Lightning TrackerMadison storms: live alerts, hail & tornado history
Live watches and warnings for Madison, WI, the 48-hour thunderstorm outlook, and every hail, damaging-wind and tornado report within 25 miles since 2016.
Live alerts for Madison, WI
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Storm outlook, next 48 hours
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Severe weather in Madison by the numbers
Madison gets regular severe thunderstorms: since 2016, spotters and emergency managers have filed 489 severe-weather reports within 25 miles of the city — 268 hail reports, 203 damaging-wind reports and 18 tornado reports. On average that is 9.7 days a year with at least one report.
Storm season here peaks in April, May, July, when 57% of all reports were filed.
In the last 12 months there were 16 hail reports, 31 wind reports and 2 tornado reports around Madison; the largest hail was 4.00″ (softball) on Apr 14, 2026.
Latest storm reports near Madison
| Date | Report | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2026 | Damaging wind | 23 mi SE · Dane Co. |
| Jul 2, 2026 | Damaging wind | 16 mi SW · Dane Co. |
| Jun 17, 2026 | Damaging wind | 12 mi SW · Dane Co. |
| Jun 17, 2026 | Tornado | 15 mi SW · Dane Co. |
| Jun 10, 2026 | Damaging wind | 2 mi NW · Dane Co. |
| May 27, 2026 | Damaging wind | 21 mi NW · Sauk Co. |
| May 15, 2026 | Damaging wind | 9 mi S · Dane Co. |
| Apr 14, 2026 | Hail 3.00″ | 4 mi NE · Dane Co. |
| Apr 14, 2026 | Damaging wind | 14 mi SW · Dane Co. |
| Apr 13, 2026 | Damaging wind | 2 mi SE · Dane Co. |
One line per day and type — the closest report that day. Distance and direction from the city centre. The latest SPC reports are preliminary until NOAA finalises them.
Storm reports by year
Storm season in Madison
All hail, wind and tornado reports within 25 miles, 2016–2026, by month.
Hail in Madison
Madison averages 5.1 days a year with hail reported nearby. The biggest stone on record since 2016 was 4.00 inches — about the size of a softball — reported 6 miles from the city centre on Apr 14, 2026. Hail of 1 inch (quarter size) or larger is what makes a thunderstorm severe; see the hail size chart.
Tornadoes near Madison
There have been 18 tornado reports within 25 miles of Madison since 2016; the strongest was rated EF2 (Feb 8, 2024, 24 miles from the city centre). A tornado warning means a tornado is occurring or imminent — take shelter immediately.
Storm alerts for Madison on your iPhone
Lightning Tracker shows storm risk around you, live severe-weather alerts and how close the storm is — free on the App Store.
Storm trackers near Madison
Questions about storms in Madison
Does Madison get a lot of severe storms?
Madison averages 9.7 days a year with at least one hail, damaging-wind or tornado report within 25 miles, based on NOAA Storm Prediction Center reports 2016–2025.
When is storm season in Madison?
Most severe-weather reports around Madison come in April, May, July.
What is the biggest hail recorded near Madison?
4.00 inches (softball size) on Apr 14, 2026, 6 miles from the city centre.
Have tornadoes hit near Madison?
Yes — 18 tornado reports within 25 miles since 2016, the strongest rated EF2 on Feb 8, 2024.
How do I get storm alerts for Madison?
The live panel on this page shows every active National Weather Service watch and warning for Madison, WI. For alerts on your phone, Lightning Tracker for iPhone shows storm risk and warnings for your location.
How this page works: storm reports are NOAA Storm Prediction Center local storm reports (final database 2016–2025, preliminary daily reports after that) within 25 miles of Madison, WI. They are reports of hail, damaging wind and tornadoes — not lightning strike counts, which no free public dataset provides at city level. Live alerts come from the National Weather Service API, the outlook from Open-Meteo forecast models. Updated Oct 9, 2026.