Menomonie

Population 16,664 (2025)

70 tornadoes have tracked within 25 miles of Menomonie since 1950, 9 of them rated EF3 or F3 or stronger; the most recent was on August 29, 2024.

Hazard fingerprint for Menomonie Tornado: 35th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 17th percentile. Hail & wind: 31th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 65th percentile. Winter: 76th percentile. TORTROPFIREFLOODSEVEREHEATCOLDWINTER

Hazard fingerprint Each spoke is this county’s percentile among U.S. counties where that hazard occurs. How it is computed

2026
  • Tornado damage paths within 25 miles since 195070

At a glance

Tornado paths within 25 miles, tropical cyclone tracks within 100 miles and wildfire perimeters within 25 miles of the city centre. Storm events, flood insurance claims and disaster declarations are for Dunn County. Earthquakes within 50 miles, volcanoes within 100 miles and smoke days are measured from the city centre; river and tide gauges, tsunami and landslide records and the drought index are for Dunn County.

Tornadoes since 1950, within 25 mi

70

9 rated F3/EF3 or stronger

Details

Flood insurance claims

9

Dunn County

$53,000 paid since 1986

Details

Strongest tornado

F5

June 4, 1958, 33.7 mile path

Federal disaster declarations

13

Most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, 2020

Details

Record high

101°F

Reached 2 times, most recently August 3, 1964

Details

Record low

−40°F

February 3, 1996

Details

Snowiest season

94.5in

Winter of 2018-19

Costliest event since 1996

$2.2M

Thunderstorm Wind, May 19, 1996

Details

Tornadoes

About one every 1.1 years since 1950, 9 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

June 4, 1958

F5, 33.7 mile path

880 yards wide; 21 killed along the whole path.

Most recent

Thursday, August 29, 2024

EF0, 1.7 mile path

2 years ago.

Tornadoes by decade, within 25 miles Doppler radar era² 1950s: 7 7 1960s: 5 5 1970s: 9 9 1980s: 18 18 1990s: 11 11 2000s: 5 5 2010s: 10 10 2020s: 5 5 1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020s
Recorded tornadoes per decade. The 2020s are incomplete.
Tornadoes by month J: 0 F: 0 M: 1 A: 2 M: 12 J: 15 J: 24 24 A: 6 S: 9 O: 1 N: 0 D: 0 JFMAMJJASOND
By month of occurrence, all years.

Every recorded tornado

Tornadoes within 25 miles since 1950
Aug 29, 2024EF01.75000
May 9, 2022EF19.35000
May 9, 2022EF00.75000
Jul 21, 2020EF03.52500
Jul 21, 2020EF00.12500
Sep 24, 2019EF37.072530
Jun 28, 2017EF111.370000
Jul 5, 2016EF13.310000
Jul 5, 2016EF00.32500
Jul 18, 2015EF15.25000
Jun 17, 2015EF00.22500
Jun 27, 2014EF17.010000
Jul 14, 2010EF26.13000
Jul 14, 2010EF00.62000
Jul 14, 2010EF215.210000
Aug 19, 2009EF01.72500
Aug 19, 2009EF01.42500
May 25, 2008EF03.55000
Jun 11, 2005F00.32500
Jun 7, 2005F05.55000
Jul 8, 1999F110.012030
May 30, 1998F21.010080
May 15, 1998F118.015010
May 15, 1998F38.06060
Mar 29, 1998F04.05000
Jul 5, 1997F15.044000
Jun 24, 1997F10.110000
Jun 15, 1997F21.050000
May 30, 1994F11.07300
Apr 26, 1994F14.01,20000
Oct 8, 1992F00.55000
Jun 28, 1987F10.610000
May 29, 1987F00.15000
Aug 7, 1984F00.12700
Jul 3, 1983F20.55000
Sep 12, 1982F25.07700
Sep 12, 1982F110.015000
Sep 12, 1982F20.53300
Sep 12, 1982F10.53300
Sep 12, 1982F25.020000
May 17, 1982F010.010000
Jul 24, 1981F00.32000
Jun 14, 1981F20.53300
Jul 15, 1980F10.11000
Jul 15, 1980F20.110121
Jul 15, 1980F10.11000
Jul 15, 1980F00.11000
Jul 15, 1980F20.26751
Jul 15, 1980F31.0440101
Aug 6, 1977F10.11010
Jul 30, 1977F419.0300200
Jul 30, 1977F39.120000
Jun 12, 1976F21.010000
Sep 28, 1971F25.210010
Jul 18, 1971F238.510021
Jun 7, 1971F11.05000
Jul 18, 1970F01.01000
Apr 29, 1970F19.520000
Aug 1, 1967F12.710000
Jul 22, 1967F29.220030
May 24, 1965F10.23300
Jun 20, 1964F11.01000
Sep 2, 1961F15.41000
May 5, 1959F00.315000
Jun 4, 1958F411.1600503
Jun 4, 1958F533.78807421
May 24, 1958F359.450120
Jul 22, 1955F12.020000
Jun 29, 1954F26.21000
Sep 12, 1951F324.420010
  1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond this area.
  2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

