SEVERE WEATHER HITS AREA
Monday, April 11th, 2011 -- 10:01 AM
Rough weather moved across Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon and evening, damaging homes, barns, power lines and trees. In Wisconsin, a Lincoln County sheriff's dispatcher says several homes were seriously damaged by a reported tornado touchdown shortly after 6 p.m. in the northern town of Merrill, about 15 miles north of Wausau. Merrill Fire Department Capt. Mike Drury says three people were taken to area hospitals. The Wausau Daily Herald reports houses were destroyed, roofs were torn from buildings, trees were downed and thousands of residents lost power in the storm Sunday night. An industrial park was also badly damaged. The weather service says two or three homes were damaged and a barn was reported destroyed shortly before 7 p.m. by a possible tornado near Hamburg in Marathon County. Trees and a barn were blown down in the Augusta area. Golf-ball-sized hail fell at the weather service office in La Crosse, damaging cars. The National Weather Service plans to send out officials to determine if tornados touched down in western Wisconsin. Preliminary reports show tornadoes may have struck Winnebago, Eau Claire, Adams, Marathon and Lincoln counties. Meteorologist Tony Zaleski says he's not heard of anyone getting hurt. Storm survey officials are going out today.Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.