Thunderstorm Wind — Winnebago, Wisconsin

2011-04-10 · near Neenah, Winnebago, Wisconsin

Event narrative

Thunderstorm downburst wind gusts, estimated in the 75 to 100 mph range, caused major damage to 2 large industrial buildings in the Neenah-Menasha area. Much of the west-facing wall of one building was blow inward. The high winds also downed trees and power lines, knocked down an 80-foot ham radio tower, bent a large flagpole, downed fences and threw a carport into a yard two houses down the street.

Wider weather episode

Thunderstorms developed along and ahead of a cold front as it encountered moist and unstable air across Wisconsin.

A record number of tornadoes for April struck Wisconsin on April 10. Fifteen twisters affected the state as a strong spring storm moved across the western Great Lakes. In the National Weather Service Green Bay service area of northeast Wisconsin, ten tornadoes were reported, a record single-day outbreak for any month of the year.

In addition to the tornadoes, the lines of thunderstorms that developed produced plenty of straight line wind damage and large hail. Wind gusts, some estimated in the 80 mph to 100 mph range, downed numerous trees, damaged a small building, caused an injury and damage to two homes, toppled an 80-foot tall radio tower, threw a carport two houses away, and caused major damage to two industrial buildings. The largest hail reported was baseball size near Winneconne in Winnebago County.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (44.1800, -88.4400)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 300885. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.