Powerful tornado struck parts of Wisconsin, toppled trees, damaged homes; over 30,000 left without power: Details

Parts of northeastern Wisconsin were hit by a tornado on Monday (local time), turning the daytime sky dark as workers took shelter in office basements. The storm ripped apart homes, hurled mangled metal onto a highway, and left over 30,000 people without electricity.

Here’s what we know

The National Weather Service confirmed that the tornado touched down in Outagamie County, south of Appleton and southwest of Green Bay, before moving through the cities of Neenah and Oshkosh in Winnebago County. National Weather Service meteorologist Scott Berschback said the tornado developed from a large storm system that swept across the Great Lakes, driven by a buildup of heat and humidity.

Citing Gordon Hintz, Winnebago County’s top elected official, news agency AP reported that as of Monday evening, there were no reports of fatalities or injuries; however, emergency officials were still searching. He also added that the power outage could last a couple of days before it is restored in the affected areas.

Damage reported in several cities

Damage was reported in cities including Appleton and Menasha, where Police Chief Matt Albrecht noted that some homes and businesses were “severely impacted.”

In Appleton, extensive damage was seen in images shared on social media. The images showed homes stripped of their roofs, a car tossed onto a lawn, and streets littered with tree limbs. The Appleton Police Department noted that it was aware of “several downed trees and large tree limbs throughout the city.” Traffic signals were out, and some roads were “heavily backed up.”

The twister ripped roofs off homes and flipped vehicles in one neighbourhood in Menasha, blocks away from the shores of Lake Winnebago, with videos showing a trail of destruction where some homes were reduced to their outer walls.

In Menasha and Fox Crossing, “extensive and severe damage” was also reported, Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson said. Additionally, the local power utility said electricity had been knocked out across Menasha, a city of around 18,000 residents, while officials opened an emergency shelter at a church.

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Holley Kamba, the agency also received several reports of damage in southern Outagamie County and eastern Winnebago County. Kamba said, “We have been receiving calls of damage with a lot of trees down, power lines down,” and added, “We’ve been searching for some pictures of the structural damage.”

Tornado warning issued for Green Bay

At 11:59 am, National Weather Service officials in Green Bay issued a tornado warning for the Fox Cities region, including Appleton, Menasha, and Neenah. The meteorologists warned of flying and dangerous debris, damage to mobile homes, vehicles, and trees, and advised people to seek shelter.

According to the report, officials had previously issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area for roughly 45 minutes, with meteorologists indicating the storm was capable of producing winds up to 60 mph (97 kph).

Wisconsin Governor issues statement

In a post on X, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers wrote, “I have been briefed on the storms making their way through Wisconsin. The state is ready to assist communities however we can. I also want to thank the emergency responders who are hitting the ground to help.”

The tornado struck as a line of severe thunderstorms swept across eastern Wisconsin and northeastern Illinois on Monday afternoon. The storm system moved through Milwaukee before reaching the Chicago metropolitan area.