Tornado outbreak of June 4, 1958

The deadliest tornado of the outbreak was an F5 twister that struck Northwestern Colfax in Dunn County at 7:04 PM CDT. The tornado touched down south of Interstate 94 in Wildwood in St. Croix County the same county affected by the New Richmond Tornado on June 12, 1899, which killed 117. The F5 storm traveled 33.7 miles (54.2 km) across St. Croix and Dunn Counties, passing through or near Knapp, Cedar Falls, and Tainter Lake well north of Menomonie before producing the worst damage in Northern Colfax. A few minutes later the tornado dissipated northeast of town. The F5 tornado itself killed 21 and injured 74, with 12 people being killed in Colifax alone, making it the deadliest tornado since 1950 and one of the deadliest of all-time in Wisconsin.[5] Damages Colfax alone also was estimated at $2 million including about half of the buildings in that town flattened.[2] About 432 farms were damaged or destroyed while another 1032 buildings were also damaged or destroyed. 24 of the 25 homes in Cedar Falls were completely demolished as well. Debris was found as far as 75 miles (121 km) away in Sheldon. The same area was also hit by a deadly tornado in 1930 which however struck the center of Menomonie slightly to the south of the 1958 tornado track. That tornado killed at least six. An F3 tornado on May 24 also affected the immediate region causing heavy damage but no fatalities.[6][7]

Severe damage was observed in Cedar Falls, Tainter Lake, and Northwestern Colifax. Many homes were destroyed, some of which were swept away (although the construction of these homes were questionable, causing some experts to rate the tornado as an F4). Cars were picked up and thrown, one of which was found wrapped around the side of a small steel-and-concrete bridge that collapsed during the tornado. Telephone poles were snapped and trees were debarked as well.[4] The tornado was the first official F5 tornado to strike the state since records were made official in 1950, although the New Richmond tornado of June 12, 1899 produced damage similar to an F5. The next F5 tornado to strike Wisconsin was on June 8, 1984, when a tornado completely destroyed Barneveld killing nine.[8]