Tornado, severe storms hammer Fox Valley; roads closed, thousands without power

APPLETON, Wis. — A severe thunderstorm upgraded to a tornado-warned storm by the National Weather Service struck the City of Appleton on Monday.

A confirmed tornado touched down west of Appleton with reported winds of 124 miles per hour, prompting tornado warnings around the western side of Lake Winnebago from the Appleton to Fond du Lac areas.

The City of Appleton said it has fully mobilized all departments and is prioritizing emergency calls for service and restoring road access. Assessment of damage is ongoing.

Reports of broken trees, downed branches, and downed power lines are coming in throughout Appleton, Menasha, and Neenah.

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Power outages

WE Energies reports more than 20,000 customers in Appleton alone are without power. An additional 9,800 customers in Winnebago County have also lost power.

Damage reports

Miller Electric sustained roof damage from the storm. The extent of any injuries at the facility is not known. Debris was reported throughout the area.

Viewer video showed debris on Highway 10 at the Midway Road/County AP exit.

Road closures and traffic impacts

Highway 10/441 is closed in both directions due to gas spills and storm damage.

Prospect Avenue west of Xavier High School in Appleton is impassable, with backups throughout the business park. Residents are asked to avoid the area and use alternate routes.

Police warn that some intersections do not have working traffic lights. Drivers should treat those intersections as four-way stops and should not drive around barricades.

Emergency response

Appleton activated its Emergency Operations Center. Residents are being asked to stay home if possible because roads are blocked by debris and to keep roads clear for emergency response crews.

“Please hold off on reporting minor, non-emergency situations such as downed trees or other minor, non-threatening damage,” the Outagamie County Sheriff’s Office said.

Neenah police, fire/rescue, Public Works, and other departments are responding to calls in storm-impacted areas to assess damage and address hazards. The Village of Fox Crossing is asking residents and businesses to conserve water for the time being.

The American Red Cross is assessing damage. People with damage can call 1-800-RED-CROSS. Hazards can also be reported by dialing 211.

ThedaCare statement

ThedaCare said it is currently caring for patients impacted by Monday’s storms and that some of its locations sustained damage. Lynn Detterman, President of the North Region for Froedtert ThedaCare, said hospitals and care teams remain operational.

“While a few of our locations sustained damage, our hospitals and teams remain here, ready to provide care for patients and support our communities when they need us most,” Detterman said. “We have plans in place to respond to emergencies, and our physicians, clinicians, nurses and care teams are working together to ensure patients continue to receive safe, high-quality care.”

Governor’s statement

Gov. Tony Evers said Monday he had been briefed on the storms.

“The state is ready to assist communities however we can. I also want to thank the emergency responders who are hitting the ground to help. As storms continue, stay alert and stay safe, Wisconsin,” Evers said.

Safety reminders

Officials are asking residents to:

• Stay away from affected areas
• Avoid downed power lines and treat all utility lines as energized
• Not drive around barricades or enter areas closed by emergency personnel
• Limit non-emergency travel to allow first responders and utility crews access to impacted areas
• Call 911 for emergencies only
• Check on neighbors, especially older adults and those with mobility or medical needs