Waukesha County, Wisconsin severe weather history spans 787 recorded events between 1954 and 2026. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 44.3% of all recorded events. It ranks #303 nationally and #3 in Wisconsin.
787
Recorded events
5
Direct deaths
42
Direct injuries
$275.8M
Property damage
The record
What the Waukesha County, Wisconsin severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Waukesha County, Wisconsin severe weather history averages 10.9 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2000s, with 218 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 106 events fall before 1990 and 681 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Waukesha County, Wisconsin record is flash flood, responsible for 3 direct deaths. The costliest is flash flood, with $190.6M in reported property damage. In total, 10 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Waukesha County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 349 | 0 | $11.8M | 96 | 1955–2026 |
| Hail | 260 | 0 | $23.4M | 3.75 | 1957–2026 |
| Lightning | 59 | 1 | $5.8M | 0 | 1996–2026 |
| Tornado | 40 | 1 | $43.1M | F4 | 1954–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 38 | 3 | $190.6M | 0 | 1996–2026 |
| Flood | 22 | 0 | $1.1M | 0 | 1999–2026 |
| Heavy Rain | 12 | 0 | $30K | 0 | 2001–2022 |
| Funnel Cloud | 4 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 1996–2010 |
| Strong Wind | 2 | 0 | $500 | 0 | 1997–1997 |
| Dust Devil | 1 | 0 | $200 | 0 | 2004–2004 |
Decade by decade
Waukesha County, Wisconsin severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
38 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 29 touched down inside it and 9 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984-04-27 | EF4 | 1 | 14 | 6.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 1980-06-05 | EF3 | 0 | 0 | 10.7 mi | Crossed in |
| 1977-06-05 | EF3 | 0 | 8 | 69.5 mi | Crossed in |
| 2010-06-21 | EF2 | 0 | 15 | 5.2 mi | Touched down here |
| 2010-07-22 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 1981-06-15 | EF2 | 0 | 3 | 28.7 mi | Crossed in |
| 1977-04-02 | EF2 | 0 | 2 | 9.3 mi | Touched down here |
| 1969-06-29 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 13.1 mi | Crossed in |
| 1967-05-18 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 4.7 mi | Touched down here |
| 2023-03-31 | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 2.8 mi | Crossed in |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Waukesha County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 6, 1998 | Flash Flood | BROOKFIELD | 2 | 1 | $17.3M |
| Apr 27, 1984 | Tornado | 1 | 14 | $2.5M | |
| Apr 15, 2026 | Lightning | WAUKESHA CO ARPT | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jun 13, 2008 | Flash Flood | WALES | 1 | 0 | $25K |
| Jun 22, 2010 | Tornado | EAGLE | 0 | 15 | $20.6M |
| Apr 2, 1977 | Tornado | 0 | 2 | $2.5M | |
| Aug 10, 2025 | Flash Flood | MENOMONEE FALLS | 0 | 1 | $89.0M |
| Jul 21, 2013 | Lightning | EAGLE | 0 | 1 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Heavy rains led to flash flooding that generated water levels of 2 to 4 feet deep on many low-lying roads, especially near existing lakes. Several vehicles stalled in the deep water and were damaged. A 68-year-old man left a tavern around 2245 CST and drove into a flooded area. He attempted to walk/swim away from his vehicle and drowned.
Heavy rains resulted in flash flooding across much of Waukesha County. Water reached depths of 3 feet or more and several cars stalled. This was one of 4 flash floods in Waukesha County that occurred on Junen 7th and 8th. Collectively, each of these 4 flash floods resulted in home and business damage along with some crop losses. It was nearly impossible to break down the damages by flash flood event. Therefore, the collective breakdown for all of Waukesha County is provided in this flash flood event.||The breakdown for residential home losses were: 1433 with minor damage, 188 with major damage, and 1 destroyed (total of $54.632 million for home losses). Business losses totaled $5.462 million. Crop losses were estimated at $1 million. Public sector damage wa|s about $2.9 million. There were several roads and bridges that sustained damage.
Tornado appeared to develop in the Lisbon Oaks subdivision, causing mainly tree damage before intensifying closer to Highway 164. The tornado was at it's most intense near Indian Grass Lane where it caused damage to multiple businesses. The strongest damage was to an insurance car shop port that had a well anchored roof that was completely blown off and found approximated 3 to 4 blocks to the east near Highway 164. Damage then occurred to a church near Wildwood Way and multiple homes along Conservancy Court. Tornado appeared to end near Waukesha Ave along Linda Dr.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Moderate
FEMA NRI risk rating
411,762
Population (ACS)
$398K
Median home value
19
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 30, 2026 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Sep 11, 2025 | Flood | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES | DR |
| Apr 4, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 PANDEMIC | DR |
| Mar 13, 2020 | Biological | COVID-19 | EM |
| Jun 14, 2008 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | DR |
| Mar 19, 2008 | Snowstorm | RECORD SNOW AND NEAR RECORD SNOW | EM |
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?
787 events are on record between 1954 and 2026, causing 5 direct deaths and $275.8M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Waukesha County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 349 recorded events — 44.3% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Waukesha County?
38 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 29 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Waukesha County?
19 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Waukesha County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Waukesha County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Waukesha County as relatively moderate risk, placing it in the 89 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Waukesha County, Wisconsin severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Washington County 418
- Waupaca County 360
- Washburn County 261
- Waushara County 268
- Walworth County 573
- Winnebago County 411
Cite this page
“Waukesha County, Wisconsin.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/wisconsin/waukesha-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.