March is usually when the tug-of-war between seasons begins in our state, leaving us caught in the middle.

What You Need To Know

  • The earliest known tornado happened on March 6

  • The strongest ever was an F2 in multiple years
  • March tornadoes are rare, but they can certainly happen

Typically in March we’re still grumbling about snow and counting down the days for real spring to finally show up.

However, there have been some years where we got a little more than we bargained for: tornadic thunderstorms.

According to the National Weather Service, 16 documented tornadoes have happened in March across our state. On average, it’s about one every four-to-six years.

The most recent March tornado just last year in Potosi, WI:

Prior to that, there was a single EF1 tornado in 2017. 

The years 2007 and 2005 each saw an F0 tornado hit the state:

On March 8, 2000, the earliest tornado ever recorded in Milwaukee history swept through. It was an F1 tornado which developed right over the Milwaukee airport and moved toward Cudahy.

These images from the National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan show how the funnel looked before it touched down.

 

 

Several building and structures were damaged by the tornado. This is just a sample of the damage:

Image credit: NWS Milwaukee

Just two years prior, in 1998, two F0 tornadoes landed in the month of March. Those tornadoes did little damage.

The most destructive

March 27th, 1991 an F2 tornado ripped through Green, Rock, Dane, and Jefferson Counties.

The tornado claimed one life and injured five others. Six homes were destroyed and 90 others sustained damage.

The 1991 tornado was the first time in nearly 10 years that a twister hit in the month of March.

Digging back further

Searching back prior to 1991, we find eight more meaningful tornadoes to strike in March:

  • 1982: March 30, F1 - Juneau County, Nekoosa
  • 1973: March 11, F1 - Dane County, North of Stoughton  | March 11, F1 - Fond du Lac county, near Malone 
  • 1968: March 27, F2 - Trempealeau County. 1 Injury. Blair
  • 1967: Two F1 tornadoes (Mar 31, Juneau County, Elroy) (Mar 31, Vernon County, Westby) and one F2 tornado (March 31, Wood County, Wonewoc)
  • 1966: March 21, F2 - Walworth, 1 injury. Darien

Photos and detailed information about these twisters are hard to find, due to how long ago they happened.

However, you can view some of the tracks/paths by visiting this website.

What this all comes down to is this: We can get a tornado in March. Typically, it tends to be toward the end of the month. However, as the years 2000 and 2017 showed us, it’s possible to have a tornado within the first 10 days of March.

Now is a good time to start thinking about severe weather season and making sure your family is prepared.