Milwaukee, Wisconsin tornadoes
17confirmed tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Milwaukee since NOAA records began in 1950. Most recent: October 12, 2022, EF0.
Every tornado path within 10 miles
Each path is a straight line from where the tornado started to where it ended, which is all most NOAA records hold. Tap a path for its details.
Recent warnings near Milwaukee
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At a glance
Deaths and injuries are NOAA's totals for each tornado's whole path, which can run well beyond Milwaukee.
When tornadoes hit here
By month
August is the peak month, with 7 of 17 tornadoes.
By time of day
Most often around 2:00 PM. Times as recorded by NOAA, mostly Central Standard Time.
By year, 1950 to 2025
The line is the five-year average. Tornadoes before about 1953 were under-reported, and better radar since the 1990s finds more weak ones.
By rating
Ratings before February 2007 use the original F scale; the numbers line up with today's EF scale. Unknown means NOAA could not assign a rating.
Notable tornadoes
All 17 tornadoes, newest first
| Date | Rating | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2022 | EF0 | 3.07 mi | 40 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2000 | F1 | 1.7 mi | 70 yd | 0 | 16 |
| May 24, 1989 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 23 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 17, 1985 | F1 | 15 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 15, 1982 | F1 | 2 mi | 30 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 4, 1980 | F2 | 0.1 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 4, 1977 | F0 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2, 1977 | F2 | 9.3 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 2 |
| Aug 25, 1975 | F2 | 0.2 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 25, 1975 | F1 | 0.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 14, 1972 | F1 | 34 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 11, 1969 | F1 | 0.3 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 153 |
| Sep 3, 1964 | F2 | 0.1 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 4, 1962 | F1 | 0.5 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 22, 1962 | F2 | 0.1 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 26, 1959 | F2 | 1.5 mi | 33 yd | 0 | 3 |
| Aug 7, 1958 | F2 | 1 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 4 |
Milwaukee and its county
Milwaukee spans 3 counties, each with its own record since 1950: Milwaukee County (21 tornadoes), Washington County (20), and Waukesha County (39). A county's record counts every tornado inside its borders, while this page counts every path within 10 miles of the city, so the two overlap without matching.
Nearby cities
- Elgin, IL 22
- Madison, WI 32
- Rockford, IL 20
- Chicago, IL 21
- Aurora, IL 36
- Naperville, IL 45
Free tornado alerts for Milwaukee
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Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025. City point and population: US Census Bureau, 2024. Each path is a straight line between NOAA's start and end points.