CICERO, WI -- Strong storms last night are to blame for leaving a trail of destruction across Northeast Wisconsin Sunday morning.
A tornado warning was issued in Brown and Outagamie Counties just after 3 am Sunday, with a severe thunderstorm warning also causing strong winds and even some hail. The storm even knocked out power to thousands, though it has been restored to most.
Much of that storm damage was happening in Outagamie County, in places, like Bear Creek, Black Creek, and Seymour. For many in these towns, Sunday has been all about the clean up, as tree limbs and other debris made driving dangerous at times.
It was a wild morning of weather for neighbors in Cicero.
"There's been storms, yeah," laughs farm owner David Marcks, "but you just take them as they come."
Marcks says he and his family were awoken by wind that sounded stronger than normal.
"Quarter after three, or so, we heard it, and [it was] more than just 'normal' wind," says Marcks. "Then the calf huts, and stuff, were blowing around, and we came out, and saw the trees down, and more damage than we thought."
While it was still too dark to see clearly, Marcks says the sounds were enough.
"It sounded, and seemed, like the bottom of a tornado, or something," says Marcks, not knowing at the time that a tornado had actually touched down nearby.
Soon after, Marcks says he noticed the roof on one of his silos had been blown clean off, and was scattered across Highway 47.
"We got it off the road, so cars wouldn't run into it," says Marcks, "and then we picked it up."
It's a clean-up process that's underway tonight, from Black Creek, to Appleton.
"Nobody got hurt," adds Marcks. "It could have been much, much worse."
But cleanup is only half the battle, as firefighters are warning that people are more at risk of heat exhaustion while lifting heavy branches in these high, humid temps.
As for the top of his silo, "yeah, I'm not sure," laughs Marcks,
For now, he's happy with everyone making it through the night.
The National Weather Service did confirm a weak tornado touchdown in eastern Waupaca county overnight. It happened around 2:30 am between Bear Creek and Manawa. Wind speeds there reached between 65 and 85 miles per hour.
The National Weather Service has classified it as an EF-zero.
