"Devastating:" Storms postpone Summerfest fireworks show, leave damage in their wake across SE WI

Severe storm damage

MILWAUKEE -- Strong to severe storms pushed through SE Wisconsin on Wednesday, June 28th and left some damage in their wake. The storms forced the postponement of the Summerfest fireworks show (rescheduled for Thursday night) and knocked out power to thousands. Heavy rain, thunder and lightning sent some scrambling on the first night of Summerfest's 50th edition, as Mother Nature put on her own show.

There was cooking in the oven Wednesday night for Carrie Cross and her boyfriend, but it never made it to the kitchen table.

Carrie Cross

"Devastating. Devastated basically," Cross said.

Cross on Thursday was dealing with debris and damage. Ferocious winds uprooted a large tree that slammed onto the roof of her mobile home in Germantown.

"I had been sitting at the kitchen table. I was looking outside and all of the sudden the house shook," Cross said. "My boyfriend's son had just walked out of the bedroom when the tree fell. I was in shock basically, and I was happy none of us were in that room at the particular time."

Storm damage in Germantown

The intensity of the rain could be seen at Summerfest, where crowds of people were drenched by the end of the first night of Summerfest's 50th, and lighting was caught on camera, dancing in the sky.

Lightning in Milwaukee (PHOTO: Bert Lauderdale/Weather You Like It Or Not on Facebook and YouTube)

A home in Wauwatosa fell victim to its wrath. Two adults, a child and pets evacuated safely when lightning struck the roof of their home near 63rd and Wells, causing a fire, and $155,000 in damage.

63rd and Wells fire in Wauwatosa

We Energies crews were busy after the storms, working to restore power. The Germantown fire chief said a flood of calls came through for downed trees and power lines.

"Flooding on the streets in some of the areas has been significant. It was all hands on deck to keep the village operational and I think we've been very successful about it," he said.

Summerfest officials said they would be monitoring weather conditions Thursday night.

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