MARSHFIELD, WI (OnFocus) – The National Weather Service confirmed that both the Neillsville and Stanley communities experienced separate tornadoes during a line of severe weather on Wednesday night.
The first EF2 tornado touched down at 9:07 p.m. on Wednesday night and hit just west of Columbia and traveled north for four miles near the unincorporated town of Hewett. An EF2 tornado is a small-medium tornado bringing winds of 111-135 miles per hour.
A second EF2 tornado touched down just North of Neillsville near Christie and was on the ground for three minutes and a stretch of a little less than a mile. That tornado began at 9:16 p.m. just southwest of Highway 73 and Schofield Road. The tornado hit a farm before it went into a forested area and fizzled out.
The Stanley tornado was also an EF2 tornado and it began at 9:15 p.m. and lasted for seven minutes while spanning seven and a quarter miles. Max winds during this event touched 130 miles per hour as the tornado tore through the City of Stanley. The full damage report and pictures of the scene can be found here.
Numerous donations consisting of food, water, blankets and heated spaces have been given to the Stanley area already. Forward Bank in Stanley has established a “Stanley Relief Fund” to help collect donations for rebuilding residents of Stanley.
If you are looking to donate, you can contact Andrea Hazard of Forward Bank at 715-644-2566 or email her as well for the rest of the day Friday. Donations can also be dropped off at the Forward Bank branch in Thorp, Wisconsin and the Stanley Ford branch once it is back up and running.
