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A destructive tornado touched down south of Appleton, Wisconsin on Monday (July 27), leaving a trail of severe damage across Outagamie and Winnebago Counties. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado, assigning it a preliminary EF-2 rating, with estimated peak winds of at least 111 mph, according to the agency’s initial survey. The storm struck during the afternoon, impacting several communities including Neenah, Oshkosh, and Menasha, southwest of Green Bay.
Images from the affected areas showed toppled trees, damaged buildings, and downed power lines. The National Weather Service said the tornado was observed for at least 20 minutes, even forming a waterspout over Lake Winnebago before dissipating. Drone footage and video from Menasha revealed homes with roofs torn off, trees uprooted, and vehicles flipped.
More than 15,000 customers lost electricity in Winnebago and Calumet counties, and over 18,000 were affected in Outagamie County. Statewide, outages impacted more than 400,000 utility customers in Wisconsin and Illinois. The city of Menasha stated that police, fire, and public works crews are ‘actively responding to significant storm damage’ and urged people to avoid traveling into the area unless necessary, as emergency responders and utility crews faced blocked roads and hazardous debris.
The tornado warning for Appleton expired at 12:45 p.m. local time as the storm weakened, but the region remained under a severe thunderstorm watch due to the threat of damaging winds and large hail. The National Weather Service advised residents to seek shelter in basements or the lowest floors of sturdy buildings and to avoid windows. Motorists were warned not to try to outrun tornadoes and to seek shelter off the roads if possible.
Governor Tony Evers said in a social media post that Wisconsin is ‘ready to assist communities however we can.’ Local officials in Menasha and Winnebago County reported widespread damage but continued to assess the full extent as many streets remained impassable.
Severe thunderstorms continued across the region into Monday evening, with the greatest risk stretching from southeastern Wisconsin to western Ohio, including Milwaukee, Chicago, and Indianapolis. The National Weather Service warned of the potential for more severe weather, including damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes through the night.
Storm damage surveys are ongoing, and more detailed information about the tornado’s path and intensity is expected to be released in the coming days.