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Evers requests disaster declaration

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Governor Tony Evers

Governor Tony Evers is requesting a federal disaster declaration, for areas of Wisconsin that were impacted by tornadoes and flooding last month. Evers sent a letter to President Trump requesting a federal disaster declaration for 18 counties and two tribes Monday.

Damage assessments from a series of severe storms which moved across parts of western and northern Wisconsin July 18 through 20, have put the losses at more than $19.5 half million. If the declaration is forthcoming, it would help communities recover some costs, but wouldn’t do anything for business owners or homeowners.

Evers is requesting the federal disaster declaration for Barron, Clark, Forest, La Crosse, Langlade, Marinette, Menominee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Polk, Portage, Rusk, Shawano, Vernon, Waupaca, and Wood counties and for the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin.

NWS confirm nine tornadoes in weekend storms

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National Weather Service forecasters have confirmed nine tornado touchdowns across Wisconsin from weekend storms.

Friday night’s storm near Mosinee produced one of the biggest, an EF-1 that was on the ground for nearly ten minutes. Officials say that one uprooted hundreds of trees and damaged at least one barn while tearing the roofs off several other buildings.

No injuries were reported. Another EF-1 was reported near Pelican Lake in Oneida County- but N-W-S officials haven’t pegged any damage on that storm.

Another EF-1 was reported near Tripoli as well. Two additional touchdowns were reported near La Crosse, four others occurred from eastern Waupaca County into the Fox Valley

WSAU

Tuesday is Lightning Awareness Day in Wisconsin

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This time of year, it’s important to be aware of the dangers posed by lightning. Summer thunderstorms bring with them the danger of lightning strikes. “The simplest advice is when thunder roars, go indoors,” says Andrew Beckett with Wisconsin Emergency Management.


“Most injuries or deaths that occur as a result of lightning strikes are from people doing recreational activities outside,” Beckett says. If someone you are with is struck by lightning and is not breathing, you should begin CPR and call 911 immediately. Tuesday is “Lightning Awareness Day” in Wisconsin.

Late season snow hits far northern Wisconsin

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There was an unhappy surprise for far northern Wisconsin this weekend as snow fell.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Bill Leatham says it was raining so hard that it turned to snow.

“We had enough rainfall and snowfall coming down quick enough that it was cooling the atmosphere and keeping temperatures in the low to mid-thirties.”

Parts of Bayfield, Douglas and Ashland Counties saw around 2 to 5 inches, while 7 inches fell in Poplar. The snow won’t stick around, as highs will reach the 60s this week.

 

Southern Wisconsin set to get late season snow storm

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Weather forecasters say it’s possible — not likely — that the area of southern Wisconsin around Madison could receive three-to-eight inches of snow Saturday. 

Forecast models suggest a 75 percent chance of at least two inches of snow.  

Meteorologists say April 27th would be the latest date for significant snowfall in southern Wisconsin in the last five years.  Madison got a little over seven inches of snow on April 18th last year, but Saturday will be nine days after that calendar date.

Winter Storm Warnings are now in effect through Saturday evening.

Fond du Lac River overflows its banks

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Photo credit: Meggin McNamara

Huge chunks of ice bottle-necked at bridges in Fond du Lac causing water in the Fond du Lac River to overflow its banks and flood portions of the city early Thursday morning.

Troy Haase is the Division Chief for the City’s Fire and Rescue Department. He says they had to evacuate a huge apartment complex, the YMCA and homes on Elm and South Street. Meanwhile heavy equipment was being used to remove ice from the river near the 2nd Street Bridge.

“We have a lot of ice coming down the river that is hung up on the bridges so it course can’t flow out and then it is slowing the water down as well so then the water can’t flow like it typically would.”

Residents that had to be evacuated from their homes were sent to the Recreation and Expo Centers at the Fond du Lac County Fairgrounds with plans to relocate the shelter to the Community Church. Fond du Lac County Emergency Management activated it’s 2-1-1 service for people who needed to call for assistance.

Hometown Broadcasting WRPN, WISS, WAUH

Schools scramble to make up snow days

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Central and northern Wisconsin schools are now struggling to make up snow days as the record breaking winter rolls on.

Stevens Point schools spokesperson Sarah O’Donnell says this year has been tough for them. “Seven for us is, certainly we’re getting into some unprecedented territory.”

O’Donnell says they’re dropping staff days from the calendar to make up.

“Those were days that our teachers and staff would have been working in the district, specifically looking mostly at collaboration time. Unfortunately we did have to convert those days to student attendance days.”

Some districts are adding days to the end of the year or even considering cutting into spring break. O’Donnell says Stevens Point isn’t there yet, but they will be discussing plans for make up days at a upcoming school board meeting.

Icy conditions led to I-94 pile-up

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Investigators are getting a picture of what led to a massive pile up on I-94 nears Osseo. Conditions were deteriorating at the time of the pile up shortly after noon Sunday. Lieutenant Les Melsna with the Wisconsin State Patrol in Eau Claire says it was icy.

“You can go 60, 70 miles an hour on ice, until you have to steer or hit your brakes, and then the party’s over,” Melsna said.

Travel across much of the state is hazardous again today. “Don’t go out there if you don’t have to, and if you have to, you really have to give yourself that following distance, you have to reduce your speed,” Melsna said.

Seven semi-trucks and more than two dozen other vehicles were involved Sunday. One person was critically injured and seven others required medical treatment.

Slick roads and ice warnings for Northwoods

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The mild temperatures we’ve had over the weekend are giving way to seasonable cold, which could be a problem to the far north. 

National Weather Service meteorologist Roy Eckberd says it’ll be more than just slick, foggy roads in northern Wisconsin.

“Significant ice accumulations, from generally Tomahawk and Wausaukee on northward, where we’re looking for a quarter to a half inch of ice.

That amount of ice can bring down small trees and power lines, and Eckberd says there’s likely to be scattered power outages.

Don’t travel unless you have to in the affected areas. Check http://511wi.gov for current road conditions.

 

Evers declares State of Emergency for Wisconsin

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Governor Tony Evers

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has declared a State of Emergency.  In the wake of a winter storm that brought significant snowfall to parts of Wisconsin, life threatening cold air will cover the state this week, setting possible record overnight lows of -15 to -25 with wind chills from -35 to -50.

Evers’ Executive Order directs all state agencies to assist with any emergency response and recovery efforts. It also gives Adjutant General Don Dunbar the authority to call Wisconsin National Guard personnel to state active duty, as needed to support local emergency responders.

“I’m concerned about the safety and well-being of our residents as this major storm and bitter cold moves in,” Evers said. State offices remain open to the public and to all State employees. State agencies will follow their inclement weather policies.