Alert archive / Wisconsin / Flash Flood Warnings in 1992

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS La Crosse, WI

September 16, 1992Vernon County, Wisconsin

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this flash flood warning at Sep 16, 1992, 8:03 AM CDT for Vernon County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 16, 1992, 8:03 AM CDT (13:03 UTC)
Expired
Sep 16, 1992, 12:00 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Whole counties

County Vernon County, WI

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 12:00Z, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 261 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1992-09-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1874 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1992-09-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 52 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
1874 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-169 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
710 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
52 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
67 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-2.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KLSE 161303
FFWLSE
WIC123-161700-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
803 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL NOON CDT
    FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
 
   ...VERNON COUNTY
 
HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL OVER VERNON COUNTY.  THIS COMBINED WITH
THE SATURATED GROUND WILL AGAIN CAUSE FLASH FLOODING IN VERNON COUNTY.
 
PEOPLE IN HARRISON HOLLOW...AS WELL AS NEAR BEAR AND OTTER CREEKS...
AND ALONG THE KICKAPOO RIVER SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR FLASH FLOODING.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
BRUCE
 
NNNN

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 16, 6:01 AM CDT, 2 hours 2 minutes before
MNZ019-161200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER MN
600 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
UNTIL 700AM CDT...

AT 550AM CDT...THE ROCHESTER COLOR WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THAT VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURING OVER MUCH OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA.
THESE STORMS WERE ROUGHLY SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM LAKE CITY TO ALBERT
LEA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA
THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS MEANS THAT MORE RAIN WILL FALL
ON AREAS WITH SATURATED OR NEARLY SATURATED SOIL. THUS THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL 700AM THIS MORNING.
THE RAINS EARLIER IN THE NIGHT...COUPLED WITH THE CURRENT RAINS
HAVE CAUSED SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY. ADDITIONAL
RISES ARE EXPECTED AS MORE RAIN FALLS.  FOR THAT REASON...PERSONS LIVING
ALONG SMALL CREEKS OR STREAMS...PARTICULARILY THOSE PRONE TO FLOODING...
ARE URGED TO KEEP ON TOP OF THE WEATHER SITUATION. SHOULD FLOODING OCCUR
THOSE PERSONS SHOULD BE READY TO ESCAPE TO HIGHER GROUND.

ALSO WITH THE WORK DAY FASTLY APPROACHING...MORNING COMMUTERS ARE
SHOULD BEWARE THAT SOME LOW-LYING ROADS MAY BE COVERED WITH
WATER. THIS WOULD ESPECIALLY BE TRUE IN GOODHUE AND WABASHA COUNTIES
WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINS EITHER OCCURRED OR WERE OCCURRING. IF YOU
ENCOUNTER A ROAD WHICH IS COVERED *WITH WATER...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
IT. IT MAY WELL BE HIDING A DANGEROUS WASHOUT.

FOX
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 6:07 AM CDT, 1 hour 56 minutes before
MNZ019-161200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED LAST PARAGRAPH...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER MN
600 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
UNTIL 700AM CDT...

AT 550AM CDT...THE ROCHESTER COLOR WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THAT VERY
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURING OVER MUCH OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA.
THESE STORMS WERE ROUGHLY SOUTHEAST OF A LINE FROM LAKE CITY TO ALBERT
LEA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA
THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS MEANS THAT MORE RAIN WILL FALL
ON AREAS WITH SATURATED OR NEARLY SATURATED SOIL. THUS THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL 700AM THIS MORNING.
THE RAINS EARLIER IN THE NIGHT...COUPLED WITH THE CURRENT RAINS
HAVE CAUSED SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY. ADDITIONAL
RISES ARE EXPECTED AS MORE RAIN FALLS.  FOR THAT REASON...PERSONS LIVING
ALONG SMALL CREEKS OR STREAMS...PARTICULARILY THOSE PRONE TO FLOODING...
ARE URGED TO KEEP ON TOP OF THE WEATHER SITUATION. SHOULD FLOODING OCCUR
THOSE PERSONS SHOULD BE READY TO ESCAPE TO HIGHER GROUND.

ALSO WITH THE WORK DAY FASTLY APPROACHING...MORNING COMMUTERS
SHOULD TAKE HEED THAT SOME LOW-LYING ROADS MAY BE COVERED WITH
WATER. THIS WOULD ESPECIALLY BE TRUE IN GOODHUE AND WABASHA COUNTIES
WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINS EITHER OCCURRED OR WERE OCCURRING. IF YOU
E-NCOUNTER A ROAD WHICH IS COVERED WITH WATER...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
IT. IT MAY WELL BE HIDING A DANGEROUS WASHOUT.

