High Wind in Wisconsin, April 6, 1997

Strong gradient winds, enhanced by higher gusts associated with scattered rain and snow showers, periodically resulted in wind damage reports across Kenosha county. For much of the afternoon and evening, the sustained winds were in the 40-45 mph at the Kenosha Coast Guard station, where a peak gust of 77 mph was clocked at 1600 CST. A gust of 76 was noted at the Kenosha airport at about 1650 CST. Throughout the county, hundreds of trees were toppled, and many powerlines were blown over. In Somers, the high winds destroyed a pole shed. This shed's roof debris then hit a pickup truck, injuring the driver who was hospitalized. Also in Somers, around 1900 CST, the high winds tipped over a 12000 bushel silo. A pole barn in Paris was shredded by the high winds. At 1655 CST on the I-94 frontage road, a contruction trailer was rolled over by the high winds. A security guard inside the trailer was seriously injured and hospitalized.