Wisconsin tornado: EF-3 storm struck Appleton and Menasha
Wisconsin tornado path of wreckage
After a devastating tornado tore through north-eastern Wisconsin, 45,000 customers don’t have power. Crews are starting to assess the storm damage in Appleton and Menasha, where several homes have been destroyed. The National Weather Service has given the tornado a preliminary EF-2 rating. FOX 9's Kelly O'Connell reports.
APPLETON, Wis. (FOX 9) - Survey crews in Wisconsin have determined the tornado that struck Appleton and Menasha was an EF-3 level storm, bringing wind speeds up to 140 miles per hour.
Wisconsin tornado
What we know:
Survey crews have now tracked the storm directly through western Appleton, into downtown Menasha, before it went on to Lake Winnebago.
Officials say the tornado had a destructive track length of 12.1 miles and a max width of 1,500 yards.
Wind speeds peaked at an estimated 140 miles per hour, rating it as an EF-3 level storm.
Local perspective:
The damage left behind by the storms was widespread in Appleton, Menasha, neighboring Neenah, and the village of Fox Crossing. Survey crews say numerous trees were uprooted and snapped, causing damage to homes and businesses.
The National Weather Service says the hardest hit areas appear to be Fox Crossing and Menasha, especially around Highway 10, where a home was destroyed in Menasha, and multiple businesses were heavily damaged.
WI tornado: Homes destroyed, thousands without power
Several Wisconsin cities remain under states of emergency after a tornado destroyed homes and businesses, downed trees and power lines, and left thousands without power. Some residents have been told to shelter in place as crews assess the damage. FOX 9's Chenue Her reports.
Winnebago County officials discuss recovery efforts
Big picture view:
Officials in Winnebago County held a news conference on Tuesday to discuss the storm response.
So far, officials say there have been no reported fatalities or missing people from the storm. There were people hurt during the storms, but an exact injury count is not yet known. However, police described it as "low." Police attributed that to the fact that the storm hit at midday on a Monday while most people were at work.
The exact number of homes and businesses damaged is also not yet clear.
What they're saying:
"We're really still in the assessment phase of things. At the same time, we know that people are going without power, uncertainty about child care, housing," said Winnebago County Executive Gordon Hintz.
"There's so much destruction in Menasha that we don't have a clear through route to get through Menasha at this point, especially for larger vehicles," added Menasha Police Chief Matt Albrecht. "There's so many low-hanging wires and low-hanging branches. It's just not safe to send vehicles down those roads yet."
What's next:
County officials have requested an emergency declaration from the state.
A curfew is in effect for the City of Menasha and the Village of Fox Crossing. Efforts are still underway to restore power for the city.