Racine County Wisconsin Tornado 2010-11-22

At least one confirmed tornado touchdown and another apparent twister tore through southeast Wisconsin late Monday afternoon (November 22, 2010), damaging homes in Walworth County and flipping semitrailer trucks, tearing off roofs and toppling telephone poles in Racine County. November tornadoes are rare but not unheard of. Before Monday's storm, just three tornadoes had been documented in November in Wisconsin, the most recent in 1971, according to the National Weather Service. No injuries were reported, according to officials in both counties. Much of the damage in Racine County was centered in Union Grove near state Highway 11 and U.S. Highway 45. The apparent tornado blew over trucks and spread debris near I-94 and state Highway 20, forcing officials to close southbound I-94 in Racine County. Officials in Walworth County report eight structures were damaged by the tornado. Four were homes and the rest were farm buildings. The National Weather Service said the tornado was an EF-1 and traveled 4.2 miles and was 100 yards wide. Meteorologist Penny Zabel with the National Weather Service in Sullivan said a crew would be in Racine County on Tuesday to confirm if the storm that struck Union Grove was a tornado. The Wisconsin Emergency Operations Center said the tornado in southern Walworth County damaged two homes and some barns in the Town of Linn. In addition, some livestock were killed. Several structures were damaged in Union Grove, including the American Legion Post and Grove Gear Company, according to Racine County Emergency Management. Thousands of power outages were reported late Monday afternoon, including about 4,000 in Walworth County and about 3,200 in Racine County. A We Energies spokesman said at least a half dozen poles were broken in the Union Grove area and 1,400 customers were without power Monday night. Most would have power restored by Tuesday morning, he said. The State Patrol and the Racine County Sheriff's Department blocked entry into Union Grove because several live power lines were down. About a dozen customers at the Union Grove Lumber & True Value on 10th Ave. gathered in the middle of the store as the tornado swept through the area. It looked like the roof of the Village Hall blew off, said Cliff Baars, the store manager. You could hear the noise. It sounded like a freight train coming through town," Baars said. "We are lucky it skirted us." The storms struck as a cold front made its way into Wisconsin. Officials confirmed that a tornado touched down about 3 p.m. in northern Illinois, just south of Walworth County. Emergency radio broadcasters said a tornado reached Walworth County about 3:40 p.m. Two people injured in separate storm-related traffic accidents were listed as stable at Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints hospital in Racine Monday night, spokeswoman Jennifer Garbo-Shawhan said. A big change in temperatures was forecast for Tuesday with high temperatures in the 30s, according to the National Weather Service. Tuesday should be dry, but southeast Wisconsin could see rain Wednesday afternoon and night and snow on Thursday, according to the weather service. Snow is not expected to accumulate. Highs on Wednesday and Thursday will range from the upper 30s to low 40s, according to the weather service. Racine County Wisconsin Tornado Burlington Caledonia Dover Elmwood Park Mount Pleasant North Bay Norway Racine Raymond Rochester Sturtevant Union Grove Waterford Wind Point Yorkville Bohners Lake Browns Lake Eagle Lake Waterford North Wind Lake Franksville Husher Ives Grove Kansasville Kilbournville Kneeland North Cape Sylvania Tabor Tichigan Thompsonville Union Church November 22 2010 Weather Radar Doppler