Wisconsin's 1st-ever February tornado rips through Rock County, leaving trail of damage in its wake

ROCK COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Many people across the state of Wisconsin woke up to clean up the mess that severe storms brought Thursday night. Wisconsin's first-ever February tornado touched down in Rock County. 

Evansville is one of the areas hit with the most damage; houses completely destroyed, farm equipment scattered about, tractors turned upside down and some lives changed forever. 

"It was scary, you know, luckily this house is 100 years old, so the basement and the rafters are very thick," said Barb Gewalt, homeowner. 

Barb Gewalt tells CBS 58 she had never experienced a tornado before. She says the power didn't come back until early Friday morning. 

"Heartbreaking. I mean these trees are very old...and they provide a lot of shade for the house," said Gewalt. 

Tim Lauregic's weekly bowling night was canceled after he received weather alerts. 

"The power went out, so we all went home, and on my drive home I saw the power lines leaning over and sheet metal wrapped in the power lines. It was just crazy," Lauregic said. 

Lauregic said damage to his property wasn't too bad, but his storage shed is no more. 

Officials are still assessing just how much damage the tornado caused. So far, no deaths have been reported. 

The tornado sent debris flying across Evansville--some landing miles away from its point of origin.

the unprecedented weather event hitting close to home for 42-year-old farmer Justin Schott.

"It was different, it was a different feel," said Schott whose outdoor shed and silo were destroyed in the tornado.

The twister Thursday night snapped trees and wreaked havoc on the tiny Evansville community.

"I hustled downstairs, by the time I had reached the basement my ear drum had popped from the pressure," said Schott.

Schott said the tornado only lasted thirty seconds, and in that time, it caused major damage.

"Shock hard to comprehend," said Schott.

The National Weather Service was boots on the ground surveying the path of the tornado.

"We're east of Evansville and have been coming northeastward, and it looks like its path up to Lake Koshkoning," said Tim Halbach, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Meanwhile, a small army of volunteers helped Schott pick up the pieces of his family's farm.

"If somebody needs help you go help them, and that’s kind of what Evansville is, doesn’t matter what the extent the scope of it is you just go help them if somebody need it," said Beau Tway.

Schott said he is now counting his blessings.

"Thankful my kids and my wife are safe, like I said, the building and the structures can be replaced, but we made it through," said Schott.

The NWS classified the tornado as a high-end EF-2. The max winds were 135 mph. 

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