Southeast Wisconsin tornado warnings canceled after Tuesday storms
All severe weather tornado warnings and watches across southeast Wisconsin expired by 9 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, according to WISN. The National Weather Service had issued multiple tornado and severe thunderstorm alerts earlier in the evening, but the immediate threat has ended while thousands of residents remain without power.
Southeast Wisconsin faced an active severe weather evening on Tuesday as storms rolled through the greater Milwaukee area. Local TV stations including WISN, FOX6 Milwaukee, and TMJ4 provided live coverage as tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm warnings, and a regional watch unfolded across multiple counties.
Key Takeaways
- All severe warnings and watches were canceled by 9 p.m. CDT on August 18, 2026.
- Tornado warnings were issued for Milwaukee, Washington, Waukesha, and Dodge counties before expiring.
- More than 40,000 customers across the We Energies service area lost power after the storms.
- Storm damage included downed trees and power lines, including at a Milwaukee pizza restaurant.
- Local stations streamed live weather updates throughout the event for viewers on TV and digital platforms.
Why were tornado warnings issued in southeast Wisconsin?
According to WISN, the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Dodge, Fond du Lac, Jefferson, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha counties until 10 p.m. The overall severe weather risk remained low at Level 1 out of 5, but forecasters warned that a few storms could still become strong.
Tornado warnings followed as the line of storms intensified. At 5:45 p.m., a tornado warning was issued for southwestern Dodge County until 6:30 p.m., with the storm located 7 miles south of Rio moving east at 40 mph. Later warnings covered Washington and Waukesha counties until 7:15 p.m. and Milwaukee County until 7:30 p.m. All tornado warnings were canceled by 7:15 p.m., according to WISN live updates.
What damage did Tuesday’s storms cause?
TMJ4 News reported that the early evening storm toppled trees and knocked out power to more than 20,000 people in Milwaukee County alone. Across the broader We Energies service area, outages exceeded 40,000 customers.
Near 55th and Vliet in Milwaukee’s Washington Heights neighborhood, a large tree fell from behind Wy’East Pizza and landed on the building, also taking down power lines. Owner Ann Brock told TMJ4 the damage left her feeling anger, frustration, and fear. FOX6 Milwaukee also documented storm damage near 97th and Metcalfe in Milwaukee. Milwaukee DPW crews worked late Tuesday night to clear fallen trees while We Energies crews worked to restore electricity.
How did local TV stations cover the severe weather?
FOX6 Milwaukee ran a live blog tracking the severe weather threat throughout Tuesday evening, including updates on canceled watches, expiring tornado warnings, and rising power outage counts. The station noted that the Milwaukee Brewers continued their game during a tornado-warned storm, with severe weather alerts displayed at the ballpark.
WISN 12 News published rolling timestamped updates as warnings were issued and canceled county by county. TMJ4 streamed local news and weather coverage around the clock on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and other devices. For ongoing Streaming & TV Alerts on how stations deliver breaking weather to viewers, check our category hub.
Are power outages still affecting the area?
As of 8:46 p.m. Tuesday, WISN reported 22,827 outages in Milwaukee County, 12,178 in Waukesha County, and 2,477 in Washington County, even after all severe warnings and watches had been canceled. Restoration efforts were underway late into the night. For official weather alerts and future updates, consult the National Weather Service.