Nearly a dozen twisters touched down just west of Madison, Wisc. late Tuesday—two of them within two miles of Barneveld, a community devastated 22 years ago today by a middle of the night tornado on June 7, 1984. The tornado was especially fearsome because it roared into town just before 1 a.m. as residents slept. Its destruction was scattered along a 36 mile path leaving 9 people dead, 200 injured, and damages totaling $40-million.
Reports through late Tuesday suggest the new swarm of twisters produced damage, but nothing as catastrophic as the Barneveld twister. A semi-trailer was flipped on its side near Portage and a roof was ripped off a home near Waunakee. Converging winds along a southeastbound cold front were behind the group of powerful, supercell thunderstorms also responsible for three tornadoes which touched down in Iowa.
-Tom Skilling
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
