Alert archive / Wisconsin / Flash Flood Warnings in 1986

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Milwaukee, WI

September 10, 1986Ozaukee County, Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this flash flood warning at Sep 10, 1986, 7:03 PM CDT for Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 117 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 10, 1986, 7:03 PM CDT (00:03 UTC)
Expired
Sep 10, 1986, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
117 min
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Area
Whole counties

County Ozaukee County, WI

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 00:00Z, 0.1 hours before the alert went out and 121 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 1986-09-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 1986-09-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 85 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-162 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
664 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
65 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KMKE 110003
FFWMKE
WIC027-089-131-110400-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
703 PM CDT WED SEP 10 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF

SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN...DODGE...OZAUKEE AND WASHINGTON

AT 655 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATES CONTINUED HEAVY RAINFALL
OCCURRING OVER THE SAME AREA IN SOUTHEAST WISCONSIN. THIS
IS DUE TO REPEATED HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST ALONG
THE SAME LINE WHICH IS PRESENTLY LOCATED ACROSS DODGE..
WASHINGTON AND OZAUKEE COUNTIES.

WIDEPSREAD REPORTS OF HEAVY RAIN HAVE BEEN RECEIVED ALONG
WITHW REPORTS OF FLOODING IN HORICON.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED OR IS
IMMINENT. TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IMMEDIATELY.

GARCIA

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 10, 5:29 PM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
525 PM CDT WED SEP 10 1986

..SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN..

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THROUGH 10PM. THE NORTHERN BORDER OF
THE WATCH RUNS FROM NEAR EAU CLAIRE EAST TO DOOR COUNTY WITH THE
SOUTHERN EDGE FROM LONE ROCK TO JUST NORTH OF MADISON AND MILWAUKEE.

AT 525 PM RADAR SHOWS A NARROW BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR
SHEBOYGAN WEST INTO WEST CENTRAL DODGE COUNTY NEAR JUNEAU THEN WEST TO
NEAR SAUK CITY IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. STORMS ARE REPEATING OVER
THE SAME PATH AND WILL PRODUCE AN INCH OF RAIN IN A 30 MINUTE PERIOD
WITH SOME PARTS OF EXTREME SOUTHERN SHEBOYGAN/NORTHERN WASHINGTON
AND CENTRAL DODGE COUNTIES LIKELY TO RECEIVE 2 INCHES OF RAIN IN AN
HOURS TIME. THIS WILL CAUSE LOCAL HIGHWAY AND BASEMENT FLOODING.
PERSONS IN THE BAND OF HEAVY RAINS NORTHWEST OF MILWAUKEE SHOULD
EXERCISE CAUTION IN OUTDOOR TRAVEL THIS EVENING.
DRAG
Special weather statement, Sep 10, 5:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
550 PM CDT WED SEP 10 1986

..SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN..

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THROUGH 10PM. THE NORTHERN BORDER OF
THE WATCH RUNS FROM NEAR EAU CLAIRE EAST TO DOOR COUNTY WITH THE
SOUTHERN EDGE FROM LONE ROCK TO JUST NORTH OF MADISON AND MILWAUKEE.

AT 545 PM RADAR SHOWS A NARROW BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM NEAR
SHEBOYGAN WEST INTO SOUTHERN DODGE COUNTY TO JUST NORTH OF MADISON
IN SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THE LINE IS SLIPPING EAST SOUTHEAST WHILE
STORMS ROLL NORTHEAST IN THE LINE. OTHER STRONG CELLS ARE POPPING UP
IN JEFFERSON COUNTY AROUND JOHNSONS CREEK AND NEAR WATERTOWN. POWER
OUTAGES DUE TO LIGHTNING STRIKES AS WELL AS VERY HEAVY RAIN CAN BE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH THE REST OF SOUTHERN
DODGE..NORTHERN JEFFERSON..WASHINGTON..OZAUKEE AND EXTREME NORTHWEST
WAUKESHA COUNTY BETWEEN NOW AND 645PM. MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED
AROUND 515PM IN SAUK CITY..15 MILES NORTHWEST OF MADISON.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED IN THE IMMEDIATE MILWAUKEE METRO AREA
UNTIL 7PM OR AFTER.
DRAG
Special weather statement, Sep 10, 6:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
600 PM CDT WED SEP 10 1986

... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION
ON WESTERN WISCONSIN AS WELL AS ADJACENT AREAS OF MINNESOTA
UNTIL 10 00 PM CDT THIS EVENING ...

