First-ever February tornadoes in Wisconsin caused $2.4M in damages
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Wisconsin Storms
Matt Artis, 34, surveys the wreckage Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a tornado struck his farm in the Town of Porter, Wis., on Thursday evening. A line of storms and tornadoes fueld by unusually warm February weather tore across southeastern Wisconsin on Thursday. (AP Photo/Todd Richmond)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 2/27
Wisconsin Storms
Downed power lines lean close to the street in Evansville, Wis., Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. The first tornado ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February came on a day that broke records for warmth, the type of severe weather normally seen in the late spring and summer. (Amber Arnold/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 3/27
Wisconsin-Storms
Patrick Crull tours the damage surrounding his home and farm on North Tolles Road with his family Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the evening before. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 4/27
Wisconsin Storms
Andy Wagner, 40, surveys the damage Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, outside his parents' home in the Town of Porter, Wis., after storms and tornados fueled by unusually warm weather tore across the southeastern quarter of the state on Thursday evening. (AP Photo/Todd Richmond)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 5/27
Wisconsin Storms
A chunk of wood is impaled in Dan Wagner's SUV outside his home, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, in the Town of Porter, Wis. A line of powerful storms and tornadoes fueled by unusually warm February weather ripped across southeastern Wisconsin on Thursday evening. (AP Photo/Todd Richmond)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 6/27
Wisconsin-Storms
An aerial view of the damage along North Tolles Road, Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 7/27
Wisconsin-Storms
Patrick Crull takes a photo of his flipped vehicle while touring the damage done to his home and farm building on North Tolles Road, Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado moved through an area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the evening before. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 8/27
Wisconsin-Storms
An aerial view of the damage along North Tolles Road Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 9/27
Wisconsin-Storms
Patrick Crull tours the damage inside the detached garage next to his home Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville,Wis., the prior evening. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 10/27
Wisconsin-Storms
An aerial view of the damage along North Tolles Road, Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 11/27
Wisconsin Storms
A funnel cloud is seen in the sky over Evansville, Wis., on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. The first-ever February tornado for the state of Wisconsin was spotted Thursday just south of Madison, the National Weather Service confirmed. (Kristofer Bell via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 12/27
Wisconsin Storms
A funnel cloud is seen in the sky over Evansville, Wis., on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. The first-ever February tornado for the state of Wisconsin was spotted Thursday just south of Madison, the National Weather Service confirmed. (Kristofer Bell via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 13/27
Wisconsin-Storms
An aerial view of the damage along North Tolles Road Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 14/27
Wisconsin-Storms
Patrick Crull tours the damage inside his home along North Tolles Road, Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. Crull and his girlfriend moved into the house last December after several months of remodeling the interior. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 15/27
Wisconsin-Storms
Debris can be seen outside the home of Patrick Crull, Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area along North Tolles Road, just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. Crull and his girlfriend moved into the house last December after several months of remodeling the interior. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 16/27
Wisconsin-Storms
Debris can be seen outside the home of Patrick Crull Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area along North Tolles Road, just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. Crull and his girlfriend moved into the house last December after several months of remodeling the interior. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 17/27
Wisconsin-Storms
Debris from a farm building nearby sits in a field along North Tolles Road in Evansville, Wis., Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado traveled through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 18/27
Wisconsin-Storms
A home owned by Patrick Crull along North Tolles Road shown Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, suffered severe damage from a confirmed tornado that traveled through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis. the night. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl/The Janesville Gazette via AP)/The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 19/27
Wisconsin-Storms
Patrick Crull tours the damage inside his home along North Tolles Road, Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 20/27
Wisconsin-Storms
An aerial view of the damage along North Tolles Road Friday morning, Feb. 9, 2024, after a confirmed tornado went through the area just northwest of Evansville, Wis., the prior evening. The tornado was the first-ever reported in February in the state of Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service. (Anthony Wahl//The Janesville Gazette via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 21/27
Wisconsin Storms
Debris covers the remains of a Rock County, Wis. barn on Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. The first tornado ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February came on a day that broke records for warmth, the type of severe weather normally seen in the late spring and summer. ( John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 22/27
Wisconsin Storms
Family members and friends gather at the Rock County, Wis. home of Marilyn Kueng Friday, Feb. 9, 2024 after the property was damaged in a tornado the previous day. Kueng, 83, who was on the first floor of the home when its roof was lifted off, was not injured in the storm. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 23/27
Wisconsin Storms
Kevin Kueng surveys the interior of his mother's home in Porter, Wis., Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, after a tornado destroyed the property on Thursday. His mother, Marilyn, 83, who was on the first floor of the home at the time, escaped injury in spite of the extensive damage. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 24/27
Wisconsin Storms
A farm animal is walked near a barn which was destroyed in a previous day's tornado in Porter, Wis., Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. The first tornado ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February came on a day that broke records for warmth, the type of severe weather normally seen in the late spring and summer. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 25/27
Wisconsin Storms
Marie Rickard assists her neighbor retrieving items from her home following a tornado in Porter, Wis. Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. The first tornado ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February came on a day that broke records for warmth, the type of severe weather normally seen in the late spring and summer. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 26/27
Wisconsin Storms
Passersby capture photos of a home and barn which was damaged in a previous day's tornado in Porter, Wis., Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. The first tornado ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February came on a day that broke records for warmth, the type of severe weather normally seen in the late spring and summer.(John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS - 27/27
Wisconsin Storms
National Weather Service meteorologist Andrew Quigley, left, and Tim Halbach, warning coordination meteorologist, check out damage to farming equipment and out buildings from a tornado in Evansville, Wis., Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. The first tornado ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February came on a day that broke records for warmth, the type of severe weather normally seen in the late spring and summer. (Amber Arnold/Wisconsin State Journal via AP)ASSOCIATED PRESS
EVANSVILLE, Wis. (AP) — The first tornadoes ever recorded in Wisconsin in the usually frigid month of February caused more than $2.4 million in damage, officials said Wednesday.
The tornadoes that ripped through Rock County on Feb. 8 killed some cattle and hit 30 homes, officials said.
The damage estimates don’t include agricultural impacts to silos, barns and equipment, said Kevin Wernet, director of Rock County Emergency Management.
More than $2 million in damages were reported in the town of Porter and more than $320,000 in damages were reported in the town of Fulton, officials said. Two homes were destroyed and 10 sustained major damage.
One confirmed tornado near Evansville was a “high end” F2, the weather service said. Those tornadoes are described as “significant,” with winds in this particular twister topping out at 135 mph (220 kph). It was on the ground for 36 minutes, traveling 24.5 miles (39.4 kilometers) with a maximum width of 500 yards (457.2 meters).
Another tornado that touched down near Juda was an F1 with peak winds of 110 mph (177 kph) and on the ground for 14 minutes, covering 8.35 miles (13.4 kilometers) with a maximum width of 50 yards (45.7 meters), the weather service said.
The tornadoes were the first Wisconsin has experienced during the month of February since at least 1950, when records started being kept.