Day turns to night: Tornado plunges Wisconsin into chaos

In parts of the US state of Wisconsin, Monday suddenly became as dark as night. Then the tornado arrived. On 27 July 2026, a powerful twister tore through the Fox Cities area in the north-east of the state, leaving a trail of destruction across Menasha, Appleton, Neenah and Fox Crossing. Roofs were ripped away, cars were overturned, trees were uprooted and power lines were thrown across roads. More than 30,000 homes and businesses temporarily lost electricity.

Menasha, a city of about 18,000 people beside Lake Winnebago, was hit especially hard. According to the local utility, virtually the whole city was believed to be without power for a time. Traffic lights stopped working and streets were blocked by trees, debris and fallen cables. Police and fire crews strongly warned residents not to enter the worst-hit neighborhoods. Falling building parts were not the only danger. Damaged gas lines and cables that might still be live made the situation potentially deadly.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Appleton, Menasha and Neenah at 11.59 am local time. Shortly afterwards, at around 12.20 pm, the storm struck Menasha and the eastern side of Fox Crossing. Initial surveys by the National Weather Service office in Green Bay found damage of at least EF2 strength. That category is associated with winds of up to roughly 135 mph, or 217 km/h. The final rating may still change as further inspections are completed.

Images and eyewitness accounts showed the scale of the destruction. Homes were suddenly left without roofs, vehicles lay on their sides or upside down, and some businesses were reduced to wreckage. A bakery, a laundromat and a neighborhood tavern were badly hit in one area. Emergency teams searched damaged buildings and tried to reach locations along roads that had become impassable. By Monday evening, no deaths or injuries had been confirmed, although searches and damage assessments were continuing.

For electricity providers, a race against time began at the same moment. We Energies said it had already restored service to more than 44,000 customers since the storms started. Wisconsin Public Service reported on Tuesday that about 12,000 customers had been reconnected and said additional contract crews were being brought into the areas with the heaviest damage. Officials nevertheless warned that some homes could remain without power for several days. Where poles are broken, lines are torn apart and streets are blocked, restoring electricity takes far more than simply flipping a switch.

The blackout greatly increases the consequences of the tornado. Without electricity, refrigerators, internet routers, electric garage doors, ATMs and many fuel pumps cannot operate. Failed traffic signals raise the risk of accidents, while blocked roads delay repair vehicles. Anyone who depends on electrically powered medical equipment needs a safe alternative quickly. Emergency shelters were opened so affected residents could find protection, information and at least temporary access to reliable basic services.

Wisconsin is therefore dealing not only with an extreme weather event, but with a chain reaction involving damaged buildings, transport chaos and a widespread power outage. The sky turned black within minutes, and then the lights really did go out for tens of thousands. The work of rescue teams and grid crews will now determine how quickly devastated streets can become liveable neighborhoods again.

Source: Associated Press, “Wisconsin tornado causes extensive damage and cuts power to thousands of homes”, 27 July 2026; National Weather Service Green Bay, “July 27, 2026 Severe Storms and Tornado Summary”; We Energies, “Crews restoring power after tornado, severe storms cause widespread damage across Wisconsin”, 27 July 2026; WBAY/Wisconsin Public Service restoration report, 28 July 2026.