Tornadoes and Hail in Wisconsin, June 6, 2006

A tornado spun up 2.8 miles southwest of Helena at 1753CST on the Wisconsin River just west/northwest of the STH 23 bridge that crosses the river. It moved southeast and on-shore just east of the bridge and quickly dissipated at 1755CST. The tornado resulted in only minor tree damage and was rated F0 with winds around 50 knots (58 mph).

The first segment of a multi-county-segmented tornado spun up 3.0 miles east of Wisconsin Dells at 1754CST about 0.6 mile east-northeast of the intersection of Broadway Rd. and CTH Q. It headed southeast and crossed STH 16 at Lewiston, and then crossed the Wisconsin River into Sauk County about 1.5 miles southeast of Lewiston at 1813CST. In this first Columbia County stretch, around 10 houses were damaged or destroyed, along with a couple pole sheds and many trees and power lines. An estimated 400,000 dollars in property damage occurred. The tornado was rated F1 with winds of 64 to 97 knots (73-112 mph). After a short track through Sauk County, this tornado re-entered Columbia County about 7 miles west of Portage, crossed Interstate 90/94, and then crossed the Wisconsin River again before dissipating at 1840CST.

Trees down.

This tornado segment is the 2nd of a three-segment tornado (Columbia-Sauk-Columbia). The first segment started in Columbia County about 3.0 miles east of Wisconsin Dells. This second segment entered Sauk County about 8.5 miles east-southeast of Lake Delton at 1813CST (or about 0.6 mile northeast of the intersection of N Hein Rd. and Levee Rd.) and headed southeast. It exited Sauk County about 10.1 miles east-southeast of Lake Delton at 1817CST where Levee Rd. goes east into Columiba County. The tornado caused a tree to fall onto a home which caused 1000 dollars in property damage. The tornado during this second county segment had weakened a bit down to the F0 rating with winds of 35-63 knots (40-72 mph). Overall, this three-segment tornado path length was 16.9 miles with a time span of 1754CST to 1840CST.

A tornado spun up 5.6 miles NNW of Ridgeway at 1814CST just south of Erdman Rd. (or about 1.5 WNW of an unincorporated hamlet of Hyde). It headed southeast for 2.7 miles and dissipated 3.3 miles NNE of Ridgeway at 1825 CST near a big curve on Dugway Rd. This tornado resulted in only minor tree damage and was rated F0 with winds around 50 knots (58 mph).

This tornado segment is a third, county-segment, continuation of a tornado that initially spun up in far northwestern Columbia County about 3.0 miles east of Wisconsin Dells at 1754CST and then crossed into Sauk County about 1.5 miles southeast of Lewiston at 1813CST. This tornado re-entered Columbia County about 7.0 miles west of Portage at 1817CST where Levee Rd. on the south side of the Wisconsin River exits Columbia County going west. The heading of this tornado was southeast, and it crossed Interstate 90/94 near Tritz Road where a vehicle swerved and caused a semitrailer to roll onto its side. It eventually passed through a residential trailer complex/camp ground south of the Cascade Ski Resort. It crossed Interstate 90/94 where Ziehmke Rd approached the Interstate from the east. At this point, the tornado caused a semitrailer to be blown off the road. The tornado then tracked over the extreme eastern edge of Pickerel Lake, crossed over the Wisconsin River for the second time, and dissipated about 1.0 mile southwest of Dekorra at 1840CST, just short of CTH V. Around 10 houses were damaged, along with a barn, a couple pole sheds, and many trees and power lines. The tornado caused about 600,000 dollars in property damage, and was rated F1 with winds of 64-97 knots (73-112 mph). The tornado was well-photographed and filmed. Overall, this F1 Columbia-Sauk-Columbia County tornado path length was 16.9 miles with a beginning time of 1754CST and an ending time of 1840CST.

A tornado spun up 1.5 miles west of Barneveld at 1833 CST just northwest of the intersection of STH 18/151 and Ihm-Harris Rd. It traveled southeast across the intersection of these two roads and dissipated about 100 yards southeast of the intersection about 1.4 miles WSW of Barneveld at 1835CST. About 5,000 dollars in damage occurred to a shed and home. The tornado was rated an F0 with winds around 56 knots (65 mph).

Around 1930 CST (830 PM CDT) thunderstorm wind gusts took a roof off a house 2 miles east of Waunakee. Winds were estimated at 70 knots (80 mph). About 5,000 dollars in damage resulted.