A potentially destructive tornado struck Sauk City, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, leaving a trail of severe destruction in its wake. The tornado, which had touched down earlier in Dane County, was captured in a stunning aerial video showing the massive twister tearing through trees and homes.
The footage was recorded by storm chaser Curtis Lergner and shared by Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers on their X handle. Here’s the video:
Sauk City, Wisconsin #tornado rips close trees and homes close range caught on drone. #WIwx.
Contact [email protected] for licensing. pic.twitter.com/uoxvzgyBvH
— Chicago & Midwest Storm Chasers (@ChicagoMWeather) July 16, 2025
Tornado Warnings and Expected Weather
Amid numerous tornado warnings affecting Wisconsin, the first tornado touched down west of Madison over Mazomanie in Dane County at 1:12 PM. The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that the threat of additional tornadoes remains, with areas including Northwestern Green County, Northwestern Rock County, and Central Dane County under warning for potentially destructive tornadoes until 6 PM.
In addition to tornadoes, parts of northwestern Wisconsin experienced heavy rainfall, with totals reaching five to seven inches, resulting in significant flooding. In northern Wisconsin, Eastern Douglas and Southwestern Bayfield Counties recorded over 2 inches of rain. Meteorologist Cory Rothstein from the NWS commented, “We were seeing rainfall rates in excess of 2 inches an hour in spots.”
Tornado Warning Coverage
The NWS issued tornado warnings for 20 counties in Wisconsin, effective until 6 PM local time on Wednesday. The counties affected include:
- East Central Wisconsin
- Fond du Lac
- Sheboygan
- South Central Wisconsin
- Columbia
- Dane
- Green
- Green Lake
- Iowa
- Lafayette
- Marquette
- Rock
- Sauk
- Southeast Wisconsin
- Dodge
- Jefferson
- Kenosha
- Milwaukee
- Ozaukee
- Racine
- Walworth
- Washington
- Waukesha
As the situation unfolds, residents are urged to stay updated on weather advisories and prioritize safety.
