[3] The most intense tornado of the outbreak initially touched down at 6:05 p.m. CST (00:05 UTC) 4 miles northwest of Oakfield, before rapidly intensifying to F5 strength just east of the village.

[3] Destruction in Oakfield included leveling homes, sending vehicles airborne, bending steel rebar, and sweeping crop fields clean.

[4] On July 18, 1996, the meteorological conditions leading to the Oakfield tornado outbreak were influenced by the presence of a nearby shifting weather boundary, known as a baroclinic zone.

As the day progressed, daytime heating and evolving atmospheric conditions allowed the cap to be broken and provided the necessary ingredients for the development of the severe weather outbreak, including the devastating F5 Oakfield tornado.

[5] Following the tornado outbreak, Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson declared a state of emergency for Fond du Lac County, resulting in the deployment of the National Guard to aid victims and clear debris.