The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan has issued a tornado warning for northern Racine County, including the Wind Lake area, and southern Waukesha County, including the Big Bend area, until 8:00 p.m. Central Time on Friday, April 18, 2026. The warning was prompted by a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado.
Residents in the warned area are advised to take immediate life-saving action. This includes moving to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows. Mobile homes and vehicles are not safe during a tornado.
The storm system moving through southeastern Wisconsin is also capable of producing damaging hail and destructive straight-line winds. A broader tornado watch remains in effect for much of the region until later this evening.
Local news outlets and emergency management officials are urging people to have multiple ways to receive warnings, such as NOAA Weather Radio, wireless emergency alerts, and trusted media sources.
