Severe thunderstorm warning issued for Neopit, White Lake area, 60 mph winds possible

Residents in Neopit, White Lake and nearby parts of northern Menominee County were under a severe thunderstorm warning until 6:00 p.m. CDT Tuesday, with the National Weather Service warning that the storm could bring 60 mph wind gusts and small hail before the alert expired. The warning also covered southeastern Langlade County and central Shawano County, including Mattoon, Upper Bass Lake, Lake Noseum, Elton, Phlox, Zoar and Middle Village.

The National Weather Service in Green Bay issued the warning at 5:10 p.m. CDT after radar showed a storm 8 miles northwest of Neopit, or 12 miles east of Antigo, moving southeast at 20 mph. The storm was expected near White Lake around 5:20 p.m. and near Neopit around 5:35 p.m., leaving little time for anyone outdoors to get inside, secure loose items and avoid travel unless necessary before the worst of the storm arrived.

The warning said the main hazards were damaging wind and small hail, with the potential to knock down tree limbs, damage roofs and siding, and create hazards on roads. The weather service also asked spotters to report wind damage or hail to the Green Bay office, as crews monitored the storm’s track through Menominee County and into surrounding areas.

The severe warning followed an earlier hazardous weather outlook issued by the Green Bay office that afternoon, which flagged scattered thunderstorms across north-central and northeast Wisconsin. That outlook warned a few storms could become strong to severe with large hail and damaging winds, and said record to near-record afternoon temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s were expected. By evening, preliminary storm reports already showed the threat was producing damage in the region, including 0.50-inch hail in Antigo at 4:47 p.m., estimated 50 mph winds there at 4:52 p.m., trees and power lines down 1 mile south of Antigo at 4:54 p.m., and an estimated 55 mph gust 1 mile west-southwest of White Lake at 5:03 p.m.