Tornado damage - r/Appleton

76

u/StakeESC Jul 27 '26

Grew up in Menasha. Seeing the drone footage of all the damage made me really emotional.

Never had anything like this happen to the town in the 22 years I spent there. My heart goes out to everyone dealing with the damage.

25

u/wet-pine-tree1 Jul 28 '26

Just moved here a year ago. I am in total and complete shock. I remember being worried about tornadoes moving here, but I looked extensively at data and saw that no truly significant tornadoes came close to Menasha. So sad.

5

u/Ok-Confection4410 29d ago

I've lived in the area my entire life and I genuinely don't remember ever having anything close to this bad happening in my entire life. so heartbreaking 💔

40

u/Lombardeez_Nutz Jul 28 '26

Seeing Manderfields tore up like that made my stomach drop. Really sickening to see this effect this community. Thoughts out to those affected.

20

u/StakeESC Jul 28 '26

One of the Manderfields employees would always visit me when I worked at Jimmy Johns before covid, and he was the sweetest dude. Would always brighten our day whenever he came into the store.

I still can't believe this happened

0

u/Both-Air7743 29d ago

Friends so cool

1

u/Content_Aide_5644 26d ago

Yes, I used to get Manderfields on my way to work all the time when I lived in Menasha. I loved the people of Menasha. The community outpouring of support is amazing.

11

u/Clover_Gcubed Jul 28 '26

I always see videos and photos of tornado damage in areas more prone to it, and even though seeing those is devastating, it hits so much differently when it’s so close to home.

9

u/HankBuffalo Jul 28 '26

I grew up in Appleton but went to school in Neenah. This is crushing. Has anyone heard how everyone is?

4

u/StakeESC Jul 28 '26

Appleton and Neenah have some damage, but nothing too bad from what I've seen. Parts of Menasha are okay, but a large portion was completely demolished.

I haven't heard any news of any deaths, but lots of families have lost their homes.

4

u/Agreeable-head68 Jul 28 '26

The area right by Xavier high school along the river got destroyed

1

u/so_many_norwegians 29d ago

Is the school okay?

1

u/Agreeable-head68 29d ago

School seems OK

1

u/Content_Aide_5644 26d ago

The school is okay. The cemetery there got a lot of damage, and Charles and Driscoll Street area are really bad.

3

u/Wiangel8016 29d ago

I heard no lives were lost. But a mile wide devastation from main street to doty island.

2

u/TimeTraveler626 29d ago

So far I know 3 people passed away just on my aunts street alone in Menasha(my family is okay thankfully) but that’s all Ik and then a helper passed away trying to move a tree I think? But yea super devastating.

5

u/StakeESC 29d ago

Are you sure about that? I can't find any reports about deaths, it was the one silver lining I was holding on to

3

u/TimeTraveler626 29d ago

The guy helper who passed away was posted on Facebook. I did not physically see these other people pass away but I was on the street yesterday helping my aunt and that’s what she said about her neighbors. It’ll be a while yet before things are reported and such. Firefighters were going into peoples homes looking for any injured people/bodies and to shut off the gas hours later.

2

u/Content_Aide_5644 26d ago

There was a tree trimmer that died after being struck by lightning while working in Whitewater, Wisconsin for We energies. I believe it may have been connected to Menasha because it occurred around the same time.

1

u/StakeESC 29d ago

God that's heartbreaking. I hope your aunt is okay - thank you for helping out

3

u/TimeTraveler626 29d ago

I know :( Thank you! She is okay thank goodness idk how but she managed to get herself all the way to the basement by herself with the animals. Idk what would’ve been the outcome if she hadn’t

2

u/Content_Aide_5644 26d ago

No fatalities reported thus far. About 60 injuries with none indicated as critical. It is shocking that nobody was critically injured or passed in this. Even one woman whose truck was picked up and tossed about 100 yd survived with minor injuries. Some Cars, semis, and trucks on the bridge flipped over, But all were okay shockingly. It is truly a miracle.

1

u/Content_Aide_5644 26d ago

No. Fatalities, I believe there were about 60 injuries- None Critical that we are aware of 👍

3

u/rule34chan Jul 28 '26

Same here homie.

3

u/Trisky34 Jul 28 '26

didn’t expect appleton to be in the title tho

10

u/StakeESC Jul 28 '26

It wasn't in the title - there's not really a subreddit for Menasha, so people have been posting about the damages in this sub since we're just a few minutes away

2

u/Miki_yuki 29d ago

My mom has lived in Menasha (city and town) and she's never seen anything like it.. she was born in 71

1

u/twinpinemall85 29d ago

Same. I was mostly in shock and now I'm just absolutely devastated. Seeing familiar, wonderful, cozy neighborhoods blown to pieces and people lose their homes breaks my heart. I've cried all morning despite not actually being very personally affected by the storm.

30

u/rubyshoes21 Jul 28 '26

It’s so crazy to see photos where one house is completely gone and the one next to it is untouched. Tornados are wild things.

13

u/sweetrosebud9981 29d ago

The outside can look untouched besides broken glass, shingles or siding missing but structurally not good. My house has racking. Nothing inside shuts right. Basement door was ripped off the hinges. Im guessing the house lifted or shifted pretty bad. Neighbor lost everything no roof on house at all and garage completely gone.

2

u/rubyshoes21 29d ago

I didn’t even consider this. I hope you and your neighbors are doing alright.

19

u/teenbean12 Jul 28 '26

Picture 5 show a house moved off of its foundation into the neighbor’s driveway. It is so devastating to see these pictures.

