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Wisconsin rip currents and high surf

Every recorded rip current or surf record since 1996 · 10 counties with a record

NOAA's Storm Events Database records 27 rip current and surf records in Wisconsin from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 2.3 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the August 7, 2022 high surf in Ashland County: 2 deaths. Wisconsin ranks 22nd of 34 states and territories by count and 23rd of 34 per square mile.

Rip currents and high surf in Wisconsin, 1996 to 2026

Surf records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.

  • recorded, no damage figure
  • under $1 million
  • $1 million or more
  • $10 million or more
  • $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
  • $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
  • a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
  • a year with a death
Records
271996 to June 30, 2026
A year since 2000
2.3average
Deaths
202 injuries
Damage, 2025 dollars
$7Kas filed
Busiest year
20226 records

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.

Are rip current and surf records common in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin averages about 2.3 rip current and surf records a year since 2000, 22nd of 34 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2022 (6). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Wisconsin records 5.0 rip current and surf records since 1996, 23rd of 34 states and territories by that measure.

  1. 1. Hawaii 14482
  2. 2. New Jersey 647
  3. 3. Puerto Rico 640
  4. 4. Delaware 636
  5. 5. Florida 158
  6. 6. Rhode Island 97
  7. 7. Louisiana 64
  8. 8. California 44
  9. 9. South Carolina 41
  10. 10. North Carolina 37
  11. 23. Wisconsin 5.0

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.

Which counties in Wisconsin have the most rip current and surf records?

Per square mile, Milwaukee County leads Wisconsin: 5 days with a rip current or surf record since 1996, 20.7 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Milwaukee County has the most surf records (5 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).

  1. Milwaukee County 20.7 (5)
  2. Kenosha County 14.7 (4)
  3. Racine County 12.0 (5)
  4. Winnebago County 6.9 (4)
  5. Calumet County 6.3 (2)
  6. Ozaukee County 4.3 (2)
  7. Ashland County 1.9 (2)
  8. Brown County 1.9 (1)
  9. Iron County 1.3 (1)
  10. Oconto County 1.0 (1)

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.

When is the surf season in Wisconsin?

67% of its rip current and surf records since 1996 fell in July and August. The busiest month is August (10 records).

The values, month by month

Jan 0 · Feb 0 · Mar 0 · Apr 0 · May 1 · Jun 6 · Jul 8 · Aug 10 · Sep 1 · Oct 1 · Nov 0 · Dec 0 (records).

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.

What were the deadliest rip current and surf records in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin: the storms with the most deaths since 1996
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2022-08-07 High SurfAshland County · forecast zone Ashland At approximately 2:38PM CDT on the afternoon of the 7th, La Pointe Police, La Pointe Fire and Madeline Island EMS were dispatched to Big Bay State Park at the southeast corner of the island for a man that was cliff jumping at the Eagle's Nest cliffs and did not resurface. The man had completed one jump and on the ... 2 0 –
2020-08-08 Rip CurrentMilwaukee County · forecast zone Milwaukee A young swimmer and the man who tried to save him died due to drowning at McKinley Beach at the Milwaukee lakeshore. Breezy south winds resulted in moderate waves and dangerous underwater currents along the shore, and near piers and breakwalls. Wave heights were estimated to be 2 to 4 feet at the time of the incident. 2 0 –
2018-08-20 Rip CurrentOzaukee County · forecast zone Ozaukee One storm episode: 2 records; the totals are the episode's. A pair of swimmers drown after going swimming at Harrington Beach State Park during a period of dangerous swimming conditions. 2 0 –
2024-06-26 Rip CurrentMilwaukee County · forecast zone Milwaukee A 17 year old male was found dead last night after drowning in Lake Michigan off of Bender Park in Oak Creek, WI (Milwaukee Co). He was swimming with his family at Bender Park Beach when a rip current (Likely structural given photos near break wall) swept him and two other teenagers under the water. Another teenager ... 1 1 –
2022-07-12 Rip CurrentKenosha County · forecast zone Kenosha A 5-year old boy swimming at Pennoyer Park in Kenosha got caught in a river outlet current from the Pike River and drowned in Lake Michigan. An 8-year old girl was also struggling in the current, but was able to make it back to shore. She was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries. 1 1 –
2025-07-31 Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine The Racine Sheriff's Office said the 15-year-old went under while swimming at Carre-Hogle Park (2 S Racine in Racine County) and did not resurface. She was later pulled from the water approximately 20 feet from shore. Reported conditions were very poor, with 20 – 25 mph sustained winds, 3 feet waves in the lagoon area ... 1 0 –
2023-07-29 Rip CurrentKenosha County · forecast zone Kenosha A cold front moved through on July 29th 2023 kicking waves up to around 3 feet during the afternoon. Winds relaxed to around 1 foot at the time of the incident, but lingering currents were still present. Witnesses stated the father and son were struggling to fight the currents, which were likely a combination of rip ... 1 0 –
2022-08-24 High SurfIron County · forecast zone Iron Two men were boating on Lake Superior off Iron County during the morning hours of Thursday the 25th. Northeast winds of 10 to 15 knots with gusts to 25 knots were reported during the early morning hours with waves of 3 to 5 feet. A Small Craft Advisory was in effect. Iron County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call ... 1 0 –
2022-05-23 Rip CurrentMilwaukee County · forecast zone Milwaukee A young lady drowned in Lake Michigan, at McKinley Marina. Winds were around 10 mph during the afternoon, with an onshore component. Lake water temperatures were dangerously cold in the 40s. The young lady was found 30 to 40 feet outside of the breakwater. 1 0 –
2021-08-22 Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine Man succumbs to drowning in rough and choppy waters after rescuing two children. Incident took place along North Pier, just south of North Beach along Lake Michigan in Racine. Incoming waves were estimated to be 4 to 5 feet from nearby buoy off Milwaukee County. Winds were north to northeast 12 to 20 mph. 1 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.

Are rip current and surf records becoming more frequent in Wisconsin?

Wisconsin's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.

Rip currents and high surf: Wisconsin and the United States by decade (2020s to June 30, 2026)
DecadeWisconsinUnited StatesWisconsin's share
1996-9921,0210.20%
2000s04,3860
2010s95,8100.15%
2020-26162,3460.68%

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

The most recent rip current and surf records in Wisconsin

The 12 most recent records, to June 30, 2026
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
2025-07-31 Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine 1 0 –
2024-06-26 Rip CurrentMilwaukee County · forecast zone Milwaukee 1 1 –
2023-07-29 Rip CurrentKenosha County · forecast zone Kenosha 1 0 –
2022-08-24 High SurfIron County · forecast zone Iron 1 0 –
2022-08-07 High SurfAshland County · forecast zone Ashland 2 0 –
2022-07-12 Rip CurrentKenosha County · forecast zone Kenosha 1 1 –
2022-05-23 Rip CurrentMilwaukee County · forecast zone Milwaukee 1 0 –
2021-08-22 Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine 1 0 –
2021-06-21 Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine 1 0 –
2021-06-19 Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine 1 0 –
2021-06-19 Rip CurrentRacine County · forecast zone Racine 1 0 –
2020-08-08 Rip CurrentMilwaukee County · forecast zone Milwaukee 2 0 –

Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.

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