WEATHER

Tornadoes reported in south central Wisconsin, as storm passes Milwaukee

Sophie Carson Drake Bentley
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Southern Wisconsin saw a few confirmed tornadoes Friday night as storms passed through the state.

The Milwaukee area was under a tornado watch until around 9:30 p.m., when meteorologists began to announce that the storm had passed.

NWS meteorologist Cameron Miller said radar-confirmed tornadoes occurred in Walworth and Dane counties, and damage was reported in Green County.

The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings Friday night for parts of Dane, Green, Jefferson, Rock and Walworth counties.

The NWS in Milwaukee/Sullivan tweeted Saturday morning that surveys would be conducted for tornado damage in Walworth County, from Sharon to west of East Troy, and in Dane and Jefferson counties, from between Stoughton and Rockdale to Lake Ripley.

The storms were part of a much larger front that swept through the middle of the nation.

Weather conditions near Rockford, Illinois, resulted in the roof of a theater collapsing on concert-goers, resulting in at least 40 people injured and one person dead. A tornado also touched down in eastern Iowa damaging homes and buildings.

The weather service issued a special marine warning from the Milwaukee to the southern border for Lake Michigan waters, due to high winds and steep waves.

Thunderstorms began in mid-afternoon, with the chance for hail the size of quarters.

Then, a strong line of thunderstorms with larger hail and stronger winds began to roll through the region in the evening.