No tropical storm or hurricane has tracked within 100 miles since records began in 1851.

Wildfire and smoke

No large wildfire has been mapped within 25 miles since satellite mapping began in 1984.

Smoke overhead

Smokiest year

2023: 81 days

Heavy smoke on 23 days in 2021, the most of any year.

Last 10 years

29.8 days a year

Medium or heavy smoke, 2016 to 2025.

2025

22 days

Medium or heavy smoke. 42 so far in 2026.

Days with medium or heavy smoke overhead, by year 2011: 3 2012: 23 2013: 15 2014: 13 2015: 22 2016: 4 2017: 16 2018: 24 2019: 14 2020: 21 2021: 52 2022: 21 2023: 81 81 2024: 43 2025: 22 201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Days each year on which a satellite-traced plume of medium or heavy smoke covered the city centre, 2011 to 2025.
  1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Floods and flood insurance

9 federal flood insurance claims since 1986, with $53,000 paid.

Flood insurance figures are for Dunn County, the county that contains Menomonie.

Federal flood insurance claims by year
Claims per year since 1986. Years with fewer than five claims are not shown.

Flood events since 1996

  • Flash Flood15
  • Flood2
  • Heavy Rain2

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

Drought

In severe drought or worse for 110 of 1,581 months since 1895 (7%); the longest spell lasted 19 months.

The drought index is for Dunn County, the county that contains Menomonie.

110

Months in severe drought or worse since 1895

53

Months in extreme drought

7%

Share of all months, severe or worse

Lowest reading

April 1911

−7.64, extreme drought

Longest severe spell

19 months

July 1936 to January 1938.

Latest month

September 2026

−2.17, moderate drought

Last severe month: January 2013.

Months in severe drought or worse, by year 1895: 0 1896: 0 1897: 0 1898: 3 1899: 0 1900: 0 1901: 0 1902: 0 1903: 0 1904: 0 1905: 0 1906: 0 1907: 0 1908: 0 1909: 0 1910: 7 1911: 5 1912: 0 1913: 0 1914: 0 1915: 0 1916: 0 1917: 0 1918: 0 1919: 0 1920: 0 1921: 0 1922: 0 1923: 0 1924: 0 1925: 0 1926: 0 1927: 0 1928: 0 1929: 0 1930: 0 1931: 2 1932: 2 1933: 5 1934: 8 1935: 0 1936: 6 1937: 12 12 1938: 1 1939: 0 1940: 0 1941: 0 1942: 0 1943: 0 1944: 1 1945: 1 1946: 0 1947: 0 1948: 4 1949: 8 1950: 2 1951: 0 1952: 0 1953: 0 1954: 0 1955: 0 1956: 0 1957: 2 1958: 0 1959: 5 1960: 0 1961: 0 1962: 0 1963: 0 1964: 12 1965: 1 1966: 0 1967: 0 1968: 0 1969: 0 1970: 0 1971: 0 1972: 0 1973: 0 1974: 0 1975: 0 1976: 4 1977: 5 1978: 0 1979: 0 1980: 0 1981: 0 1982: 0 1983: 0 1984: 0 1985: 0 1986: 0 1987: 1 1988: 5 1989: 1 1990: 0 1991: 0 1992: 0 1993: 0 1994: 0 1995: 0 1996: 0 1997: 0 1998: 0 1999: 0 2000: 0 2001: 0 2002: 0 2003: 0 2004: 1 2005: 0 2006: 1 2007: 0 2008: 0 2009: 0 2010: 0 2011: 0 2012: 4 2013: 1 2014: 0 2015: 0 2016: 0 2017: 0 2018: 0 2019: 0 2020: 0 2021: 0 2022: 0 2023: 0 2024: 0 2025: 0 18951905191519251935194519551965197519851995200520152025
Months each year with a Palmer index of −3 or lower, 1895 to 2025. Twelve means the whole year.
  1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Earthquakes

No earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or more is recorded within 50 miles of the city centre in the USGS catalogue, which begins in 1900.

