'We knew it was a tornado:' NWS confirms EF1 twister touched down in Brownsville in Dodge County

BROWNSVILLE -- The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touchdown in Brownsville in Dodge County on Tuesday, Aug. 28 -- one of three in southeast Wisconsin.

The tornado hit the Brownsville area around 4;10 p.m. on Tuesday. It was an EF1.

There were no injuries.

Carol Schneider

Officials said power was expected to be restored to everyone in Brownsville Wednesday night. About a half-dozen residents came to the Brownsville Village Hall Wednesday evening to learn more about what to do next.

Brownsville was among three villages hit hard by Tuesday's storms. The others: Lomira and Theresa. These communities saw widespread damage, including downed trees and power lines.

"The chimney relocated itself. It's on the opposite side of the house in a million pieces," said Carol Schneider.

Carol and Frank Schneider's home was so badly damaged, we couldn't even get close to it. All of State Road 49 in Brownsville where they live was blocked to incoming traffic Wednesday as crews worked around the clock to remove debris from the road and clear power lines. By Wednesday afternoon, there was official word from the National Weather Service that a tornado touched down in the village.

"We did not need confirmation. We knew it was a tornado," said Carol Schneider.

An estimated 200 trees were toppled in Brownsville alone.

In Lomira, Chris Mireski, police chief and emergency management director said he's thankful no one was hurt during the wild weather.

"Priority number one is power for everybody. We didn't have any injuries that I am aware of reported within the village. That is obviously a good thing," said Mireski.

In all three Dodge County villages, homeowners were asked to take photos of any damage, drag debris to the curb and throw away unrefrigerated food. Everyone was advised to stay off the road after dark, in case branches or wires were to tumble into the street.

"We're thankful. It could have been a lot worse," said Carol Schneider.

Reception centers were set up at the Brownsville Fire Department in Brownsville, and the Lomira Municipal Building in Lomira. At the reception centers, cellphone charger outlets were made available for residents, along with information on cleanup, contractor safety tips and more.

The other two confirmed tornado touchdowns Tuesday happened in Alto-Brandon in Fond du Lac County (an EF1, and the Town of Wilson in Sheboygan County.