A series of thunderstorms moved across Southern Wisconsin beginning Thursday Night (June 18th) and lasted through Friday evening (June 19th). These thunderstorms dumped very heavy rain over a relatively short period of time with each round of storms. The result was some flash flooding, especially in metropolitan areas, and even some river flooding. More information will be provided in the coming days, but below is a map that was generated of the two day rainfall totals from different observation sites around Southern Wisconsin. You can see that an axis of very heavy rainfall fell from Central Waukesha County into Central Milwaukee County - in excess of 4 inches of rain. Click on the map for a larger version.
The area where the heaviest rain fell is very urban, with some of the heaviest 2-day totals coming from Western Milwaukee County. Obviously, intense rain falling in a short period of time over an urban area can contribute to some severe flash flooding. The image above was overlaid as a transparent layer in Google Earth so you can see the heaviest rainfall axis fell in a highly developed area. The deeper blues in the image below indicate where 4 or 5, to as much as 7 inches of rain fell on June 18-19.
The flooding was set up by several rounds of thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall, moving over the same areas of Southern Wisconsin. In the animation below on the left (infrared satellite), you can see that the colder cloud tops (purples and blues) indicate the areas of most intense thunderstorm activity, and those areas of storms impacted Southern Wisconsin over the course of several days. The visible satellite loop on the right shows the thunderstorm activity on the afternoon of June 19th. You can click on both loops for larger versions:
Here are a few pictures of the flooding on a street in Brookfield from Gary Pierce:
Finally, here is a list of the flooding reports received at the NWS Sullivan from both days of thunderstorm activity. Flash flood, flood, and heavy rain reports were all included:
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1159 PM FLASH FLOOD DODGEVILLE 42.96N 90.13W
06/18/2009 IOWA WI STORM CHASER
MOVING WATER UP TO A FOOT DEEP THROUGH DODGEVILLE
STREETS.
1200 AM HEAVY RAIN WEST ALLIS 43.01N 88.03W
06/19/2009 M1.03 INCH MILWAUKEE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
1.03 INCHES OF RAIN FALLEN IN THE LAST HOUR...WATER
OVERRUNING STREET CURBS
1205 AM FLASH FLOOD 1 W SUN PRAIRIE 43.18N 89.25W
06/19/2009 DANE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
WATER RUNNING OVER STREETS
1215 AM HEAVY RAIN BLUE MOUNDS 43.02N 89.83W
06/19/2009 M1.10 INCH DANE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
1.1 INCHES MEASURED IN LAST 15 MINUTES
1220 AM HEAVY RAIN WAUWATOSA 43.06N 88.03W
06/19/2009 M2.03 INCH MILWAUKEE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
2.03 INCHES IN LAST 45 MINUTES
1227 AM FLASH FLOOD 1 E MADISON 43.08N 89.36W
06/19/2009 DANE WI PUBLIC
PARTS OF EAST WASHINGTON ST UNDER WATER
1227 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 SW MADISON 43.03N 89.45W
06/19/2009 M1.39 INCH DANE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
1227 AM HEAVY RAIN GREENFIELD 42.96N 88.01W
06/19/2009 M1.30 INCH MILWAUKEE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
STREET FLOODING OVER CURB AT 97TH ST BETWEEN OKLAHOMA AND
BELOIT
1230 AM FLASH FLOOD MILWAUKEE 43.03N 87.92W
06/19/2009 MILWAUKEE WI BROADCAST MEDIA
REPORTED BY THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. WATER WAS
SHOOTING UP VERTICALLY ABOUT 2 OR 3 FEET OUT OF THE
SEWERS NEAR THE JOURNAL SENTINEL BUILDING. WATER WAS ALSO
COMING OUT OF THE SINKS AND TOILETS ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF
THEIR BUILDING.
