Rusk County weather alerts
There are no active weather alerts for Rusk County, WI right now.
Since 2016 the National Weather Service has issued about 515 alerts that included Rusk County, roughly 52 a year. The most common is the winter weather advisory (94 from 2016 to 2025). The last tornado warning was issued on July 19, 2023. 16 tornadoes have touched down in the county since 1950.
Updated from the National Weather Service · lists refresh hourly; the live map loads current alerts directly from the NWS
No warnings, watches or advisories include Rusk County at the moment. This page updates automatically when the National Weather Service issues one. Check neighboring Sawyer County, Taylor County, Price County, Chippewa County.
Rusk County alert history
Alert events that included Rusk County or its forecast zones, from the NWS warning archive.
| Alert type | 2016–2025 | 2026 | Last issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather Advisory | 94 | 7 | April 3, 2026 |
| Dense Fog Advisory | 59 | 7 | October 1, 2026 |
| Cold Weather Advisory | 57 | 3 | January 26, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 55 | 2 | June 5, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Watch | 48 | 5 | August 25, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Watch | 43 | 3 | April 2, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Warning | 41 | 3 | April 2, 2026 |
| Frost Advisory | 21 | 5 | October 5, 2026 |
| Flood Watch | 15 | 0 | August 18, 2025 |
| Tornado Watch | 14 | 1 | October 28, 2026 |
| Wind Advisory | 14 | 0 | December 4, 2024 |
| Heat Advisory | 10 | 4 | July 17, 2026 |
| Freeze Warning | 8 | 6 | October 17, 2026 |
| Extreme Heat Warning | 5 | 2 | July 26, 2026 |
| Extreme Cold Warning | 5 | 1 | January 23, 2026 |
| Tornado Warning | 5 | 0 | July 19, 2023 |
| Freeze Watch | 4 | 1 | October 17, 2026 |
| Extreme Heat Watch | 3 | 1 | July 26, 2026 |
| Extreme Cold Watch | 3 | 1 | January 23, 2026 |
| Red Flag Warning | 3 | 1 | May 15, 2026 |
| Blizzard Warning | 2 | 1 | March 15, 2026 |
| Flash Flood Warning | 2 | 0 | July 28, 2023 |
| Fire Weather Watch | 2 | 1 | May 15, 2026 |
| High Wind Warning | 1 | 0 | December 16, 2021 |
| Ice Storm Warning | 1 | 0 | March 5, 2022 |
Tornado history in Rusk County
16 tornadoes have been recorded in Rusk County since 1950, killing 2 people and injuring 73. That ranks 50 of 72 counties in Wisconsin. The most recent was on June 24, 2021 (rated EF0).
Strongest tornadoes in Rusk County
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2017 | EF3 | Polk County | 82.5 mi | 1,320 yd | 1 | 25 |
| September 2, 2002 | F3 | Rusk County | 16 mi | 440 yd | 0 | 27 |
| July 30, 1977 | F2 | Chippewa County | 34.5 mi | 1,000 yd | 1 | 8 |
| July 22, 1967 | F2 | Barron County | 49.1 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 6 |
| August 24, 1975 | F2 | Rusk County | 34.2 mi | 400 yd | 0 | 6 |
Most recent tornadoes
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 24, 2021 | EF0 | Rusk County | 0.8 mi | 25 yd | 0 | 0 |
| July 4, 2019 | EF0 | Rusk County | 7.6 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 16, 2017 | EF3 | Polk County | 82.5 mi | 1,320 yd | 1 | 25 |
| September 2, 2002 | F3 | Rusk County | 16 mi | 440 yd | 0 | 27 |
| June 5, 1999 | F0 | Rusk County | 0.3 mi | 0 yd | 0 | 0 |
About Rusk County
- Population: 14,168 (2024 estimate)
- State: Wisconsin
- NOAA Weather Radio SAME code: 055107 (how to use it)