8 tornadoes confirmed in Wisconsin during the devastating December storms

Eight tornadoes in west-central Wisconsin have been confirmed from the destructive December storms that swept through multiple states.

Three were EF2 tornadoes, three were EF1 and two were EF0.

EF2 tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service, touched down in the following areas:

• Fivemile Creek, west of Neillsville in Clark County

• Christie, an unincorporated community in Clark County.

• Stanley, a city in Chippewa and Clark counties.

EF1 tornadoes touched down in the following areas:

• Homer, Minnesota, before ending on an island in the Mississippi River on Wisconsin side

• Levis, along the Trempealeau/Jackson County line

• West of Greenwood, in Clark County

EF0 tornadoes touched down in the following areas:

• Northeast of Fairchild, in southeastern Eau Claire County

• Trempealeau, a village in Trempealeau County

Here's what we know about each of the December tornadoes in Wisconsin.

Three tornadoes were rated EF2, two were EF1 and two were EF0

An EF0 tornado is one with wind speeds ranging from 65 to 85 mph.

An EF1 tornado is one with wind speeds ranging from 86 to 110 mph.

An EF2 tornado has winds between 111 to 135 mph.

Tornadoes are rated using the Enhanced Fujita Scale or EF Scale. The EF scale, which goes up to EF5 (over 200 mph), is used to assign a tornado a rating based on estimated wind speeds and related damage.

First Wisconsin tornado: EF1 moves from Minnesota across Mississippi River

The tornado tracked from the ridgetop area west-northwest of Pickwick, Minnesota, northeast across Homer before ending on an island on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River.

The tornado, which lasted from 8:16 to 8:18 p.m. Wednesday, mainly damaged trees and a few outbuildings.

The EF1 tornado reached peak wind speeds of 100 mph with a 2.4-mile track.

There were no injuries.

This tornado was one of 21 that touched down in the National Weather Service-La Crosse forecast area, which also includes parts of Minnesota and Iowa, during the storms.

Second tornado: It touches down in Trempealeau County

This EF0 tornado hit at 8:23 p.m. Wednesday in Trempealeau with estimated peak wind speeds topping at 75 mph.

It didn't last long — just one minute — and the length was 0.7 of a mile.

There were no injuries.

Trempealeau is a village along the Mississippi River with a population around 1,500. The county is just south of Eau Claire County, which also experienced a tornado.

Third tornado: EF1 reaches 100 mph along Trempealeau/Jackson County line

The tornado was confirmed eight days after it touched down along the border of Trempealeau and Jackson counties between 8:53 to 8:55 p.m. Wednesday. The tornado topped wind speeds of 100 mph along a 2.7-mile path in Levis.

The tornado began near the intersection of Isom and Thorson Roads in far northeastern Trempealeau County with light tree damage, the weather service said.

"The tornado intensified as it moved northeast, downing more trees in a clear path," the weather service added. "This path went through a farm, damaged outbuildings and minor damage occurred to a house."

The tornado continued to cut through trees on County G, brushing a home which was not affected. The tornado ended near Interstate 94 where trees were damaged on County FF, the weather service added.

Levis is an unincorporated community in the town of Garfield on Highway B and the South Buffalo River in Jackson County.

Fourth tornado: EF0 touches down in Eau Claire County

Surveyors with the National Weather Service-Twin Cities determined a tornado touched down northeast of Fairchild at 8:58 p.m. Wednesday. The tornado was on the ground for 6.41 miles.

Wind speeds reached 85 mph.

No injuries were reported.

Fifth tornado: EF2 hit area near Fivemile Creek west of Neillsville

This tornado, which was on the ground for four minutes beginning at 9:07 p.m. Wednesday, was short but intense, the National Weather Service-La Crosse said.

The tornado's peak winds topped 130 mph and stretched 4 miles.

The tornado struck rural areas of southwest Clark County, south of Highway 10. While it mainly made its way through wooded areas, it still destroyed a home near Fivemile Creek off Sand Road.

The tornado continued through a rural area before lifting near Highway 10. The Snyder County Park area and northwest toward the community of Globe or HOG corners suffered wind damage. Trees were snapped or blown over, power lines and poles were also toppled.