1244 AM FLASH FLOOD 1 NNW STONE BANK 43.16N 88.42W
06/19/2009 WAUKESHA WI TRAINED SPOTTER
3 TO 6 INCHES OF RAIN FLOODING OVER ROADS
0100 AM FLASH FLOOD 3 WSW MILWAUKEE 43.02N 87.97W
06/19/2009 MILWAUKEE WI BROADCAST MEDIA
REPORTED BY THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL. SOME FLASH
FLOODING AND FLOOD DAMAGE AT MILLER PARK LAST NIGHT. SOME
INVENTORY IN STORAGE AREAS WAS LOST. THE CLUBHOUSES
ESCAPED DAMAGE...BUT SOME CARPETING MAY NEED TO BE
REPLACED.
0107 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 WSW MILWAUKEE 43.02N 87.97W
06/19/2009 M2.95 INCH MILWAUKEE WI BROADCAST MEDIA
MILLER PARK MESONET
0107 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 N MILWAUKEE 43.05N 87.92W
06/19/2009 M3.23 INCH MILWAUKEE WI BROADCAST MEDIA
SAINT VINCENT PALLOTI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NET
0107 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 NE MILWAUKEE 43.06N 87.87W
06/19/2009 M2.82 INCH MILWAUKEE WI BROADCAST MEDIA
UNIVERSITY OF MILWAUKEE SCHOOL NET
0109 AM FLASH FLOOD BROOKFIELD 43.06N 88.12W
06/19/2009 WAUKESHA WI AMATEUR RADIO
WATER OVER CURB IN VICINITY OF BROOKFIELD AND CALHOUN RDS
0110 AM FLASH FLOOD WAUKESHA 43.01N 88.24W
06/19/2009 WAUKESHA WI TRAINED SPOTTER
NEAR SUNSET AND WEST IN WAUKESHA...WATER OVER THE ROADWAY
STRANDED A VEHICLE. WATER CAME OVER THE HOOD OF THE
VEHICLE. PORTIONS OF WEST AVENUE NEAR SUNSET AND HIGHWAY
59 WERE ALSO UNDER WATER...WITH THE WATER COMING UP OVER
THE CURB.
0114 AM FLASH FLOOD 2 SW BROOKFIELD 43.04N 88.15W
06/19/2009 WAUKESHA WI AMATEUR RADIO
INTERSECTION OF GEBHARDT AND BARKER ROADS. 2.5 FEET OF
WATER IN THE INTERSECTION WAS ESTIMATED VIA THE DEPTH IN
RELATION TO STREET SIGNS. A VEHICLE WAS TRAPPED IN WATER
UP TO THE DRIVERS WINDOW. BROOKFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT
RESPONDED TO RESCUE THE DRIVER.
0115 AM HEAVY RAIN WEST ALLIS 43.01N 88.03W
06/19/2009 M4.71 INCH MILWAUKEE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
3.68 INCHES IN LAST HOUR...4.71 INCH STORM TOTAL. STREETS
FLOODED
0123 AM FLOOD 1 W MILWAUKEE 43.03N 87.94W
06/19/2009 MILWAUKEE WI AMATEUR RADIO
ESTIMATED 4 FT OF WATER FLOODING BASEMENTS
0125 AM FLASH FLOOD 1 SE GREENFIELD 42.95N 87.99W
06/19/2009 MILWAUKEE WI BROADCAST MEDIA
2 FEET OF STANDING/FLOWING WATER ON INTERSTATE 894 NEAR
MITCHELL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
0129 AM FLASH FLOOD 3 NNW WAUWATOSA 43.10N 88.06W
06/19/2009 MILWAUKEE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
BOTH DIRECTIONS OF HWY 45 CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING...CAR
SUBMERGED UP TO DOORS AT HWY 45 S OF SILVERSPRING
0130 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 SE MILWAUKEE TIMMERMA 43.10N 88.02W
06/19/2009 M3.41 INCH MILWAUKEE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0130 AM FLASH FLOOD MILWAUKEE 43.03N 87.92W
06/19/2009 MILWAUKEE 07 AMATEUR RADIO
ESTIMATED 1 FT OF WATER OVER CURB ON I894 AT 27TH ST
0130 AM FLASH FLOOD 3 NW WAUWATOSA 43.09N 88.08W
06/19/2009 WAUKESHA WI PUBLIC
REPORT WAS CALLED INTO THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL.
WATER WAS KNEE DEEP AT THE 3900 BLOCK OF NORTH 63RD
STREET. WATER WAS ALSO A FOOT DEEP IN HOUSES BASEMENTS.
