A quiet Friday night turned tense in parts of Fond du Lac and Dodge counties when a tornado warning briefly lit up phones and weather radios after radar detected rotation in a storm near Markesan. Officials urged anyone in the storm’s path to get to shelter while the warning was active, then canceled the alert once the cell slid to the southeast and out of the area.
What the National Weather Service warned
According to the National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan, the warning covered northwestern Dodge County and southwestern Fond du Lac County and was in effect until 10:15 p.m. CDT. Forecasters cautioned that "flying debris would be dangerous to those caught without shelter and mobile homes could be damaged or destroyed" while the storm was moving through.
Where the storm tracked
Local coverage from FOX6 reported that the warning went out around 9:28 p.m., after radar picked up a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado near Markesan, west of Waupun. The storm was tracking southeast at roughly 20 mph, and forecasts and warning products flagged Waupun, Fox Lake and nearby rural communities as areas that could be impacted as the system moved away.
Safety steps and next steps
According to the National Weather Service, people inside the warning polygon were told to "TAKE COVER NOW!" and head to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, putting as much space and as many walls as possible between themselves and the outside. Guidance stressed staying away from windows, and emergency managers reminded residents that vehicles and mobile homes offer little protection from tornadoes, urging folks to monitor NOAA Weather Radio and local alerts for fresh updates.
WTMJ later reported that the tornado warning for Fond du Lac and Dodge counties had been canceled as the storm moved on. Even so, meteorologists warned that scattered strong storms could still roll through overnight with the potential for damaging wind and hail, and they encouraged residents to keep phones and radios close in case new alerts were issued.
