APPLETON, Wisc. (BP) – A midday tornado that destroyed homes and brought other significant damage to cities on the northern shore of Lake Winnebago has led to Minnesota-Wisconsin Disaster Relief personnel assessing the situation for future response.
The EF-3 tornado’s path began in Appleton at 12:56 p.m., said the National Weather Service, and lasted until 1:22 p.m. over the lake. Along the way, it skirted the eastern edge of Fox Crossing before going through the heart of Menasha. The NWS also received hail reports exceeding two inches, with a report of over four inches in Shawano County near Gresham.
The same weather system brought wind damage to Vilas, Oneida and Forest counties in the state’s Northwoods region along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Menasha’s mayor declared the city a local state of disaster, with Appleton also sustaining significant damage. A water treatment plant at Fox Crossing received severe damage, leading to a boil water advisory.
“One of our Disaster Relief unit leaders is on the ground in Appleton right now assessing the situation,” MWDR Director Ben Seamans told Baptist Press today. “DR quick responders are en route, with Victory Baptist Church and Fox Valley Hmong Church, both in Appleton, serving as points of connection.”
Seamans added that Disaster Relief teams from Indiana, Ohio and Missouri have since voiced their availability in the upcoming response.
The tornado was originally classified as an EF-2. Damage will continue to be assessed in the coming days, said authorities.