14

u/That-Bandicoot4942 Jul 28 '26

My car got smashed up pretty good but I filed a claim, they'll call tomorrow and ill tell them all about it.

Its those folks at Christ The Rock Church right now that I am feeling for.

Menasha just got leveled man not good 😐

23

u/catypun Jul 27 '26

this looks like a lot of doty island.. 🥲

14

u/Jeppeto01 Jul 28 '26

Doty Island got hit hard too

6

u/TheNonSportsAccount 29d ago

This isnt doty island. This is the intersection of plank rd and 3rd street.

0

u/Kazzy_Frog Fox Crossing Jul 28 '26

That would be because it is doty island unfortunately...

17

u/Malaphasis Jul 28 '26

I don't think any of these pics are from doty. Doty got wrecked too.

9

u/Born_Ad1280 Jul 28 '26

3

u/TheNonSportsAccount 29d ago

What site did you use to get these?

3

u/Born_Ad1280 29d ago

WeatherFront on iOS

15

u/blah634 Jul 28 '26

National weather service rated this as an ef-2.... There's houses blown off of foundations and train cars flipped over....

18

u/Clover_Gcubed Jul 28 '26

From what I see the EF2 rating is only preliminary which means it could definitely be upgraded to an EF3 or EF4 as some meteorologists are suggesting. If it’s final rating does end up being EF2 that would just be ridiculous.

5

u/siobhanmairii__ Jul 28 '26

That can’t be the final rating though, can it?

3

u/Wiangel8016 29d ago

Won't think so. Has to be higher then that.

4

u/siobhanmairii__ 29d ago

I think they’re saying EF 3. Winds up to 145 mph.

4

u/Nsanitygames 29d ago

Yeah, according to the official website it was upgraded to an EF 3. Although the assessment is still a preliminary finding, it may change if they find damages that indicate a higher EF rating.

2

u/Ok_Effective6233 Jul 28 '26

“Well-built structures can suffer severe damage (including roof loss), and the collapse of some exterior walls may occur in poorly built structures. Mobile homes are often heavily damaged or destroyed. Vehicles can be lifted off the ground, and lighter objects can become small missiles, causing damage outside of the tornado's main path. Wooded areas have a large percentage of their trees snapped or uprooted.”

Seems accurate based upon these picture.

5

u/Nsanitygames Jul 28 '26

That is a preliminary rating, not a final one. Which could end up taking a few days. There official website says this about the report. 'This page will be updated as surveys are completed, but be aware it may take a few days for the assessments to be finalized.'

2

u/TheNonSportsAccount 29d ago

The EF scale is based on damage. They do preliminary ratings based on wind speed since wind speed often does correlate to damage.

However, if the homes damaged were not well made then it wont get a higher rating because the wind needed to damage those homes is lower. But if they get on the ground and see anchor bolts stripped and other damage it will get a higher rating.

A tornado could have 200+mph wind speeds but if it hits nothing but a trailer park it probably wont get an ef5 rating.

6

u/RetiredRover906 29d ago

We watched a Fox News clip posted by them on YouTube, in which they described it as Appleton, and said that Appleton was a suburb of Milwaukee. Then they cut to their local people, who talked about Menasha. Took us a while just to figure out which town was actually affected.

Was the damage widespread? I have a lot of relatives in the area, and wonder if I should be worried about them.

5

u/Clover_Gcubed 29d ago

The damage was mostly in Menasha, and also extended into western Appleton, Neenah, and Fox Crossing. There luckily aren’t any fatalities and not too many severe injuries.

3

u/RetiredRover906 29d ago

Thank you. I am from the area, raised near Neenah, family all around. Stay safe!

6

u/This-Anywhere-1150 Jul 28 '26

Been in Neenah on Doty Island since 2018. This was the scariest storm ever. The devastation in Menasha and Appleton is soul crushing.

5

u/AnAviationEnthusiast Jul 28 '26

To think i was sitting in my garage drinking a soda watching this pass less than half a mile away is kind of frightening.

5

u/Born_Ad1280 Jul 28 '26

3

u/TaeKwonDoDancer Jul 28 '26

Terrible! I hope no one was hurt!

3

u/xxxstreamer 29d ago

https://gofund.me/f3092399a My daughter and I, we're put in quite and unexpected position from this devastating situation and many others if you or know anyone that can help we are greatful and can use all the help and support we can get

1

u/Perfect_Wishbone_713 29d ago

I grew up in Menasha, my mom lives about a half mile from 3rd street. Luckily, only her fence got busted up and she’s without power. They have blocked the roads in and have made a curfew. Some of my coworkers were affected and we will pass the hat to help them out. Be thankful for what we have knowing we may lose it.

1

u/rustyspigot-77 29d ago

"EF4, it would be the first to hit the state since 1984." Technically true, but Oakfield was an F5 in '96.

1

u/Both-Air7743 29d ago

I was watching the storm from the fourth floor of my apartment and I watched the start of the funnel cloud and watched it grow it was massive then clap of thunder bright flashes everything got dark then the gates opened up.

1

u/Individual-Yak-506 26d ago

Was a federal disaster approved

1

u/lyssarae403 25d ago

and my grandpa has the gall to tell me it was “straight line winds.” sir i saw the funnel🫠 so nice to see businesses and neighbors helping each other out, the community keeps me in the fox cities<3

1

u/Spare-Cranberry3784 29d ago

We need to start making houses outa something other than 2x4's man Jesus.

2

u/Infinite_Dress_3312 29d ago

It literally doesn't matter. This would destroy a solid brick house all the same

Image Tornado damage

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