EVANSVILLE, WI – A tornado touched down near Evansville, Wisconsin, causing significant damage and marking a historic weather event.
According to the National Weather Service, this tornado, occurring on Thursday, Feb. 8, represents the first February tornado ever recorded in Wisconsin’s history. The severe storm impacted areas along US-14 and Tolles Road, leading to structural damage, power outages, and potential casualties.
The tornado struck around 5:30 pm, downing power lines, trees, and damaging multiple buildings. Propane leaks were also reported in the affected area. The National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for parts of Jefferson, Dane, and Rock counties, which expired around 6:45 pm. Severe thunderstorm warnings were in place for parts of southeast Wisconsin.
The Evansville Police Department confirmed a power outage in the city, beginning around 6:15 pm, and noted that local cell phone towers were down. Evansville Water and Light are working to restore power, but there is currently no timeline for when it will be back. The community faces a challenging recovery period as it deals with the aftermath of this unprecedented natural disaster.
