAL MEDIA