Three Tornadoes Confirmed in Clark County During Last Week’s Storms

Monday, May 19th, 2025 -- 11:01 AM

(Jamie Rokus, Marshfield News-Herald) -A line of strong to severe thunderstorms in the late afternoon and early evening of Thursday, May 15, left a path of destruction in parts of central and northeastern Clark County.

According to Jamie Rokus with the Marshfield News-Herald, the National Weather Service in La Crosse confirmed three tornadoes touched down during the storms, ranging from an EF0 to an EF2, according to preliminary damage surveys completed Friday.

“The atmosphere was initially ‘capped,’ but once surface temperatures warmed sufficiently, coupled with the lift provided by the front, storms ‘exploded’ southwest along the boundary, quickly becoming severe,” the National Weather Service said.

Damage ranged from snapped tree trunks and power poles to homes and barns that were destroyed by the storms. The following information about the three Clark County tornadoes comes from preliminary survey results provided by the National Weather Service in La Crosse:

Christie: An EF1 tornado touched down from 4:47 p.m. to 4:48 p.m. May 15, 2025, southwest of Christie, in central Clark County. This short-lived tornado snapped the trunks of a few large trees.

The diameter of the trees that were snapped were large enough to support a preliminary EF1 rating. The tornado had estimated peak winds of 95 mph and it was about 30 yards wide. The tornado was on the ground for about ½ mile. No injuries were reported.

Loyal: A EF0 tornado touched down from 4:55 p.m. to 4:58 p.m. May 15, 2025, in rural areas of Clark County between Christie and Loyal. As the tornado moved northeast, it damaged multiple trees and removed a portion of a roof of a farm building.

The tornado had estimated peak winds of 85 mph and it was about 75 yards wide. The tornado was on the ground for about 2.3 miles. No injuries were reported.

Colby:An EF2 tornado touched down from 5:21 p.m. to 5:28 p.m. May 15, 2025. This tornado developed in fields west of Unity before tracking northeast toward Colby.

As it moved through rural areas of northeastern Clark County, it damaged multiple farm outbuildings, trees, power poles and a home. This home had a majority of its roof removed, which formed the basis for the tornado’s EF2 rating.

The tornado tracked through the southeastern edge of Colby, damaging another home, multiple outbuildings, power poles and a car dealership before dissipating. The tornado had estimated peak winds of 120 mph and it was about 150 yards wide. The tornado was on the ground for about 4.5 miles.

According to the National Weather Service, no injuries were reported, but a property owner told a USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin photographer who was at the scene Friday that a young girl had been trapped in her stroller under fallen barn debris.

She was rescued and received minor injuries.

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