NWS Twin Cities Home Page » Historical Severe Weather Events » Sept. 2, 2002 Ladysmith, WI Tornado
Summary of Ladysmith, WI Tornado on September 2, 2002
The town of Ladysmith in northwest Wisconsin was struck by an F3 rated tornado on Labor Day, September 2nd, 2002. National Weather Service personnel from the Chanhassen Minnesota office conducted a damage survey the next day.
The tornado touched down approximately at 420 pm CDT about one and one half miles west southwest of downtown Ladysmith. The tornado was initially ranked an F0, but strengthened to an F2 at the intersection of highways 8 and 27 on the west side of town. The tornado further intensified to F3 strength just east of the railroad tracks near the Baptist church, and proceeded to tear up the downtown business area. The tornado remained at F3 strength for about a mile, before weakening to a F1 as it exited the east side of town. Map of Tornado Track.
The tornado remained on the ground for about 15 miles and moved at about 30 mph. The tornado was one quarter of a mile wide at its widest point. It finally lifted off around 450 pm cdt, about two miles south of the town of Ingram.
F3 tornadoes contain estimated winds of 158 to 206 mph on the Fujita Scale.
Although most of the damage in Ladysmith was rated as F2, (113-157 mph),there was a one to two block swath of F3 damage near Highway 8 and a Baptist church.& Along with structural damage to buildings, two vehicles (a pickup truck and van), were picked up and thrown 75 feet during the event. East of Ladysmith damage was rated as F1 strength (73-112 mph).
Damage Photographs taken by Todd Krause, Warning Coordination Meteorologist.
Ladysmith is a city of approximately four thousand residents located in Rusk County, within northwest Wisconsin, and is about 45 miles north of Eau Claire.
Damage Photographs taken by Todd Krause - Warning Coordination Meteorologist
(click on thumbnail for larger view)
1.) 
One of the hardest hit structures in Ladysmith was the Ladysmith Baptist Church, at Highway 8 and West 3rd Street north. It was lifted completely off its foundation and deposited in the adjacent parking lot. Built in 1904 and barely bolted down to the foundation, it could be classified as sustaining damage no greater that F3. Note that the Fujita Damage scale indicates structures with poor foundations would have to be blown some distance away to reach the F4 category.
2.) 
This scene, from near the top of the steps to the Baptist Church, shows the church having been deposited in the adjacent parking lot.
3.) 
This brick building at the corner of Miner Avenue and West 3rd Street North was demolished.
4.) 
Only a few walls around a closet remain at this one floor insurance business on the west side of downtown Ladysmith.
5.) 
This water tower, on the north side of Highway 8 near West 2nd Street N, was toppled. It had been filled with water.
6.) 
This car was parked near a business along Highway 8, in front of the water tower.
7.) 
Standing near the water tower, looking back toward Highway 8 and downtown Ladysmith.
8.) 
Parked near the water tower, this two ton pickup truck was lifted off the ground and thrown 75 feet before slamming into a tree. There were no marks in the ground between the truck and where it had been parked. The Fujita scale states that F3 damage includes heavy cars being lifted off the ground and thrown.
9.) 
These houses, a few blocks east of downtown, sustained major damage. A few had their roofs lifted off.
10.)
After leaving Ladysmith, the tornado moved through rural Rusk County, destroying a number of barns, sheds and outbuildings. This was some of the damage two miles south of Glen Flora.
11.) 
Two miles south of Glen Flora, this barn was destroyed and the silo was sheared off. The tornado finally dissipated 3.5 miles after hitting this farm.