Sixth tornado: This one damages a farm north of Neillsville in Christie

The fast-moving tornado then continued and touched down at 9:16 p.m. in an area just west of Highway 73 north of Neillsville in Christie. The tornado stayed on the ground for three minutes and was less than a mile.

It was "a short but intense tornado," the National Weather Service-La Crosse said.

Estimated peak winds were 120 mph.

The tornado struck a farm along the highway and moved a truck nearly 100 feet. Trees were also snapped and uprooted, the weather service said.

"Large sections of the roof were torn off, windows were broken, mud debris was splattered around the home, and the barn was shifted off the foundation," the weather service added.

The tornado weakened as it continued northeast past Highway 73. Other reports in Neillsville indicated power lines had fallen over roads, and roofs were damaged.

Christie is an unincorporated community in Clark County, about 6 miles north of Neillsville on Highway 73. Neillsville has a population just under 2,500.

DATABASE: History of Wisconsin tornadoes

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Seventh tornado: Extensive damage in Stanley

About 45 miles to the north, the City of Stanley was experiencing a tornado.

The tornado touched down near Highway G and 40th Avenue in southeast Chippewa County. It first hit at approximately 9:15 p.m. and tore through the community for about seven minutes, the weather service said.

The length of the tornado was 7.44 miles with estimated peak winds at 120 mph.

It left a path of devastation in Stanley, a city in Chippewa and Clark counties with a population around 3,700.

Many farm buildings were damaged or destroyed, trees were uprooted and roofs sustained major damage.

In photos shared by the Stanley Police Department, walls and bricks were torn off parts of homes, including one that looked like a 3-D diorama where you could see the inside of the home. The exterior was gone.

"The impact throughout the city is quite expansive, with numerous structures sustaining devastating loss," Police Chief Lance E. Weiland said in a Facebook post.

No injuries were reported. There were multiple ways to help those impacted in Stanley.

The Stanley Community Association, a nonprofit community organization set up via Forward Bank, has established the “Stanley Relief Fund,” the police department said.

Anyone who wants to make a monetary donation can drop off their donation at Forward Bank, 240 S. Broadway St., during normal business hours or mail a check to the same location, pay to the order of “Stanley Relief Fund.”

Many are also in need of non-monetary donations, the police department said. The Salvation Army set up drop-off locations for new hygiene items, new blankets, new toys and gift cards (Shell, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Kwik Trip and Walmart).

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This is the second time this year Stanley has been hit by a tornado

This is the second tornado to hit Stanley this year. The city experienced an EF0 tornado June 24, according to the National Weather Service. That storm didn't result in the widespread damage as Wednesday when 75% of Excel Energy customers were without power when the storm hit.

Eighth tornado: EF1 tops 95 mph in Greenwood

This was a short but powerful tornado in Clark County.

This tornado, which touched down at 9:23 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of County G and County O west of Greenwood, was confirmed by the National Weather Service Dec. 23, eight days after the event.

The tornado had peak winds at 95 mph and was on the ground for 0.25 of a mile.

The tornado damaged trees, removed a roof of a barn, snapped a power pole and destroyed a pole shed, the weather service said.

There were no injuries.

Greenwood, a city in the heart of Clark County, has a population just shy of 1,000.

What were other wind totals in the nearby larger cities like Wausau and Marshfield?

Marshfield registered one of the highest wind totals, according to the National Weather Service.

Peak wind speeds reached 74 mph at the Marshfield Airport at 1:46 a.m. Thursday, the second-highest gust in the state over the last 24 hours.

At the Wausau Airport, wind speeds topped 62 mph at 2:18 a.m. Thursday.

Outside of the tornadoes, the 76 mph peak wind speed at the Rhinelander Airport is the highest reported in the state over the last 24 hours. That happened at 2:49 a.m.

Contact Christopher Kuhagen at (262) 446-6634 or christopher.kuhagen@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ckuhagen and our newsroom Instagram accounts at MyCommunityNow and Lake Country Now.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tornado in Stanley among 8 total across Wisconsin in December storms