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Public Information Statement...UPDATED
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
711 PM CDT Tue May 23 2017

...5/16/2017 NORTHWEST WISCONSIN TORNADO UPGRADED TO EF-3...

...THIS TORNADO'S PATH LENGTH APPEARS TO BE THE LONGEST IN 
WISCONSIN FOR THE MODERN ERA - SINCE AT LEAST 1950...

.UPDATE...Newly discovered evidence near Conrath suggests peak
winds of around 140 mph, or EF-3 strength. A home was completely
destroyed, including all interior walls. Debris remained nearby
with substantial tree damage noted as well. 

In addition, drone footage and additional surveying increases
confidence one tornado tracked along the entire damage path. The
path length is increased to 83 miles, which is the longest path 
length in Wisconsin recorded history, at least since modern 
tornado documentation began in 1950. If this holds true, it would
break the record from the 5-10-1953 F4 tornado that tracked 80 
miles across Burnett, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties. 

.OVERVIEW...A powerful thunderstorm tracked across northwest 
Wisconsin during the early evening of 5/16/2017. The storm 
produced a strong, long tracked tornado that first developed over 
southeastern Polk County, 5 miles south of Clayton. It then tracked 
mostly eastward across southern Barron and southern Rusk counties,
into southwestern Price county. The hardest hit areas were just 
north of Chetek, WI where EF2 damage was found, and in the Conrath
area where the EF-3 damage was found. The rest of the path ranged 
from EF0 to EF1 with mainly tree damage and mostly minor 
structural damage.

.Northwest Wisconsin Tornado...

Rating:                 EF-3
Estimated peak wind:    140 mph
Path length /Statute/:  83 miles
Path width /Maximum/:   3/4 mile
Fatalities:             1
Injuries:               25

Start date:             5/16/2017 
Start time:             442 PM CDT
Start location:         5 miles south of Clayton, WI 
                          (Southeast Polk County)
Start Lat/Lon:          45.2529 / -92.1619

End date:               5/16/2017
End time:               706 PM CDT
End location:           13 miles southeast of Hawkins, WI
                          (Southwest Price County - WFO DLH area)
End_lat/lon:            45.3913 / -90.4975

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the 
following categories.

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 To 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

NOTE:
The information in this statement is PRELIMINARY and subject to
change pending final review of the event and publication in
NWS Storm Data. 

$$

BORGHOFF/KRAUSE