661
Recorded events
63
Counties affected
19
Direct deaths
$73.4M
Property damage
Wisconsin lightning history: 661 recorded events across 63 counties between 1996 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Wisconsin lightning history by decade
The 2000s are the busiest decade on record with 270 reported lightning events across Wisconsin. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most lightning events in Wisconsin
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Waukesha County | 59 | 1 | $5.8M | 1996–2026 |
| #2 | Dane County | 54 | 1 | $3.1M | 1996–2026 |
| #3 | Rock County | 38 | 1 | $4.5M | 1996–2022 |
| #4 | Milwaukee County | 29 | 0 | $2.6M | 1997–2018 |
| #5 | Washington County | 28 | 1 | $4.2M | 1996–2025 |
| #6 | Racine County | 26 | 1 | $1.2M | 1996–2009 |
| #7 | Jefferson County | 24 | 1 | $1.0M | 1996–2026 |
| #8 | Fond du Lac County | 23 | 0 | $671K | 1997–2018 |
| #9 | Walworth County | 22 | 0 | $487K | 1997–2008 |
| #10 | Ozaukee County | 19 | 0 | $1.9M | 1997–2012 |
| #11 | Marathon County | 19 | 0 | $16.9M | 1996–2013 |
| #12 | La Crosse County | 18 | 0 | $587K | 2005–2020 |
| #13 | Kenosha County | 17 | 1 | $15.4M | 1996–2018 |
| #14 | Brown County | 16 | 0 | $291K | 1996–2025 |
| #15 | Sheboygan County | 14 | 0 | $381K | 1996–2011 |
| #16 | Portage County | 12 | 0 | $10K | 1997–2016 |
| #17 | Columbia County | 11 | 0 | $488K | 1996–2018 |
| #18 | Chippewa County | 10 | 0 | $275K | 1997–2017 |
| #19 | St. Croix County | 10 | 1 | $1.2M | 2000–2017 |
| #20 | Sauk County | 10 | 0 | $2.0M | 1997–2008 |
| #21 | Oneida County | 9 | 1 | $1.1M | 1997–2020 |
| #22 | Winnebago County | 9 | 0 | $755K | 1997–2018 |
| #23 | Monroe County | 8 | 0 | $120K | 2006–2022 |
| #24 | Waupaca County | 8 | 0 | $328K | 1996–2021 |
| #25 | Dodge County | 8 | 0 | $224K | 1998–2020 |
Significant events
Deadliest lightning events in Wisconsin
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 2014 | Oconto County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Aug 22, 2001 | Grant County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 13, 2000 | St. Croix County | — | 1 | 2 |
| Jul 8, 2008 | Jefferson County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 31, 1999 | Taylor County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 21, 1997 | Kenosha County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 2, 2006 | Trempealeau County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Jul 24, 2006 | Langlade County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 21, 2002 | Washburn County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 2, 2011 | Burnett County | — | 1 | 0 |