Residents assess damages after tornado rips through western Wisconsin town

Snapped trees, barns ripped apart, and a basketball hoop thrown the distance of a football field are just a few examples of damage from a tornado that touched down Saturday night in western Wisconsin

The National Weather Service still needs to assess damage to rate the tornado and confirm its strength, but the wind was strong enough to destroy part of a barn and sound like a "train," according to neighbors in Clifton Township.

Just south of the Kinnickinnic State Park, the township has a handful of homes and many acres of farmland. Neighbors 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS connected with say the intensity picked up around 9:30 p.m., then around 10 p.m. the tornado rolled through their yards and homes.

“I’ve got about three trees completely pulled over, and then maybe another half-dozen trees and branches missing, and a basketball that went about 100 yards and a trampoline that is still missing,” Jim Howard said.

He and his neighbors were able to smile about the aftermath because no one was seriously hurt.

The worst damage 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS spotted was Denny Holm’s barn. Used to house his Winnebago and other equipment, part of his barn’s roof is missing and one side is barely hanging on.

“I could feel the air pressure changing,” Holm said about the moment the tornado moved through his property.

“The train noise, it was like that. It was very loud and very intense,” he added.

He said the township is very neighborly — many calls and check-ins were made after the intense moments. Holm also said the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office did some door-knocking to make sure everyone was safe.