A tornado-warned thunderstorm raced across Dodge County on Wednesday evening, sending residents to basements and cutting into community events in small towns from Brandon to Waupun. Radar and spotter reports showed rotation and large hail as the cell pushed southeast across the county.
At 6:12 p.m. CDT, the National Weather Service office in Milwaukee/Sullivan issued a tornado warning for north-central Dodge County, stating that a storm near Brandon and Ripon was capable of producing a tornado and "ping pong ball size hail" up to 1.5 inches while moving southeast at roughly 20 mph. Forecasters urged residents to move to a basement or interior room and to stay away from windows, according to the National Weather Service.
Live coverage and video
FOX6 tracked the system as it passed through southeast Wisconsin and shared video of the storm cell crossing Dodge County, with live updates as warnings went out and events were interrupted. The station's coverage showed heavy rain, hail and rapidly changing conditions for motorists and outdoor attendees. As reported by FOX6 News Milwaukee, crews monitored radar and spotter reports while repeatedly urging viewers to heed local alerts.
Storm path and local alerts
The warning from the National Weather Service named Waupun, Brandon and Oakfield among the communities in the storm's path and explicitly cautioned festivalgoers that "People attending Celebrate Waupun should seek safe shelter immediately!" Officials stressed that mobile homes and vehicles offer little protection from tornadoes and urged anyone outdoors to get to substantial shelter. The full warning text and timing are available from the National Weather Service.
Regional context
Wednesday's warning was the latest in a string of unstable weather this month that has brought damaging winds, large hail and widespread outages across parts of northeast Wisconsin. Earlier in June, local reporting documented thousands of customers without power and wind damage in areas of Dodge County, according to WBAY.
County emergency managers and utilities monitored damage reports after the cells moved out of the area and asked residents to report hazards through official channels. For the latest watches and warnings, officials directed the public to follow updates from the National Weather Service and local broadcasters.
