The October 26-27, 2010 Record Extratropical Cyclone
Last updated 10/28/10 4 pm
One of the strongest storms in the history of the central U.S. affected the region on October 26-27, 2010, producing wind gusts over 50 mph across much of the Midwest, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes from southeast Wisconsin and northeast Illinois to northern Alabama, and a blizzard over northern Minnesota and North Dakota. As the storm reached peak intensity late during the afternoon on October 26 over Minnesota, the lowest barometric pressure readings ever recorded in the central United States occurred. A reading of 28.21" (955.2 mb) was recorded at Bigfork, MN, a pressure that is found in Category 3 hurricanes!
As the storm moved near Wisconsin, a new state record was set for lowest air pressure. Superior, WI, recorded a pressure of 28.39" (961.3 mb) on October 26. The previous state record was set in Green Bay in April 1982.
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Track of the low pressure center. Map from NWS La Crosse. (Click for full view.) | Animated track of the storm's center, October 25-27. Map from NWS La Crosse. (Click for full view.) |
The intense storm produced wind gusts over 60 mph across Wisconsin on October 26 into early on October 27. Highest gusts across northeast and central Wisconsin included 79 mph in Sherwood (Calumet Co.), 68 mph in Algoma (Kewaunee Co.), 61 mph in Wausau and 60 mph in Rhinelander. In addition, a tornado was reported in Racine County on the morning of October 26.
The high winds caused widespread power outages across mainly northern Wisconsin, with as many as 60,000 customers without power at the height of the storm. Trees were knocked down in scattered locations in the region--some falling on homes and cars. The strong and persistent southwest winds pushed the water out of the Fox River and lower part of the bay of Green Bay, with water levels falling some three feet from normal. Over the course of the next two days the water sloshed back and forth with water levels rising and falling in the lower bay and Fox River between one and two feet as a seiche set up. Water levels returned to normal on the afternoon of the 28th as the winds shifted to the west then northwest.
CITY COUNTY PEAK WIND(MPH)
SHERWOOD WINNEBAGO 79 MPH
ALGOMA KEWAUNEE 68 MPH
MANITOWOC-MARITIME MUS. MANITOWOC 64 MPH
KEWAUNEE-HARBOR MARINA KEWAUNEE 63 MPH
MARSHFIELD WOOD 61 MPH
WAUSAU MARATHON 61 MPH
RHINELANDER ONEIDA 60 MPH
ANTIGO LANGLADE 60 MPH
HORTONVILLE OUTAGAMIE 59 MPH
SHIOCTON OUTAGAMIE 59 MPH
CLINTONVILLE WAUPACA 58 MPH
NEW HOLSTEIN CALUMET 57 MPH
CHILTON CALUMET 57 MPH
BELLEVUE BROWN 57 MPH
DARBOY OUTAGAMIE 57 MPH
APPLETON OUTAGAMIE 55 MPH
KIMBERLY OUTAGAMIE 55 MPH
WISCONSIN RAPIDS WOOD 54 MPH
MOSINEE MARATHON 54 MPH
STURGEON BAY DOOR 54 MPH
EAGLE RIVER VILAS 53 MPH
WASHINGTON ISLAND DOOR 53 MPH
SISTER BAY DOOR 53 MPH
OSHKOSH WINNEBAGO 52 MPH
STEVENS POINT PORTAGE 52 MPH
GREEN BAY-NWS BROWN 52 MPH
CHAMBERS ISLAND DOOR 52 MPH
MANITOWOC MANITOWOC 52 MPH
MENOMINEE MI MARINETTE 51 MPH
GILLS ROCK-NORTHPORT DOOR 49 MPH
WAUPACA WAUPACA 47 MPH
WAUTOMA WAUSHARA 46 MPH
MERRILL LINCOLN 45 MPH
KESHENA MENOMINEE 45 MPH
LAONA FOREST 42 MPH
WAUSAUKEE MARINETTE 41 MPH
TOMAHAWK LINCOLN 39 MPH
LAND O LAKES VILAS 38 MPH
PHELPS VILAS 37 MPH
Official and unofficial reports are included.
Additional references and links about this storm:
More about low pressure records in the U.S.
NWS Duluth
NWS La Crosse
NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan
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