The National Weather Service is investigating two possible tornadoes that touched down in southern Wisconsin on Wednesday, June 17.
Neither tornado is confirmed, but survey teams have been sent to Highland in Iowa County and Belleville in Dane County for damage assessment.
According to National Weather Service storm reports, a possible tornado hit Highland around 6 p.m. June 17. Observer reports noted multiple ripped up trees, destroyed satellite dishes and downed powerlines north of Highland.
The storm traveled into Ridgeway about 10 miles east and damaged some structures about 20 minutes after the initial radar detection.
NWS survey teams reached Iowa County around 10 a.m. Thursday, June 18, according to Iowa County’s emergency management deputy director Amanda Gardner.
A second survey team is investigating a radar-detected possible tornado that damaged multiple structures and trees in Belleville around 7 p.m. June 17.
Meteorologist Taylor Patterson at the Milwaukee/Sullivan NWS office said that final confirmations should be determined by June 18 afternoon or evening.
Tornadoes are only confirmed based on observed damages following a storm. After survey, teams establish a tornado’s wind speed, traveled path and diameter to give it a severity ranking on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: NWS investigating possible tornados in Dane, Iowa counties from June 17 storm
Reporting by Caden Perry, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Caden Perry, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
