National Weather Service confirms 5 tornadoes in southeast Wisconsin
JEFFERSON COUNTY/WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed five tornadoes in southeast Wisconsin early Thursday, July 29. One person was killed after crashing into a fallen tree and power line in Ripon following the storms, according to the State Patrol.
Friday morning, July 30, the NWS reported a fifth tornado in southeast Wisconsin -- an EF0 -- near Highway 18 and Brandybrook Road in Wales.
Quinn Boehning, 29, was killed after crashing into a fallen tree and power line near the town of Ripon about 6 a.m. Thursday, according to the State Patrol.
The first tornado reported, an EF0, touched down at 1:05 a.m. just southwest of Watertown, Jefferson County, with damage along Hilltop Road just north of Highway A.
The second tornado, an EF1, happened in Concord, Jefferson County, at 1:15 a.m.
NWS field staff told CBS 58 the distance winds threw the wreckage helped them determine the damage was cased by a tornado.
"A lot of time the straight line winds, things will -- you'll get widespread damage, but things won't really travel as far," National Weather Service Lead Forecaster Jaclyn Anderson said. "But we've seen damage travel upwards of a football field, downwards of where things have been destroyed, so that's a pretty good indicator."
**Prelim Survey Results**
— NWS Milwaukee (@NWSMilwaukee) July 29, 2021
Damage near Concord, WI (Jefferson County) has been confirmed to be a tornado, with a preliminary damage rating of EF1. The tornado occurred at approximately 1:15 AM CDT on July 29, 2021. Path length and other details still TBD.
NWS surveyed the Concord damage alongside Wisconsin Emergency Management, and eventually Gov. Tony Evers. They helped the state determine the scope of the damage before they turn to relief.
"Seeing if the Wisconsin disaster fund can be of help, and of course, possibly federal," Evers said.
Some Concord residents said the Emergency Broadcast System gave them enough time to reach their basement before the tornado hit.
"It means everything to us that, you know, when you hear people get that warning and they're taking that action," Anderson said. "That's everything that we hoped for."
At 1:20 a.m., NWS confirmed an EF1 tornado in Dousman, Waukesha County, with peak winds estimated to be 100 mph.
A fourth tornado, an EF0, was confirmed at 1:30 a.m. in Wales, Waukesha County.
**Second tornado confirmed**
— NWS Milwaukee (@NWSMilwaukee) July 29, 2021
A storm survey has confirmed a tornado with a preliminary damaging rating of EF0 in Waukesha County. Damage is centered around the intersection of Hwy D and Townline Rd., ESE of Wales and WSE of Waukesha. Additional details TBD.
Strong wind lines in Wales shoved a row of trees to the ground near Town Line Road and County Highway D.
The official word from the National Weather Service is this was a tornado packing 80-90 mile an hour winds, grabbing cottonwood and walnut trees.
"These are big old trees and we've been maintaining them and trying to take care of them and one swoop, Mother Nature," said Judy Jones, whose trees snapped in her back yard.
Thursday night, residents are left wondering when the power will be back on. For now, some have turned to generators for help.