TL;DR

Seven tornadoes touched down across Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan on July 20, 2026, part of a severe weather outbreak that produced 121 wind reports and 25 hail reports across 16 states. The tornadoes occurred between approximately 4:30 PM and 7:30 PM CDT as thunderstorms tracked across the Upper Midwest.

What Happened Across the Upper Midwest

A line of severe thunderstorms moved across the Upper Midwest on the evening of July 20, spawning seven confirmed tornadoes in three states. The National Weather Service received tornado reports from Iowa (2 tornadoes), Wisconsin (4 tornadoes), and Michigan (1 tornado) between 2134 UTC and 0128 UTC (approximately 4:34 PM to 8:28 PM CDT).

The tornadoes were part of a broader severe weather event that affected 16 states from the Upper Midwest to the Southeast. In addition to the tornado reports, the Storm Prediction Center logged 121 wind reports and 25 hail reports across the affected region.

Iowa Tornadoes

The first tornado of the evening touched down 1 mile south-southeast of Webster City, Iowa at 2134 UTC (4:34 PM CDT). The National Weather Service in Des Moines (DMX) noted "multiple reports of funnel cloud... with reports on the ground," with the location estimated by radar.

Twenty-one minutes later, at 2155 UTC (4:55 PM CDT), a second tornado was reported 4 miles south of Kamrar, Iowa.

During the same severe weather event, significant wind damage was reported near Nora Springs, Iowa at 2001 UTC (3:01 PM CDT). This occurred 2 miles south-southeast of Nora Springs along the Cerro Gordo/Floyd County line.

Emergency managers also reported tree limbs down across residential streets in Algona and power pole damage along 210th Street in Hancock County. Significant hail accompanied the storms, with reports of 2.75-inch hail (nearly baseball-sized) near Story City and 2.5-inch hail near Roland.

Wisconsin Tornado Cluster

Wisconsin saw the bulk of tornado activity, with four confirmed touchdowns in the northern and central portions of the state:

  • 0032 UTC (7:32 PM CDT): 4 miles northwest of Stratford, based on multiple reports
  • 0049 UTC (7:49 PM CDT): 4 miles west-southwest of Black River Falls—the National Weather Service in La Crosse noted "a brief tornado occurred just southwest of Black River Falls based on radar and pictures from traffic cameras"
  • 0057 UTC (7:57 PM CDT): 3 miles east-northeast of Mattoon, documented by the OTUS project via drone video
  • 0128 UTC (8:28 PM CDT): 4 miles west of Tigerton, captured on storm chaser video

The Wisconsin tornadoes occurred as the severe weather system continued its eastward progression through the evening hours.

Michigan Waterspout Makes Landfall

Michigan's lone tornado was actually a waterspout that made landfall at Shot Point on the Upper Peninsula at 2228 UTC (5:28 PM CDT). The National Weather Service in Marquette (MQT) issued a correction noting that "video shows waterspout making landfall on Shot Pt."

The Upper Peninsula also experienced significant hail, with reports of 3-inch (grapefruit-sized) hail 5 miles northeast of Watson and 2.75-inch hail in multiple locations including Arnold, Hermansville, and near Trenary.

The Broader Severe Weather Pattern

The Upper Midwest tornadoes occurred as a cold front swept eastward across the region. While today's Storm Prediction Center outlook focuses on severe weather potential from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, yesterday's setup brought favorable conditions for supercell development across Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

The combination of moderate instability, strong wind shear, and a well-defined frontal boundary created an environment conducive to rotating thunderstorms. The tornado reports span a roughly four-hour window, consistent with a progressive severe weather event rather than a stationary outbreak.

No EF Ratings Yet

As of this writing, the National Weather Service has not released Enhanced Fujita Scale ratings for any of the seven tornadoes. Survey teams typically conduct damage assessments in the days following tornado touchdowns to determine wind speed estimates and assign official ratings.

The tornado reports list all seven as "UNK" (unknown) intensity, which is standard for preliminary storm reports. Given the brief nature of several of the tornadoes—particularly the one southwest of Black River Falls described as "brief"—and the reliance on radar, video, and spotter reports rather than extensive damage surveys, some of these may ultimately be rated EF0 or EF1.

Context: July Tornadoes in the Upper Midwest

While tornado activity peaks in the spring across the Great Plains and Midwest, July tornadoes are not unusual in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Michigan. The Upper Midwest can see severe weather throughout the summer months when cold fronts push through humid air masses.

What made this event notable was the geographic spread—three states and seven distinct tornadoes over a four-hour period—rather than the intensity of individual tornadoes. Even non-tornadic severe thunderstorm winds can pose life-threatening hazards, particularly to vehicles on exposed highways.

Lessons from Highway Wind Events

Severe weather events like this underscore a critical safety principle: high-profile vehicles are extremely vulnerable to strong straight-line winds and should avoid travel during severe thunderstorm warnings when possible.

Semi-trucks, RVs, and vehicles towing trailers have large surface areas that act as sails in high winds. Wind gusts of 60-70 mph—common in severe thunderstorms even without tornadoes—can easily flip these vehicles, especially on exposed stretches of highway.

The National Weather Service issues severe thunderstorm warnings when winds of 58 mph or greater are expected. These warnings should be taken as seriously as tornado warnings by anyone operating high-profile vehicles.

What's Next

As of this morning, no tornado or severe thunderstorm watches are active across the United States. Today's severe weather focus has shifted eastward, with the Storm Prediction Center highlighting an Enhanced Risk across portions of the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast.

The Upper Midwest will see quieter weather today as the cold front responsible for yesterday's tornadoes continues moving east. Damage assessment teams will likely be in the field over the coming days to survey tornado paths and assign official EF ratings.

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