WSAW - Blogs - Chad Franzen

December 1, 1970 Tornadoes

Posted: Tue 2:27 PM, Nov 30, 2010

It's hard to imagine, but 40 years ago, our area experienced 4 different tornadoes that moved across Wisconsin during the morning hours of December 1, 1970. Instead of snowfall on the ground that day, it was tornadoes touching down on the ground and all before the Noon hour on that day.

The first tornado for that day, touched down near Stevens Point and was on the ground for about 3 miles. Yet another tornado formed near Marshfield later that morning and was on the ground for roughly 2 miles.

The third tornado and the one with the longest track for the day, formed near Iola and moved northeastward into Shawano County and was on the ground for 28 miles.

The last tornado from that morning, formed in Outagamie County at approximately 10:15am. This was the strongest tornado that hit Wisconsin that morning and was rated a F3 tornado. The other 3 tornadoes in our area, were rated F2.


Overall, it was a very unusual storm system that moved through Wisconsin that day, and was uncharacteristically warm as well. While tornadoes rarely happen in the "winter" months, they can form and become destructive as they did 40 years ago.

 

You can read more online at the National Weather Service in Green Bay's website:

www.crh.noaa.gov/grb/

 

 

Does anyone remember these torndoes from that day?

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