FOX
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 6:14 AM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before
WIZ010-014-161300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
613 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR BUFFALO...TREMPEALEAU...AND JACKSON
COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM...

...URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR LA CROSSE AND MONROE
COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM...

AT 610 AM...RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH
OF THE LA CROSSE AREA.  THE STRONGEST STORM...PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAIN WAS NEAR MONDOVI...WHERE 6.00 INCHES OF RAIN HAS
ALREADY FALLEN.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.  THEY
WILL CONTINUE IN THE MONDOVI AND ALMA AREAS THROUGH 700 PM.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE IN THE WHITEHALL AND ARCADIA
AREAS THROUGH 730 AM...AND IN THE LA CROSSE...BLACK RIVER FALLS
...AND SPARTA AREA THOUGH 800 AM.

MANY ROADWAYS ARE ALREADY COVERED WITH WATER.  MOTORISTS SHOULD
USE EXTREME CAUTION THIS MORNING.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS AREAS
WERE WATER IS MOVING RAPIDLY ACROSS THE ROAD.  THIS IS HOW MOST
DEATHS OCCUR IN FLASH FLOODING...

BRUCE
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 6:21 AM CDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
WIZ010-014-161300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
613 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR BUFFALO...TREMPEALEAU...AND JACKSON
COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM...

...URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR LA CROSSE AND MONROE
COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM...

AT 610 AM...RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH
OF THE LA CROSSE AREA.  THE STRONGEST STORM...PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAIN WAS NEAR MONDOVI...WHERE 6.00 INCHES OF RAIN HAS
ALREADY FALLEN.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.  THEY
WILL CONTINUE IN THE MONDOVI AND ALMA AREAS THROUGH 700 AM.
THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE IN THE WHITEHALL AND ARCADIA
AREAS THROUGH 730 AM...AND IN THE LA CROSSE...BLACK RIVER FALLS
...AND SPARTA AREA THOUGH 800 AM.

MANY ROADWAYS ARE ALREADY COVERED WITH WATER.  MOTORISTS SHOULD
USE EXTREME CAUTION THIS MORNING.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS AREAS
WERE WATER IS MOVING RAPIDLY ACROSS THE ROAD.  THIS IS HOW MOST
DEATHS OCCUR IN FLASH FLOODING...

BRUCE
CORRECTED 700 PM TO 700 AM
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 7:06 AM CDT, 57 minutes before
MNZ019-161300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER MN
707 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS EXPIRED FOR SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...

AT 650AM CDT...THE ROCHESTER COLOR WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE
WIDESPREAD STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WHICH WERE OCCURRING EARLIER IN THE
MORNING...HAVE BECOME LESS INTENSE AND FEWER IN NUMBER. FOR THAT REASON
THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO
EXPIRE. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE FOUND RIGHT OF A LINE FROM AUSTIN TO
LAKE CITY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING HAS DIMINISHED...BUT SOME MINOR FLOODING
PROBLEMS MAY STILL OCCUR.
CALLS TO THE COUNTY SHERIFFS AROUND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA REVEALED
NO MAJOR FLOODING WAS OCCURRING THIS MORNING...HOWEVER SOME
MINOR FLOODING PROBLEMS MAY BE STILL BE FOUND.

LOW-LYING ROADS...ESPECIALLY THOSE IN WABASHA AND GOODHUE COUNTIES
COUMLD STILL BE COVERED WITH WATER FROM THE HEAVY RAINS. IF YOU
ENCOUNTER ONE OF THESE WATER COVERED ROADS...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS
IT. IT MAY WELL BE HIDING A DANGEROUS WASHOUT.

FOX
Special weather statement, Sep 16, 7:25 AM CDT, 38 minutes before
WIZ010-014-161400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
725 AM CDT WED SEP 16 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR BUFFALO...TREMPEALEAU...AND JACKSON
COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM...

...URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR LA CROSSE AND MONROE
COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM...

AT 720 AM...RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS PARTS
OF WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN...AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA.
THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE PRECIPITAION EXTENDED FROM ALMA...TO
ROCHESTER...TO MASON CITY IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT
30 MILES AN HOUR...BUT THERE HAD BEEN SOME DECREASE IN INTENSITY.

IT NOW APPEARS THE RAIN WILL CONTINUE IN THE LA CROSSE AREA THROUGH
MID MORN~ING.  MOTORISTS SHOULD USE CAUTION AS MANY ROADWAYS ARE
COVERED WITH STANDING WATER.

BRUCE

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 16, 5:47 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXBuffalo, Trempealeau4 hr
Sep 16, 5:47 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXJackson4 hr
Sep 16, 9:56 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXJackson, Trempealeau4 hr
Sep 16, 11:33 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXVernon117 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Wisconsin, 1992Every flash flood warning in 1992

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.