NOAA's National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

January 7th 2008 Severe Weather / Tornado Outbreak

 

The first severe weather outbreak of 2008 occurred unusually early across the Midwest, with reports of large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes being reported from Oklahoma to Michigan. Strong tornadoes were reported across southwest Missouri, northeast Illinois, and southeast Wisconsin. 

Tornadoes are extremely rare in Wisconsin in January. Between 1950 and 2007, only one tornado had been recorded in the month of January, an F3 tornado that hit on January 24, 1967. That tornado in south central Wisconsin was part of a much larger outbreak of 30 tornadoes across  Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. Unfortunately, tornadoes are not so rare across the bi-state region, with some of the most violent tornadoes having occurred during the winter months. In fact, an F4 tornado hit St. Louis County on January 24, 1967.

A total of 48 tornadoes have been surveyed by the National Weather Service for this tornado outbreak.  Two fatalities and around 30 injuries were reported.  Below are damage track maps from each of the local weather offices that surveyed tornado damage paths. If you click on the map image you will be directed to each office's webpage that will provide additional information, photos, and radar displays of the event.

This page will be updated as more information becomes available...

 

 Northeast Oklahoma

6 Tornadoes

 

Southwest Missouri

33 Tornadoes

2 Fatalities

~ 10 Injuries

Central Missouri to West Central Illinois 

4 Tornadoes

 

Northern Illinois

 

EF3 Tornado

4 Injuries

 

 

 

Southeast Wisconsin

 

EF3 Wheatland Tornado

EF1 Kenosha Tornado

15 Injuries