Severe weather and other events

504 events in the National Weather Service record for Dunn County, 441 of them since 1996.

83

Hail reports, 1 inch or larger

7

Hail, 2 inches or larger

138

Damaging gusts, 58 mph+

118

Winter weather events since 1996

8

Heat events since 1996

15

Cold events since 1996

Largest hail

May 25, 2008

2.75 inches

Strongest measured or estimated gust

May 30, 1998

86 mph

More event types since 1996

Other Storm Events types since 1996
Lightning411Aug 24, 2021
Dense fog and smoke100Nov 19, 2007

Costliest events since 1996

  1. May 19, 1996Thunderstorm Wind$2.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Some snowfall amounts included 11 inches at Chippewa Falls, 10 inches at Ladysmith, 9 inches at Menomonie and Durand, 8 inches at Rice Lake and Stanley, 7.4 inches at Eau Claire and 7 inches at River Falls and Amery. The snow was mixed with freezing rain and sleet at times.

  2. May 15, 1998Tornado$1.9 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Chemical fertilizer plant northwest of Elk Mound sustained most of the severe damage. One house and a mobile home near Elk Mound were also destroyed. 7 other homes damaged. One man injured by flying glass.

  3. Jun 27, 2014Tornado$1.2 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    A storm survey indicated that most of the damage was rated EF-0 with winds up to 85 mph. However, the tornado did briefly strengthen to EF-1 on the northeast side of Colfax, at the local high school where a shed was destroyed and two HVAC units where blown off the roof. This is where the winds may have reached 90 mph. The tornado was often less than 25 yards wide but it did widen to a maximum of 100 yards at the local high school athletic field.

  4. Jun 11, 2001Thunderstorm Wind$500,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Numerous trees down with some roof damage. Sheds and barns down.

  5. May 30, 1998Tornado$400,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Two people severely injured during house collapse. Two homes destroyed. Several barns and sheds were also demolished. 6 people suffered minor injuries. One mobile home destroyed.

  6. May 30, 1998Thunderstorm Wind$300,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Trailer home destroyed. Damage estimate for entire county.

  7. Aug 14, 2009Flash Flood$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A team of NWS employees and local law enforcement officials surveyed a large area of road damage caused by flash flooding. The survey revealed that county roads along the Missouri and Little Missouri Creek northwest of Eau Galle, Wisconsin, had signs of flood damage and mud slides. Several roads were washed out near Eau Galle, Wisconsin. Also, local law enforcement officials reported a mudslide east of Downsville, Wisconsin along County Road C.

  8. Sep 24, 2019Tornado$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    A NWS Storm Survey determined a tornado began on the south side of Elk Mound, near the intersection of I-94, and South Holly Road. The tornado moved northeast, crossing I-94, and continued into Chippewa County as it crossed 10th Street, south of 560th Avenue. Most of the damage was EF0 in Dunn County where a barn lost its roof, and trees were uprooted or blown down. The path length in Dunn County was 2.3 miles long, with a maximum width of 250 yards.

  9. Jun 25, 2002Thunderstorm Wind$250,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Numerous trees down, some on homes, outbuildings and sheds.

  10. Jun 15, 1997Tornado$200,000
    National Weather Service narrative

    Three silos, machine shed, barn and several trees damaged or destroyed. Pieces of shed found 1 mile away. Numerous trees and power lines down.

  1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

Weather records

From Menomonie, 1.7 miles from the city centre, with records from 1957.

