A tornado that caused severe damage in northeastern Wisconsin on July 27 has been preliminarily ruled as an EF3, the National Weather Service said.
The tornado stayed on the ground for more than 20 minutes, damaging homes and businesses in Neenah, Menasha and Appleton. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The tornado developed two miles northwest of Appleton and tracked southward into Fox Crossing and Menasha, the NWS said. EF3 tornadoes carry wind speeds of 136-165 mph.
“If you experienced any damage, it’s important to notify your insurance agent or company right away to begin the claim process,” Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner Nathan Houdek said.
The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance recommends the following tips for processing storm damage:
Make a list of damaged items, including cracks in walls, damage to siding or shingles, spoiled food due to a long-term power outage, etc.
Take photographs of the damage before you begin to clean up.
Don’t throw out any damaged property without the claim adjuster’s agreement.
Keep all receipts that document the cost of the repairs or the replacement of damaged items.
Wisconsin has experienced an unusually active storm season. Through mid-July, the state had 39 documented tornadoes, which tied it with 2025 for the sixth-most in an entire since 1950, according to the NWS.
See more beautiful photo albums Here >>>
On average the state experiences 23 tornadoes throughout the full year.
Farinacci was charged with first-degree arson in connection with the Old Trails Fire, which has destroyed hundred of homes, officials said. The investigation into that blaze, as well as Autumn Lane and Fairview fires, remains ongoing.
The three major fires surrounding Spokane have burned more than 8,000 acres (3,237 hectares) as of Monday morning and have not been contained, according to InciWeb, a federal fire tracking website. There are 17 total fires currently active across Washington, Public Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove told reporters Monday, burning more than 262,000 acres in the state.
In Spokane, a metro area of about 600,000 people near the Idaho border, local officials said roughly 700 structures have burned in the past 48 hours. No injuries or fatalities have been reported.
Top photo: A burned truck sits in the driveway of burned out residential home in the Balboa neighborhood of Spokane, Washington, on August 2. Photographer: Erick Doxey/AFP/Getty Images. Bloomberg.