Wisconsin Weather: More Rain, Flash Flood Warning Issued

MILWAUKEE, WI — The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for southeastern Wisconsin as melting snow combines with up to a half-inch of new rain over the next day or so.

A Flood Watch is in effect for all of southern Wisconsin. The periodic rainfall continuing today and tonight, coupled with a surge of warmer and more moist air into the region, will likely result in rivers and streams starting to reach flood stage.

A mild and wet low pressure system tracking through the Midwest will bring several more rounds of showers and a few thunderstorms to southern Wisconsin through Thursday night. Around an additional half inch of rain is expected, although locally higher amounts are possible, especially in any thunderstorms.

Many rivers are expected to reach minor flood stage over the next few days, and a few rivers are forecast to reach moderate or perhaps even major flood stage by the weekend. Low land flooding is likely due to overflowing ditches from snow melt in the fields
and marshes. Urban flooding is a concern due to storm drains blocked from ice and debris.

Areas of dense fog will persist across portions of southern Wisconsin until early afternoon. Dense fog may re-develop later this afternoon and tonight.

Forecast

Today
A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly after 3 p.m. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 46. Southeast wind 5 to 10 miles per hour.

Tonight
Showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 10 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Patchy fog. Low around 43. Breezy, with a south wind 10 to 20 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 30 miles per hour.

Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Areas of fog before noon. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 61.

Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 40 miles per hour. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night
A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly before 1 a.m. Cloudy, with a low around 36. Southwest wind 10 to 15 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 25 miles per hour.