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Severe weather strikes area again
Buildings damaged from wind
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River Street in Darlington includes a new body of water, at least for today, after last nights heavy rains. - photo by Photo by John F. Dutcher

The latest severe weather to hit Southwest Wisconsin and the Tri-States included more wind damage, reports of two possible tornadoes, and heavy rain in some areas.

Wisconsin 80 is closed at Richland County D south of Rockbridge due to Pine River flooding.

Grant County Emergency Management reported a possible tornado caused damage on Forest Road near Blue River.

Much more widespread damage was reported across the Mississippi River in McGregor, Iowa. Crawford County authorities closed the U.S. 18 bridge approach after Iowa authorities sealed off the Marquette and McGregor area. According to the North Iowa Times, only residents are being allowed into McGregor.

Storm sirens were activated in Bagley, with one report of 102-mph winds. Winds of 85 mph were reported in Patch Grove and 70 mph in Glen Haven, with sirens activated in those communities. Storm sirens also were also activated in Platteville, after firefighters reported wind gusts as high as 77 mph near Platteville. Storm sirens also were activated in Bloomington, Cassville, Boscobel, Fennimore, Stitzer, Lancaster and Potosi.

Muscoda's industrial park suffered extensive damage, including a roof blown off a commercial building, a gas leak at a commercial facility, and a tractor–trailer blown over. Tree and power line damage was reported north of Potosi.

Other building damage included a tree blown onto an apartment building on Grant County A near Bagley, an under-construction commercial building near U.S. 18 in Mount Hope destroyed, a cattle barn blown down on Town Line Road near Fennimore, a roof blown off a commercial building on Church Street in Hazel Green, and houses struck by lightning on North Jefferson Street in Lancaster and Mount Ridge Road near Fennimore.

Power outages were reported in Bloomington, southern Muscoda and near the Muscoda Industrial Park, and parts of Blue River. Power lines were reported down throughout Muscoda.

Power was out in Shullsburg Thursday evening as well. A tornado warning was issued for northeastern Grant County around 7 p.m. due to radar-indicated rotation, as well as northern Iowa County.

In addition to, and in some cases after, the wind damage torrential rains caused flooding in some areas. WKBT-TV in La Crosse reported 7 inches of rain in Hillsboro. Richland County law enforcement reported Thursday morning that the Pine River was out of its banks in Richland Center, and sandbagging was under way in Yuba.

National Weather Service rainfall reports included 6.25 inches in Marietta, 4.06 inches north of Richland Center, 3.89 inches in Steuben, 3.52 inches at the Boscobel airport, 3.18 inches in Mount Zion, 2.74 inches in Muscoda, 2.6 inches one mile west of Platteville, 2.26 inches in Readstown, and 2.08 inches in Lancaster.

No injuries were reported.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center is predicting possible severe weather again today and Friday.

Stay with www.swnews4u.com for updates, and read Southwest Wisconsin Newspapers for more next week.