All-time high
101°F2 times, most recently Aug 3, 1964
All-time low
−40°FFeb 3, 1996
Warmest night
81°FJun 28, 1971
Coldest day
−15°FJan 29, 1966
Wettest day
5.14 inJun 29, 2020
Snowiest day
13.5 inDec 10, 2012
Hottest year
1998mean 49.8°F
Coldest year
1996mean 40.2°F
Wettest year
201445.94 in
Driest year
197619.30 in
Snowiest season
94.5 in2018-19
Average monthly high and low temperature and precipitation, last 30 years, Menomonie 32°F 25° 7° 0.9 Jan 30° 9° 1.1 Feb 43° 21° 2.1 Mar 57° 33° 3.1 Apr 69° 45° 4.2 May 79° 56° 5.1 Jun 83° 60° 3.7 Jul 80° 58° 4.3 Aug 74° 51° 3.5 Sep 60° 38° 2.7 Oct 44° 26° 1.6 Nov 30° 14° 1.5 Dec Precipitation, inches
Average daily high and low by month, and average monthly precipitation, over the last 30 years.
Nights at or below freezing per year 1976: 178 1977: 145 1978: 172 1979: 173 1980: 176 1981: 169 1982: 161 1983: 157 1984: 164 1985: 164 1986: 160 1987: 159 1988: 172 1989: 171 1990: 168 1991: 168 1992: 160 1993: 176 1994: 166 1995: 173 1996: 184 1997: 170 1998: 130 1999: 143 2000: 148 2001: 141 2002: 167 2003: 155 2004: 147 2005: 160 2006: 141 2007: 149 2008: 163 2009: 176 2010: 164 2011: 173 2012: 161 2013: 184 2014: 174 2015: 151 2016: 149 2017: 158 2018: 189 189 2019: 174 2020: 179 2021: 167 2022: 166 2023: 159 2024: 154 2025: 168 19761986199620062016
Nights at or below freezing each complete year, last 50 years. Thirty-year average: 161.5.
Snowfall by winter 1977: 33.5 in 1978: 59.5 in 1979: 26.0 in 1983: 62.5 in 1984: 37.5 in 1985: 50.0 in 1986: 25.7 in 1987: 38.2 in 1988: 39.1 in 1989: 30.3 in 1990: 32.4 in 1991: 60.1 in 1992: 39.1 in 1993: 48.4 in 1994: 33.7 in 1995: 60.6 in 1996: 65.3 in 1997: 30.0 in 1998: 40.0 in 1999: 34.0 in 2000: 49.0 in 2001: 47.6 in 2002: 25.3 in 2003: 57.4 in 2004: 34.7 in 2005: 28.1 in 2006: 23.0 in 2007: 38.8 in 2008: 42.9 in 2009: 28.1 in 2011: 22.3 in 2012: 78.5 in 2015: 22.8 in 2016: 38.0 in 2017: 55.5 in 2018: 94.5 in 94.5 2019: 52.6 in 2020: 25.6 in 2021: 38.5 in 2022: 66.8 in 2023: 21.5 in 2024: 22.6 in 2025: 37.2 in 19771990200020112023
Total snowfall each winter (July to June), last 50 winters.

Median first snow

November 17

Earliest: October 6, 1964

Median last snow

April 1

Latest: May 3, 2013

0 of 60 winters had no measurable snow.

Station Menomonie (USC00475335), 785 ft elevation, 1.7 miles from the city centre. Daily records from 1957 to October 21, 2026; 98.6% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

Federal disaster declarations

13 since 1953. The most recent: Covid-19 Pandemic, April 4, 2020.

Declarations for Dunn County.

Federal disaster declarations
Apr 4, 2020BiologicalCovid-19 PandemicMajor disasterDR-4520-WI
Mar 13, 2020BiologicalCovid-19EmergencyEM-3454-WI
Sep 13, 2005HurricaneHurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergencyEM-3249-WI
Sep 10, 2002TornadoSevere Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1432-WI
Jul 19, 2002Severe StormSevere Storms and FloodingMajor disasterDR-1429-WI
May 11, 2001FloodFlooding, Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disasterDR-1369-WI
Jul 24, 1998Severe StormSevere Storms,Straigh Line Winds, Tornadoes,Rain,and FloodiMajor disasterDR-1236-WI
Jul 2, 1993Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disasterDR-994-WI
Jul 24, 1980FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-626-WI
Jun 17, 1976DroughtDroughtEmergencyEM-3014-WI
Apr 27, 1973FloodSevere Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-376-WI
May 1, 1969FloodFloodingMajor disasterDR-260-WI
Apr 21, 1965TornadoTornadoes, Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disasterDR-192-WI

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Sources and vintage

Every number on this page comes from these public records.

  • Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
  • Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
  • Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
  • Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
  • Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
  • Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USC00475335.
  • River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
  • Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
  • Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.