Severe storms, with large hail and damaging, straight-line, downburst winds, developed ahead and along a cold front, which plowed east into an unseasonably warm, moist airmass over southern Wisconsin. Maximum afternoon temperatures were mostly in the 80s (about 30 to 35 degrees above normal) during the 4-day period of April 15-18. The hail stones ranged from 3/4 inch to 2 inches in diameter, resulting in several vehicles receiving dents (in Lafayette, Sauk, and  Dane County).  The damaging winds were mostly in the 60 to 70 mph range resulting in numerous reports of uprooted trees.  Dozens of power lines were pulled down as broken tree branches fell on them.  About 25,000 customers lost electrical power, based on utility company records.  The areas with the largest amount of tree damage were: 1) from Graitiot to Woodford in Lafayette Co., 2) from northwest of Browntown to Monroe in Green Co., and 3) from Watertown to Mayville in Dodge Co.  Otherwise, tree damage due to wet microbursts was scattered. A semi-trailer northeast of Beloit on Interstate 90 sustained damage when it was blown over by the powerful thunderstorm winds.  Just west-southwest of Brodhead, a shed was blown down.  In the area northwest of Browntown to Monroe, a barn was blown down, a shed was blown on to a home, and two residential roofs were damaged by broken tree limbs. A shed under construction at the Watertown High School in Dodge County was damaged by the powerful winds.  A wind-toppled tree damaged a vehicle near Silver Lake (Kenosha Co.).  Lightning started a 75 acre grass fire in the Horicon Marsh in Dodge County, a 1 acre grass fire south of Ft. Atkinson in Jefferson County, and a 5 acre grass fire south of Portage in Columbia County.  Elsewhere, separate lightning strikes started fires which damaged the roof of two Madison (Dane Co.) homes.  Several of the thunderstorms had mesocyclones,and cloud-base rotation was noted by severe weather spotters, however there were no tornado reports.

Thunderstorm Wind in GREEN, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:45:00 to 18-APR-02 20:55:00 (CST)
Location: BROWNTOWN
Magnitude: 61 E
Property damage: 200K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in GREEN, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 21:02:00 to 18-APR-02 21:02:00 (CST)
Location: BRODHEAD
Magnitude: 56 E
Property damage: 15K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in ROCK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 21:14:00 to 18-APR-02 21:22:00 (CST)
Location: (JVL)ROCK CO ARPT JA
Magnitude: 55 M
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Hail in IOWA, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 14:38:00 to 18-APR-02 14:38:00 (CST)
Location: MINERAL PT
Magnitude: 0.88 
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in LAFAYETTE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 14:15:00 to 18-APR-02 14:15:00 (CST)
Location: BELMONT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: .5K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 21:32:00 to 18-APR-02 21:32:00 (CST)
Location: BROWN DEER
Magnitude: 53 M
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Hail in GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:34:00 to 18-APR-02 16:39:00 (CST)
Location: BERLIN
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Thunderstorm Wind in LAFAYETTE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:30:00 to 18-APR-02 20:50:00 (CST)
Location: GRATIOT
Magnitude: 56 E
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:10:00 to 18-APR-02 16:10:00 (CST)
Location: MADISON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Hail in LAFAYETTE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 14:17:00 to 18-APR-02 14:17:00 (CST)
Location: BELMONT
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in SAUK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 15:00:00 to 18-APR-02 15:00:00 (CST)
Location: MERRIMAC
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in SAUK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 15:00:00 to 18-APR-02 15:00:00 (CST)
Location: PRAIRIE DU SAC
Magnitude: 0.88 
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in COLUMBIA, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 15:09:00 to 18-APR-02 15:09:00 (CST)
Location: PORTAGE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Lightning in COLUMBIA, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 14:15:00 to 18-APR-02 14:15:00 (CST)
Location: PORTAGE
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Hail in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:00:00 to 18-APR-02 16:00:00 (CST)
Location: MADISON
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:10:00 to 18-APR-02 16:10:00 (CST)
Location: (MSN)TRUAX FLD MADIS
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Thunderstorm Wind in MARQUETTE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 19:37:00 to 18-APR-02 19:37:00 (CST)
Location: BRIGGSVILLE
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Hail in MARQUETTE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 12:54:00 to 18-APR-02 12:54:00 (CST)
Location: OXFORD
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in GREEN LAKE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:10:00 to 18-APR-02 20:10:00 (CST)
Location: GREEN LAKE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:32:00 to 18-APR-02 20:32:00 (CST)
Location: MIDDLETON
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in FOND DU LAC, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:37:00 to 18-APR-02 20:37:00 (CST)
Location: WAUPUN
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in COLUMBIA, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:05:00 to 18-APR-02 20:05:00 (CST)
Location: POYNETTE
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Lightning in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:00:00 to 18-APR-02 16:00:00 (CST)
Location: MADISON
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in SAUK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 15:15:00 to 18-APR-02 15:15:00 (CST)
Location: BARABOO
Magnitude: 61 E
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Hail in COLUMBIA, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 15:20:00 to 18-APR-02 15:20:00 (CST)
Location: OKEE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Lightning in JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 15:40:00 to 18-APR-02 15:40:00 (CST)
Location: FT ATKINSON
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in DODGE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:23:00 to 18-APR-02 20:23:00 (CST)
Location: BEAVER DAM
Magnitude: 53 M
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Thunderstorm Wind in DODGE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:37:00 to 18-APR-02 20:37:00 (CST)
Location: WAUPUN
Magnitude: 52 M
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in DODGE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:40:00 to 18-APR-02 20:45:00 (CST)
Location: WATERTOWN
Magnitude: 52 E
Property damage: 55K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Lightning in DODGE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:40:00 to 18-APR-02 20:40:00 (CST)
Location: HORICON
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in IOWA, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 19:58:00 to 18-APR-02 19:58:00 (CST)
Location: DODGEVILLE
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in JEFFERSON, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 20:45:00 to 18-APR-02 20:45:00 (CST)
Location: LAKE MILLS
Magnitude: 51 M
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in SAUK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 15:33:00 to 18-APR-02 15:33:00 (CST)
Location: MERRIMAC
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 2K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in ROCK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:25:00 to 18-APR-02 16:25:00 (CST)
Location: MILTON
Magnitude: 57 M
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