0133 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 W BROOKFIELD 43.06N 88.20W
06/19/2009 M3.31 INCH WAUKESHA WI PUBLIC
0150 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 ESE WAUKESHA 43.00N 88.20W
06/19/2009 M3.15 INCH WAUKESHA WI NWS EMPLOYEE
0200 AM FLASH FLOOD MILWAUKEE 43.03N 87.92W
06/19/2009 MILWAUKEE WI BROADCAST MEDIA
SEVERAL CARS STALLED IN HIGH WATER NEAR SOUTH 6TH AND
WEST CANAL STREETS IN THE MENOMONEE RIVER VALLEY...NEAR
THE LOWEST POINT OF THE 6TH STREET VIADUCT. REPORTED BY
THE MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL.
0230 AM FLASH FLOOD 3 W SHOREWOOD 43.09N 87.95W
06/19/2009 MILWAUKEE WI BROADCAST MEDIA
BOTH DIRECTIONS OF THE 3200 BLOCK OF WEST CAPITOL DRIVE
HAD CLOSED. CARS WERE STALLED IN HIGH WATER AND WERE
ABANDONED. SIMILAR HIGH WATER WITH STRANDED VEHICLES
EXISTED A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY NEAR THE 3200 BLOCK OF WEST
TOWNSEND STREET. A WOMAN WAS RESCUED FROM THE TOP OF HER
CAR AROUND 230 AM BY A FIREFIGHTER IN THIS AREA.
0400 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 WSW MADISON 43.07N 89.44W
06/19/2009 M1.75 INCH DANE WI CO-OP OBSERVER
MEASURED BY A COCORAHS OBSERVER. WATER WAS RUSHING DOWN
THE STREET AND FLOWING OUT OF STORM SEWERS AT THIS
LOCATION.
0349 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 NE NEW BERLIN 42.99N 88.10W
06/19/2009 M3.75 INCH WAUKESHA WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 N WATERTOWN 43.22N 88.72W
06/19/2009 M4.10 INCH DODGE WI PUBLIC
OVERNIGHT RAIN TOTAL
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 NE STURTEVANT 42.72N 87.87W
06/19/2009 M1.90 INCH RACINE WI PUBLIC
OVERNIGHT RAIN TOTAL
0928 AM HEAVY RAIN E WILLIAMS BAY 42.58N 88.54W
06/19/2009 M1.60 INCH WALWORTH WI AMATEUR RADIO
24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTAL
1200 PM HEAVY RAIN 1 S MONTELLO 43.78N 89.33W
06/19/2009 M3.80 INCH MARQUETTE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
RAINFALL MEASURED FROM 12AM JUNE 19 TO 12PM ON JUNE 19
0636 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 N STURTEVANT 42.73N 87.90W
06/19/2009 M1.10 INCH RACINE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
RAINFALL OVER THE LAST 1.5 HOURS...WATER PONDING ON LOCAL
ROADS.
0641 PM FLASH FLOOD PLEASANT PRAIRIE 42.55N 87.93W
06/19/2009 KENOSHA WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
WEST FRONTAGE ROAD NORTH OF S. 165 IS FLOODED...VEHICLE
STRANDED IN THE WATER.
0645 PM FLASH FLOOD PLEASANT PRAIRIE 42.55N 87.93W
06/19/2009 KENOSHA WI EMERGENCY MNGR
STREETS FLOODED
0645 PM FLASH FLOOD KENOSHA 42.58N 87.82W
06/19/2009 KENOSHA WI EMERGENCY MNGR
WATER UP TO WINDOWS OF CAR...STREETS FLOODED
0645 PM FLASH FLOOD BRISTOL 42.56N 88.05W
06/19/2009 KENOSHA WI EMERGENCY MNGR
STREETS FLOODED AND IMPASSABLE
0656 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 NW KENOSHA 42.59N 87.83W
06/19/2009 KENOSHA WI AMATEUR RADIO
MINOR STREET FLOODING REPORTED
0700 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 SE CAMP LAKE 42.51N 88.12W
