Severe Storm In Southern Wisconsin Produced Multiple Tornadoes

Communities in southern Wisconsin are cleaning up after powerful storms and multiple tornadoes hit the region on Monday night.

In Platteville, the National Weather Service says two tornadoes with winds of 120 miles per hour caused damage on campus. An hour away in Verona, a tornado with 140 mile-per-hour winds made 19 homes unlivable. More than 150 homes were damaged across Dane County.

Brian Toner, a resident in Verona, said his wife and three kids huddled in their basement after losing power around midnight.

“You hear that train sound that everyone always talks about,” said Mills. “The house literally felt like it was lifting off its foundation.”

Neighbor Shane Kaatz found his outdoor patio furniture inside his house. The furniture had been picked up by the storm and propelled through his daughter’s bedroom wall.

“We were heading down to the basement and that’s when I heard the thud,” said Kaatz. “So we hunkered down there for probably only 15 minutes then you could tell the storm was gone.”

Verona Police Chief Bernie Coughlin said there were no gas leaks or electrical problems, but that people can’t return to damaged homes yet.

“We do ask that those people who have been put out of their homes … continue to be patient with us,” said Coughlin. “We’ll work with them to try and get them back into their homes ASAP, but make sure we do so in a safe manner.“

The Storm Forecast Center says Wisconsin is at risk for more severe weather on Tuesday evening and into Wednesday morning.