Hail in MARQUETTE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 15:53:00 to 18-APR-02 15:53:00 (CST)
Location: ENDEAVOR
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Funnel Cloud in ROCK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:15:00 to 18-APR-02 16:15:00 (CST)
Location: CLINTON
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Lightning in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:22:00 to 18-APR-02 16:22:00 (CST)
Location: MADISON
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Hail in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:29:00 to 18-APR-02 16:29:00 (CST)
Location: MADISON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 16:35:00 to 18-APR-02 16:35:00 (CST)
Location: MONONA
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Hail in DANE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 18:30:00 to 18-APR-02 18:30:00 (CST)
Location: DEERFIELD
Magnitude: 2.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in ROCK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 18:00:00 to 18-APR-02 18:00:00 (CST)
Location: EVANSVILLE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in ROCK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 18:40:00 to 18-APR-02 18:40:00 (CST)
Location: JANESVILLE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in ROCK, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 18:44:00 to 18-APR-02 18:47:00 (CST)
Location: JOHNSTOWN
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Hail in SHEBOYGAN, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 21:11:00 to 18-APR-02 21:11:00 (CST)
Location: GREENBUSH
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 21:15:00 to 18-APR-02 21:15:00 (CST)
Location: WEST BEND
Magnitude: 52 E
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

Thunderstorm Wind in WALWORTH, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 21:25:00 to 18-APR-02 21:25:00 (CST)
Location: WHITEWATER
Magnitude: 52 M
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Thunderstorm Wind in RACINE, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 21:57:00 to 18-APR-02 21:57:00 (CST)
Location: BURLINGTON
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in KENOSHA, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 22:03:00 to 18-APR-02 22:03:00 (CST)
Location: SILVER LAKE
Magnitude: 52 E
Property damage: 4K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Thunderstorm Wind in IOWA, WISCONSIN
From 18-APR-02 18:36:00 to 18-APR-02 18:36:00 (CST)
Location: HIGHLAND
Magnitude: 52 E
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT