Overview
- The National Weather Service preliminarily rated the midday tornado an EF-3 with winds near 140 mph after a damage survey of a roughly 12-mile path through Appleton, Fox Crossing and Menasha.
- The twister formed just before noon Monday and stayed on the ground for about 20 minutes as it moved south over Lake Winnebago, tearing roofs from houses, hollowing out some buildings and overturning vehicles.
- Local officials said there were injuries but no confirmed deaths as crews continued search-and-rescue, opened emergency shelters and imposed curfews and access restrictions in the hardest-hit neighborhoods.
- Downed transmission lines and damaged water infrastructure left thousands without power and prompted a boil-water advisory for parts of the Fox Crossing system while utility crews restore service in phases.
- State and local leaders requested extra support, the governor declared a state of emergency, and relief groups are distributing food, water and supplies as multi-day cleanup and damage assessments proceed.