Powerful winds uproot trees, knock out power for thousands in Milwaukee County
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A strong storm with high winds toppled trees and left thousands in Milwaukee County without power Monday afternoon.
The gusts were so powerful, they ripped the roof off a warehouse at Port Milwaukee and tore down massive trees on parts of the city's south side.
Mayor Cavalier Johnson says the Milwaukee Fire Department responded to at least 60 weather-related calls as of the afternoon, and crews received around 100 calls for downed trees and branches.
Port Milwaukee
We Energies says their crews have restored service to more than 35,000 customers since Monday afternoon, and they'll continue to work through the night to restore power to those affected by the "hurricane-force winds" that reached nearly 80 miles an hour in Milwaukee.
The company says power is expected to be restored to about 80% of customers by Monday night, with the remaining restored by Tuesday afternoon.
PHOTO GALLERY
In Riverwest, near Locust and Booth, Carson Kellogg captured a large, uprooted tree that fell into the street.
Tree down near Locust and Booth
"I'm so grateful that just no one's hurt and that it was only the cars that are really damaged," neighbor Yesenia Machado. "And it wasn't, like I said, my neighbor's house."
Strong winds also took down a large tree near 20th and Scott, leaving 20th St. blocked off for hours.
The tree was completely uprooted, with a chunk of sidewalk now up in the air. The tree covers the entire street, just missing two homes across the road. Part of the tree landed on a car parked on the opposite side.
Neighbors say another tree fell down the road earlier this month, and they've tried to reach out to the city about it in the past.
"Just like, what's next?" said Milwaukee resident Dejay Zepeda. "Last week, it was three cars down the street, this week it's mine, next week it's gonna be a house. It makes me wonder, it questions the city, if they really care about the citizens' safety, because they won't -- they don't maintain anything."
People who were home when the tree fell say it looked like it would fall, and there's now some concern for safety on the street in future storms.
"I guess the feeling is just shock, ya know, because you just wouldn't expect this to happen," Milwaukee resident Marisleysis Lopez said. "Just cause the tree is so big, you think it was rooted down pretty well, but I guess Mother Nature had other plans."
In Bay View, crews were at work cutting up a large tree that fell onto a car. The car's owner told us he saw his patio furniture "dancing" around outside before his wife told him there was a tree on top of his car. He'd parked just 20 minutes earlier.
"We'll assess what the damage is here, but I'm not optimistic that it's gonna be drivable," Ben Wilson said. "The windshield is pretty smashed in."
His neighbors followed through with a tradition, though. Any time a tree falls, people bring over drinks and food to hang out and watch the commotion of cleaning up and checking damage.
And Bay View's South Shore Park, winds were no match for the several docks in the water. Viewer video shows the docks taking a hard hit from the waves and wind.
In downtown Milwaukee, from the 24th floor of Landmark on the Lake, a CBS 58 viewer captured a storage bin flying off his balcony.
You can check the We Energies outage map by clicking HERE.