TOWN OF NEKIMI, WI (WTAQ) – Thursday’s storms are coming at a bad time for one of the Fox Valley’s biggest outdoor music festivals.
Thousands of people are attending Country USA for the three-day festival.
Around 4:30 p.m., the Winnebago County Sheriff’s office started clearing people out of the fairgrounds.
Most people have already taken shelter in their cars, campers, or tents.
“We do have storm preparedness so we know, we kind of have a plan in place for this,” says Lt. Bill Anthes of the Winnebago Co. Sheriff’s Office. “I know one year, one of the shows, actually it was during Rock USA last year, I think. Two events — Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie — got canceled because of the storms and the rain. It’s not unheard of that you get rain during this event.”
The Winnebago County Sheriff’s office doesn’t believe, at this point, that Thursday night’s event will be canceled.
Two strong round of thunderstorms will be moving through the area until Friday morning.
Both of those rounds have the potential for severe weather, with the biggest threat being damaging straight-line winds, followed by torrential rain and hail.
The first round of storms has already moved through, while later a new complex will develop and could last most of the night.
Flooding is possible due to very heavy rainfall and damaging winds are possible overnight with the second line.
Utilities have reported power outages across Northeast Wisconsin.