AT 5 50 PM CDT A LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM
EAU CLAIRE IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN .. SOUTHWEST TO 30 MILES
NORTH OF ROCHESTER MINNESOTA.  THIS LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED .. HOWEVER ISOLATED AREAS OF
INTENSE RAINFALL HAVE BEEN NOTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
MINNESOTA.

IN OTHER AREAS INTENSE AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING
ACROSS MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL IOWA .. NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND PRTIONS
OF SOUTHERN WISCONSIN.

PERSONS IN WESTERN WISCONSIN SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED SO SEEK SHELTER IF THREATING
WEATHER IS SIGHTED.

PERSONS LIVING ALONG SMALL STREANS AND CREEKS AND IN LOW LYING
AREAS SHOULD ALSO BE ALERT TO POSSIBLE FLOODING AS PERIODS OF
RAIN ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AND
MOST GROUNDS ARE SATURATED.

ZIMMERMAN
Special weather statement, Sep 10, 6:03 PM CDT, 1 hour before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
605PM CDT WED SEP 10 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTH..CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

AT 6PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR
DODGEVILLE (25 MILES SOUTH..SOUTHEAST OF LONE ROCK) TO NEAR COLUMBUS
(15 MILES NORTHEAST OF MADISON).  THIS LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING TOWARDS
THE EAST..NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.  AS THEY PASSED THROUGH SAUK CITY...
MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED.  THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF DOWNPOURS
AND GUSTY WINDS...WITH LOTS OF LIGHTNING.

THESE STORMS WERE A PART OF A LARGER AREA OF PRECIPIATION IN THE
SOUTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF THE STATE.

IF SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES...SEEK SHELTER QUICKLY.
STIMACH
Special weather statement, Sep 10, 6:17 PM CDT, 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE WI
615 PM CDT WED SEP 10 1986

..SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN..

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THROUGH 10PM. THE NORTHERN BORDER OF
THE WATCH RUNS FROM NEAR EAU CLAIRE EAST TO DOOR COUNTY WITH THE
SOUTHERN EDGE FROM LONE ROCK TO JUST NORTH OF MADISON AND MILWAUKEE.

AT 615 PM RADAR SHOWS A NARROW BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
PORT WASHINGTON TO SOUTHERN DODGE COUNTY TO ABOUT MADISON IN SOUTH
CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THE LINE IS SLIPPING EAST SOUTHEAST WHILE STORMS
ROLL EAST NORTHEAST IN THE LINE. 62 HUNDRETHS OF AN INCH /0.62/ WAS
REPORTED IN A 20 MINUTE PERIOD ENDING 610PM 2 MILES NORTH OF SLINGER
OR ABOUT 28 MILES NORTHWEST OF MILWAUKEE.

POWER OUTAGES FROM LIGHTNING STRIKES..PEA SIZED HAIL AS WELL AS VERY
HEAVY RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED BETWEEN NOW AND 715 PM THROUGH SOUTHERN
DODGE..ALL OF WASHINGTON AND OZAUKEE COUNTIES WITH HEAVY STORMS MOVING
INTO JEFFERSON AND WAUKESHA COUNTIES BETWEEN 7 AND 730 PM.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED IN THE CITIES OF MILWAUKEE..RACINE AND
KENOSHA UNTIL ABOUT 8PM OR LATER.
DRAG#
Special weather statement, Sep 10, 6:37 PM CDT, 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MADISON WI
635PM CDT WED SEP 10 1986

...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...

AT 630PM CDT A FEW SCATTERED HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN THE
SOUTHERN QUARTER OF THE STATE...IN AN AREA 25 MILES WIDE FROM 15 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF LONE ROCK TO 15 MILES NORTH OF MILWAUKEE.  THESE STORMS
WERE MOVING TOWARDS THE EAST AT 35 MPH.  SO FAR THESE STORMS HAVE
ONLY THREATENED HEAVY RAINS...LOTS7 OF LIGHTNING...AND GUSTY WINDS.

SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN YOU...SEEK SHELTER QUICKLY.

THESE STORMS WERE IN A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS IN
THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE STATE.
STIMACH

The office that day

Everything else NWS Milwaukee, WI issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 10, 7:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXDodge15 min
Sep 10, 7:03 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXDodge, Washington117 min
Sep 11, 2:04 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXOzaukee, Washington4 hr
Sep 11, 2:04 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXDodge4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Wisconsin, 1986Every flash flood warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.