06/19/2009 M3.48 INCH KENOSHA WI MESONET
2 HOUR RAINFALL...TREVR.
0706 PM HEAVY RAIN 1 NW KENOSHA 42.59N 87.83W
06/19/2009 M2.00 INCH KENOSHA WI AMATEUR RADIO
2 INCHES FELL IN LAST HOUR
0753 PM FLASH FLOOD WAUKESHA 43.01N 88.24W
06/19/2009 WAUKESHA WI PUBLIC
WAIST DEEP WATER...NUMEROUS ROADS COMPLETELY FLOODED AND
IMPASSABLE ON SOUTHSIDE
0801 PM FLASH FLOOD 2 SE WAUKESHA 42.99N 88.21W
06/19/2009 WAUKESHA WI AMATEUR RADIO
FOX RIVER OUT OF ITS BANKS...VEHICLES FLOATING IN
DOWNTOWN WAUKESHA DUE TO THE FLOOD WATERS
0815 PM FLASH FLOOD WALWORTH 42.53N 88.60W
06/19/2009 WALWORTH WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
SOME FAST MOVING WATERS FLOWING OVER COUNTY ROADS IN THE
TOWNSHIP OF WALWORTH.
0820 PM FLASH FLOOD 6 SW KENOSHA 42.52N 87.90W
06/19/2009 KENOSHA WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
3 TO 4 FEET OF MOVING WATER OVER I-94 AT HWY 165.
SOUTHBOUND LANES OF THE INTERSTATE IS CLOSED.
0830 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 NE NEW BERLIN 42.98N 88.12W
06/19/2009 WAUKESHA WI TRAINED SPOTTER
NUMEROUS ROADS FLOODED BETWEEN SUNNYSLOPE ROAD...LINCOLN
AVENUE...BROOKLAND ROAD...AND GLENDALE DRIVE.
0858 PM HEAVY RAIN WEST ALLIS 43.01N 88.03W
06/19/2009 M1.30 INCH MILWAUKEE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
2 HOUR RAINFALL. STREET FLOODING AND LOTS OF STANDING
WATER IN YARDS.
0900 PM HEAVY RAIN MILWAUKEE INTERNATIONAL 42.96N 87.90W
06/19/2009 M3.65 INCH MILWAUKEE WI ASOS
24 HOUR RAINFALL.
0900 PM HEAVY RAIN RACINE 42.73N 87.78W
06/19/2009 M6.93 INCH RACINE WI MESONET
CW1057 APRS 24 HOUR RAINFALL.
0900 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 NW GREENFIELD 42.98N 88.03W
06/19/2009 M1.82 INCH MILWAUKEE WI MESONET
2 HOUR RAINFALL...GNDW3 MMSD GAUGE.
0900 PM HEAVY RAIN 3 E OAK CREEK 42.88N 87.84W
06/19/2009 M1.62 INCH MILWAUKEE WI MESONET
2 HOUR RAINFALL...OKKW3 MMSD GAUGE.
0900 PM HEAVY RAIN HALES CORNERS 42.94N 88.05W
06/19/2009 M2.09 INCH MILWAUKEE WI MESONET
2 HOUR RAINFALL...HCRW3 MMSD GAUGE.
0900 PM HEAVY RAIN NEW GLARUS 42.81N 89.63W
06/19/2009 M4.12 INCH GREEN WI MESONET
24 HOUR RAINFALL.
1010 PM FLASH FLOOD KENOSHA 42.58N 87.82W
06/19/2009 KENOSHA WI COUNTY OFFICIAL
MULTIPLE WATER RESCUES FROM VEHICLES CAUGHT IN STANDING
WATER OVER ROADS IN THE CITY OF KENOSHA AND THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTY. MANY ROADS COVERED BY STANDING WATER IN THE
TOWNS OF BRISTOL...PLEASANT PRAIRIE AND SALEM TOWNSHIP
FROM HEAVY RAINS THAT FELL BETWEEN 7 PM AND 10 PM CDT.
0600 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 NE STURTEVANT 42.72N 87.87W
06/20/2009 M2.10 INCH RACINE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
EVENING AND OVERNIGHT RAINFALL.
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