GRANT COUNTY, Wis. (WMTV) — The National Weather Service says the preliminary information shows it was an EF-0 tornado, with a path 1 1/2 miles long along Gold Road. The storm that hit the Grant County area near Fennimore destroyed two buildings and left a field scattered with debris on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday, Grant County Emergency Management said the National Weather Service is now calling it an EF-0 tornado. They will not be doing a survey, but said the photos and information were enough to confirm the tornado.
Grant County Emergency Management Director Steve Braun said the National Weather Service issued a weather statement at 1:25 p.m. indicating a strong thunderstorm was located near Fennimore with expected winds in excess of 30 mph with possible pea sized hail.
A homeowner in the area, Vance Lenzendorf, said the storm lasted only seconds. “It was a little intense for a bit, I’d say it probably lasted for about 15 seconds when it hit,” said Lenzendorf.
After the storm moved out of the area, the Grant County 9-1-1 communications center received several reports of damaged buildings in the area of Gold Road and Ideal Road northeast of Fennimore.
Authorities said a subsequent damage assessment revealed a number of damaged structures and a field scattered with debris on Gold Road, between County Highway T and Level Valley Road, northeast of Fennimore.
It also revealed that a barn and a machine shed were destroyed, and there appeared to be a damage path that proceeded in a northeasterly direction for approximately 1 1/2 miles.
Officials said no tornado sightings were reported or phoned in to the 9-1-1 center and radar data did not indicate the presence of a tornado. However, several images have been circulating on social media that appear to depict a funnel or small (F0) tornado passing through that area, and the images have been forwarded to the National Weather Service office in La Crosse.
No injuries were reported.
by WMTV (2018, May 9)
