A destructive tornado tore through northeastern Wisconsin on Monday, July 27, 2026, blackening the midday sky and causing significant structural damage across the region. The storm system, which was fueled by a buildup of heat and humidity, moved through the Great Lakes and resulted in power outages for more than 30,000 people. The National Weather Service confirmed the tornado touched down in Winnebago County, located about 90 miles, or 145 kilometers, northwest of Milwaukee.
As of Monday evening, there were no reports of fatalities or injuries, according to Gordon Hintz, the top elected official for Winnebago County. However, emergency officials were still actively searching the affected areas. The damage was particularly severe in cities including Appleton and Menasha. In Menasha, Police Chief Matt Albrecht reported that some homes and businesses were severely impacted, and the local electric utility indicated that the entire city of approximately 18,000 people was believed to be without power. Authorities have since opened a shelter at a local church to assist those displaced by the storm.
Witnesses described harrowing scenes as the storm moved through the area. Heather Schroeder, who works near a cluster of buildings in Menasha, about 30 miles south of Green Bay, recounted hearing cracking and popping sounds as the tornado tore apart a laundromat, a bakery, and a neighborhood tavern. She noted that rescue workers pulled one person from the wreckage, though it remained unclear if the individual survived. Schroeder also reported that cars were turned upside-down and a gas leak was detected at the laundromat. In another neighborhood in Menasha, just blocks from the shores of Lake Winnebago, the twister ripped roofs off homes and flipped vehicles, with some houses reduced to their outer walls.
The impact was felt across the Fox Cities region. Greg Van Driest, who was working in downtown Appleton, described the sky as becoming as dark as night. He noted that it felt like three in the morning despite it being midday. The Appleton Police Department reported numerous downed trees and large limbs throughout the city, which caused traffic signals to fail and left some roads heavily backed up. National Weather Service meteorologist Holley Kamba confirmed the agency was receiving reports of damage in southern Outagamie County and eastern Winnebago County, including downed trees and power lines.
The National Weather Service in Green Bay issued a tornado warning at 11:59 a.m. for the Fox Cities region, which includes Appleton, Menasha, and Neenah. This warning followed a severe thunderstorm warning that had been in effect for approximately 45 minutes, with meteorologists indicating the storm was capable of producing winds up to 60 mph, or 97 kph. The warning advised residents to seek shelter and cautioned against flying debris and potential damage to mobile homes and vehicles.
Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson stated that while he had no confirmation of fatalities or injuries in his county, there was extensive and severe damage in Menasha and Fox Crossing. He described the event as a devastating system. Police Chief Albrecht noted that the storm hit Menasha and the east side of neighboring Fox Crossing at approximately 12:20 p.m. He added that many roads remained impassable, hindering the ability of emergency crews to fully assess the damage. Albrecht urged the public to stay away from the hard-hit areas due to multiple hazardous situations, including downed power lines and trees. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated that the state is ready to assist communities however possible. By late Monday, the storm was clearing out of Wisconsin and moving south of Milwaukee toward the Chicago area as it began to dissipate.
“The word we all were using was ‘ominous,’” he said. “It’s like, ‘Whoa, look at that.’ … You looked outside and you thought it was three in the morning, it was that dark.”
“Obviously when you look at the damage, Mother Nature doesn’t really care,” he said.
