Tornado Touchdown in Sturtevant
STURTEVANT - According to a National Weather Service official, an F1 tornado touched down in Sturtevant at about 7:45 a.m. Tuesday morning.
NWS Meterologist Ashley Sears told Newsradio 620 WTMJ that the tornado's winds would have ranged between 86 and 105 miles per hour.
"(It was a) quick tornado," said Mark Gehring of the National Weather Service in a Tuesday morning news conference. "It rapidly developed. The moment it showed up on radar, it was already on the ground."
A Racine County Sheriff's official also told Newsradio 620 WTMJ that the tornado touched down at Highway 11 and South Oaks Road in Sturtevant, while a witness tell TODAY'S TMJ4 he saw the tornado touchdown near 21st Street and Green Bay.
There is severe damage to homes and businesses in that area, including the Case Corporation.
TODAY'S TMJ4's Melissa McCrady tells us that the storm knocked down power lines in that area, and that a barn was leveled.
He put his son in the car, and says he was stuck in the debris cloud for about 30 seconds.
In that time, he says he was hit by wood, shingles, and a garbage can.
Shortly after, he says he saw a tornado take off parts of a Chase Bank roof.
Additionally, he claims to have seen trees uprooted in the tornado.
So far, there are reports of two people who were injured inside the Case corporation facility, but those injuries are said to be minor.
Durand Avenue (Highway 11) was to be closed for all of Tuesday and part of Wednesday to clean up storm damage.
The National Weather Service sent staffers to look at the damage.
Lots of other storm damage was found in other areas of Southeastern Wisconsin, including downed trees and power lines.
Check back for more details on this breaking story as details come in to us.
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