EF0 tornado in Polk County, Wisconsin

A powerful thunderstorm tracked across northwest Wisconsin during the the early evening of 05/16/17. The tornado produced a strong, long track tornado that first developed over southeastern Polk County, 5 miles south of Clayton. It damaged a couple farmsteads in Polk County then tracked mostly eastward across southern Barron and southern Rusk counties.

Severe thunderstorms developed along a warm-front in Southern Minnesota during the afternoon. During the late-afternoon and evening, storms continued to progress eastward and develop over Northwestern Wisconsin. One supercell developed a long-track tornado that traveled 83 miles from 5 miles south of Clayton, WI to 13 miles southeast of Hawkins, WI. This is likely the longest single tornado track in Wisconsin since records began being kept in 1950, as a couple events in May 1953 were very likely multiple tornadoes. There were also numerous reports of very large hail, up to 3 inches in diameter that occurred in a long swath from southwest to Amery, to near Cameron.

Based on damage assessments through the state of Wisconsin, the total number of residential homes affected in Barron County alone was 160. Of those affected, 75 had minor damage, 45 had major damage, and 40 were destroyed. Total estimated damages were 5.1 million dollars. The total number of businesses affected in Barron County was 6. Of those, 2 had minor damage, and 4 were destroyed. Total estimated damages were 5.0 million dollars. This includes six barns at a Jennie-O turkey farm, located off of Highway SS and north of Highway OO near Chetek's Prairie Lake Estates mobile park, where some were destroyed. There were approximately 25,000 birds lost in the tornado.

In Rusk County, the total number of residential homes was 27. Of those affected, 21 had minor damage, 3 had major damage, and 1 was destroyed. Total estimated damages were $420,000 dollars.