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Tornado in Marathon County, Wisconsin
63 tornadoes events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Tornado.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 63 tornado events in Marathon County, Wisconsin, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 35 years.
July is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 26 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.5% of the 1,820 tornado events recorded in Wisconsin; its 4.1 per 100 square miles compares with 3.4 statewide.
By rating: 23 at (E)F0, 22 at (E)F1, 13 at (E)F2, 3 at (E)F3, 0 at (E)F4, 0 at (E)F5 and 2 unrated. Tornadoes before 2007 carry the original Fujita rating.
Compared with Wisconsin
| Measure | Marathon County | Wisconsin | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado events since 1950 | 63 | 1,820 | 81,281 |
| Per 100 square miles | 4.1 | 3.4 | 2.3 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.6 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 98 | 6,410 |
| Busiest month | July | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
7May
11Jun
15Jul
16Aug
6Sep
8Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
Enhanced Fujita scale wind estimates
- EF0/F0
- 65–85 mph (EF0)
- EF1/F1
- 86–110 mph (EF1)
- EF2/F2
- 111–135 mph (EF2)
- EF3/F3
- 136–165 mph (EF3)
- EF4/F4
- 166–200 mph (EF4)
- EF5/F5
- over 200 mph (EF5)
- Unrated
- no rating recorded
Tornado rating as recorded (Fujita scale before February 2007, Enhanced Fujita after).
Recorded events
All 63 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2026 | Tornado | EF3 | $8.2M | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Tornado | EF2 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2025 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2024 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2024 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2021 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2019 | Tornado | EF1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2017 | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2016 | Tornado | EF1 | $100K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2016 | Tornado | EF0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2012 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2011 | Tornado | EF0 | $258K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Tornado | EF0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2007 | Tornado | EF2 | $343K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2005 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $1.3M | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Sep 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2002 | Tornado | F1 | $1.4M | $32K | — | — | County |
| 31 May 1998 | Tornado | F0 | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F2 | $1.0M | $3.0M | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 1997 | Tornado | F0 | $1K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $100K | $110K | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F1 | $90K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 1996 | Tornado | F2 | $200K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1994 | Tornado | F1 | $50K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 1992 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1990 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 1988 | Tornado | F0 | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 2 | County |
| 2 Jul 1987 | Tornado | F1 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 1984 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1984 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1983 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jul 1982 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1977 | Tornado | — | $2.5M | — | — | 10 | County |
| 13 Jun 1976 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 1974 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 1973 | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1971 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Sep 1971 | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 19 Aug 1968 | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | 5 | County |
| 8 May 1964 | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1961 | Tornado | F2 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 1961 | Tornado | F1 | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1959 | Tornado | — | $250 | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1954 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 1950 | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many tornado events has Marathon County had?
63 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of tornadoes became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded tornado event in Marathon County?
17 Apr 2026 (Tornado, EF3). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging tornado event recorded in Marathon County?
The tornado of 17 Apr 2026, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $8.2M.
How does Marathon County compare with Wisconsin for tornado?
4.1 events per 100 square miles against 3.4 statewide; the county holds 63 of the state's 1,820 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Tornado hub and the county page.