20-Minute Tornado Tears Through Appleton and Menasha

Last updated: July 27, 2026, 1:59 p.m.

An “extremely dangerous” tornado stayed on the ground for at least 20 minutes as it cut from near Appleton through Menasha and toward Lake Winnebago on Monday. The storm tore roofs and exterior walls from buildings, flipped a vehicle, uprooted trees and knocked out power across large parts of northeast Wisconsin. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors, avoid barricaded roads and treat every downed utility line as energized.

What Is Happening

The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado in the Appleton-Menasha area shortly after noon on July 27. The storm was moving southeast at 40 mph and triggered a particularly dangerous situation tornado warning, which CNN described as the second-highest warning level.

After striking Menasha, the tornado moved over Lake Winnebago and dissipated over the water. Damage reports quickly spread across Appleton, Menasha and nearby communities. Video and photos showed homes with sections of roof missing, building exteriors stripped away, power poles down, trees uprooted and debris scattered across streets and parking lots.

Emergency crews from police, fire, public works and other agencies were assessing hazards and answering calls. Menasha police asked people to stay away from damaged areas unless travel was absolutely necessary. Residents were also told not to cross road closures and to call 911 only for active emergencies.

The Background

The tornado formed during a broader outbreak of severe weather across the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley. A Level 3 out of 5 severe thunderstorm risk was in effect for a large part of the region, with damaging winds, large hail and isolated tornadoes all possible.

The Appleton-Menasha storm was part of the first of two possible rounds expected in northeast Wisconsin. Local forecasters said another round could develop along a cold front between about 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., bringing more damaging winds, large hail and isolated tornadoes.

In Winnebago and Fond du Lac counties, warnings cited possible 3-inch hail and 60 mph wind gusts. Photos from Appleton also showed downed trees along Weatherstone Drive and damage on West College Avenue.

The larger system also produced dangerous conditions outside the tornado path. More than 390,000 customers were without power across Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana as severe thunderstorms crossed the region. One storm cluster south of Chicago and into northwest Indiana carried warnings for wind gusts up to 100 mph.

Earlier Monday, a 29-year-old tree-trimming worker was killed in Whitewater, Wisconsin, after a suspected lightning strike. Police and the Walworth County Medical Examiner were still investigating that death.

The Latest Development

Attention intensified once images from Menasha showed the scale of the destruction. At an office building in the 700 block of Fourth Street, the storm blew out first- and second-floor windows, uprooted trees, shattered vehicle windows and ripped away sections of the exterior. NBC26 reported no injuries at that location.

Power losses became one of the immediate practical problems. CNN reported more than 15,000 customers without electricity in Winnebago and Calumet counties and more than 18,000 in neighboring Outagamie County. The Post-Crescent separately reported nearly 70,000 We Energies customers without power overall, including more than 22,000 in Outagamie County.

Appleton International Airport evacuated its terminals for about 20 minutes and briefly halted flights. An assistant airport director said the facility did not sustain major damage and customers were not expected to face delays.

What It Means

For residents, the main danger did not end when the tornado moved over the lake. Downed lines, unstable trees, broken glass, blocked roads and damaged buildings can remain hazardous during cleanup. Authorities specifically warned drivers not to tour the damage because extra traffic can obstruct emergency vehicles and expose people to live wires and debris.

People under a tornado warning should move to the lowest floor of a sturdy building, choose an interior room away from windows and put as many walls as possible between themselves and the outdoors. Drivers should not try to outrun a tornado. The National Weather Service guidance cited by local outlets says motorists should safely leave the road and seek a substantial building whenever possible.

What Remains Unclear

Authorities had not released a complete count of injuries, damaged homes or businesses across the full Appleton-Menasha path. The final tornado rating, exact track and peak wind speed were also not included in the available reports.

Restoration times for the hardest-hit neighborhoods were not yet specified. Officials were still surveying damage while another round of severe weather remained possible later Monday, so outage totals and the number of affected properties could change.