EF3 tornado causes major damage in Wisconsin as severe storms leave thousands without power
The National Weather Service confirmed the Appleton-area tornado was an EF3, based on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with estimated peak winds of 140 mph.
Neighborhoods near Lake Winnebago were left in ruins after a tornado ripped through the area on July 27.
An EF3 tornado touched down in eastern Wisconsin Monday afternoon as severe storms swept across the Upper Midwest, leaving widespread destruction in its path.
AccuWeather Extreme Meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer was near Appleton, Wisconsin, when he captured video of a large tornado throwing debris into the air. His video also showed significant damage to a warehouse.
“Some of the worst damage we have seen with the Appleton tornado is near the city of Menasha. This is the water filtration plant here," Timmer said on Tuesday. "You can see extensive damage. This is a very wide tornado, wider than 1 mile at the very least. It had a very large wind field.”
Appleton police said the city and neighboring communities were responding to numerous storm-related calls Monday afternoon.
Residents survey damage after a tornado ripped through town on July 27, 2026 in Menasha, Wisconsin. The tornado passed through several communities in the area causing widespread power outages and left behind a long path of destruction. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Aerial video shows heavily damaged homes and buildings in Menasha, while trees and power lines were brought down in nearby Appleton.
The National Weather Service confirmed the Appleton-area tornado was an EF3, based on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, with estimated peak winds of 140 mph. The tornado was on the ground for 26 minutes Monday, carving a 12.1-mile path that reached up to 1,500 yards wide. No injuries or deaths were reported.
The tornado developed just before noon CDT north of Wisconsin Avenue in Appleton, where it partially tore roofs from several businesses. It rapidly intensified while moving south into Winnebago County, snapping and uprooting numerous trees and damaging homes and businesses.
Two women embrace after a tornado ripped through parts of Wisconsin in Menasha, Wisconsin, on July 27, 2026. (Photo by OCTAVIO JONES / AFP via Getty Images)
The most significant destruction occurred in Fox Crossing and Menasha. Several businesses near Highway 10 sustained heavy damage, and a house in Menasha was destroyed. The tornado later moved over Lake Winnebago and dissipated around 12:22 p.m. CDT.
An aerial view shows damage after a tornado ripped through town on July 27, 2026 in Menasha, Wisconsin. The tornado passed through several communities in the area causing widespread power outages and left behind a long path of destruction. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
A powerful line of storms knocked out power to nearly 400,000 customers from Wisconsin to Ohio by Monday evening.
Outages climbed to more than 130,000 in Wisconsin. Nearly 250,000 ComEd customers in Illinois were without power as of early Monday afternoon, a company spokesperson told WBBM Radio.
Thousands across the region woke up with no power Tuesday.
Likely Tornado damage in Menasha, Wisconsin on July 27, 2026. (Image credit: X/@Real_Wookie)
Grapefruit-sized hail was reported in Gresham, Wisconsin. Dozens of other reports described hail ranging from quarter-sized to egg-sized across Wisconsin and Illinois.
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