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Wheaton tornado damage estimated at more than $3 million

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The National Weather Service is investigating a possible tornado in south central Wisconsin Tuesday night, and preliminary dame estimates are available for a tornado that struck in western Wisconsin a week ago.

Damage from last week’s tornado in the Town of Wheaton is estimated at more than $3 million. Chippewa County Emergency Management director Dennis Brown said he submitted a preliminary damage estimate to the state, which includes costs of repairing or replacing 29 homes damaged or destroyed by the September 24th tornado.

Debris removal is estimated at $90,000 so far. Brown said volunteers have helped defray those costs, with more than a thousand people taking part in cleanup efforts over the weekend.  The town will apply for assistance through the Wisconsin Disaster Fund.

The The EF3 tornado touched down in Elk Mound around 7:43 p.m. Sept. 24 and traveled east into Chippewa County, moving through the town of Wheaton and ending just west of Chippewa Falls, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service will also investigate whether severe storms which caused damage on Fort Atkinson’s south side Tuesday night may have included a tornado. Downed trees and roof damage were reported.

FEMA approves disaster declaration

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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has issued a major disaster declaration for 17 Wisconsin counties and two tribesaffected by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in July.

The declaration comes after Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers last week formally requested a federal disaster declaration for affected areas. The counties named in the declaration are Barron, Clark, Forest, La Crosse, Langlade, Menominee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Polk, Portage, Rusk, Shawano, Vernon, Waupaca and Wood.

The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin and the St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin were also included. Marinette County was included in the governor’s request letter but is still under review by FEMA.

“We are glad the federal government moved quickly to approve disaster assistance for folks that were devastated by the severe storms last month,” Evers said “This is an important step in helping communities across our state rebuild and recover.”

The declaration allows local governments to apply for assistance, which will help communities recover some of the costs incurred through emergency protective measures, repairing infrastructure, and removing debris.

Multiple rounds of storms beginning on July 18 and continuing through July 20 brought heavy rain and flash flooding. Strong winds with speeds up to 100 mph downed hundreds of thousands of trees and numerous power lines. Two people were killed during cleanup following the storms. In addition, more than 300,000 customers were without power for days.

The major disaster declaration is for Public Assistance, which covers eligible projects submitted by counties, cities, townships, and certain private, not-for-profit organizations. The program is not for businesses or homeowners as the level of damage in these areas, unfortunately, does not currently meet requirements for federal relief.

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.