Alert archive / Wisconsin / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS La Crosse, WI

May 8, 2004Allamakee County, Iowa; Crawford County, Vernon County, Wisconsin

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this flash flood warning at May 8, 2004, 8:52 PM CDT for Allamakee County, Iowa; Crawford County, Vernon County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 3 hr. 6 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
May 8, 2004, 8:52 PM CDT (01:52 UTC)
Expired
May 8, 2004, 11:45 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Allamakee County, IA, Crawford County, WI, Vernon County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 47 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:54 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 8, 9:15 PM CDTFLASH FLOODVictory, WIEXCESSIVE RAIN CAUSING FLASH FLOODING NEAR VICTORY.
May 8, 9:25 PM CDTFLASH FLOODLynxville, WIROCK SLIDES REPORTED AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ALONG HIGHWAY 35.
May 8, 9:30 PM CDTFLASH FLOODLansing, IAMUDSLIDES REPORTED ALONG HIGHWAY 26 AND IN CITY OF LANSING.
May 8, 10:07 PM CDTFLASH FLOODLansing, IATHREE INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN LESS THAN TWO HOURS. WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING REPORTED.
May 8, 10:40 PM CDTFLASH FLOODFerryville, WISECTIONS OF COUNTY ROADS D...C...B...E FLOODED.
May 8, 10:40 PM CDTFLASH FLOODLansing, IAFLOODING ALONG HIGHWAY 82 FROM LANSING EASTWARD TO HIGHWAY 35.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 207 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, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2004-05-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2184 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2004-05-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 20 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2184 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-1 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1483 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
19 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
20 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
33 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 
WGUS53 KARX 090152
FFWARX
IAC005-WIC023-123-090445-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
852 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA
  VERNON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
  CRAWFORD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN

* UNTIL 1145 PM CDT

* AT 849 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW
  SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST ACROSS NORTHERN ALLAMAKEE 
  COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA...AND NORTHERN CRAWFORD AND VERNON 
  COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES THAT
  3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS THIS AREA SINCE 6 PM.
  ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST
  ACROSS THE COUNTY THROUGH 11 PM.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...LANSING...NEW
  ALBIN...VIROQUA...WAUKON...HIGHWAY 131 AND COUNTY B...LOCK AND DAM
  9 AND RED BARN CAMPGROUND.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FORGE
FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...
ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 4348 9162 4325 9160 4321 9068 4358 9066

$$

BOYNE
8 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS73 KARX 090301
FFSARX

ZCZC MKEFFSARX ALL
TTAA00 KARX DDHHMM
IAC005-WIC023-123-090430-

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
958 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN
NORTHEAST IOWA...AND CRAWFORD AND VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN UNTIL 1145 PM...

AT 958 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUES
TO SHOW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST ACROSS NORTHERN
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA...AND NORTHERN CRAWFORD AND
VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. THESE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE BECOMING MORE SCATTERED. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES
THAT 6 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE 6 PM THIS EVENING THE
HEAVIEST RAIN WAS LOCATED FROM DORCHESTER IOWA EAST TO BETWEEN OAK
RIDGE WISCONSIN AND RETREAT WISCONSIN. WE HAVE RECEIVED A RAINFALL
REPORT OF 7.38 INCHES OF RAIN IN LANSING IOWA...AND 2.26 INCHES IN
MOUNT STERLING IN CRAWFORD COUNTY. 

MUD AND ROCK SLIDES HAVE BEEN REPORTED HIGHWAY 35 IN CRAWFORD COUNTY
AND HIGHWAY 26 IN ALLAMAKEE COUNTY. IN ADDITION...FLASH FLOODING
HAS BEEN REPORTED IN LANSING IOWA.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FORGE
FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...
ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND.

$$

BOYNE
000 
WGUS73 KARX 090301 RRA
FFSARX
IAC005-WIC023-123-090430-

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
958 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN
NORTHEAST IOWA...AND CRAWFORD AND VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN UNTIL 1145 PM...

AT 958 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUES
TO SHOW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST ACROSS NORTHERN
ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA...AND NORTHERN CRAWFORD AND
VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. THESE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE BECOMING MORE SCATTERED. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES
THAT 6 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE 6 PM THIS EVENING THE
HEAVIEST RAIN WAS LOCATED FROM DORCHESTER IOWA EAST TO BETWEEN OAK
RIDGE WISCONSIN AND RETREAT WISCONSIN. WE HAVE RECEIVED A RAINFALL
REPORT OF 7.38 INCHES OF RAIN IN LANSING IOWA...AND 2.26 INCHES IN
MOUNT STERLING IN CRAWFORD COUNTY. 

MUD AND ROCK SLIDES HAVE BEEN REPORTED HIGHWAY 35 IN CRAWFORD COUNTY
AND HIGHWAY 26 IN ALLAMAKEE COUNTY. IN ADDITION...FLASH FLOODING
HAS BEEN REPORTED IN LANSING IOWA.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FORGE
FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...
ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND.

$$

BOYNE
000 
WGUS73 KARX 090306 RRA
FFSARX
IAC005-WIC023-123-090445-

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1006 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN
NORTHEAST IOWA...AND CRAWFORD AND VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN UNTIL 1145 PM...

FLASH FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES HAS CAUSED THE ROAD CLOSURES IN PARTS 
OF CRAWFORD COUNTY WISCONSIN...INCLUDING...

HIGHWAYS 35 AND 171...
HIGHWAYS 35 AND COUNTY ROAD B TO HIGHWAY 82...

MUCH OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS NOW MOVING OFF TO THE EAST...
BUT RUNOFF WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE PROBLEMS THROUGH THE REST OF THIS 
EVENING. 

FLASH FLOODING IS ESPECIALLY HARD TO DETECT AT NIGHT. DO NOT DRIVE 
AROUND ROAD CLOSURES.

$$

SHEA
000 
WGUS73 KARX 090321 RRA
FFSARX
IAC005-WIC023-123-090445-

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1021 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN
NORTHEAST IOWA...AND CRAWFORD AND VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN UNTIL 1145 PM...

A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RAIN HAS FALLEN THIS EVENING ACROSS 
NORTHEAST ALLAMAKEE IOWA IN EXTREME NORTHEAST IOWA...AS WELL AS FAR 
SOUTHWEST VERNON COUNTY AND NORTHWEST CRAWFORD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST 
WISCONSIN. THIS AREA IS BETWEEN LA CROSSE AND PRAIRIE DU CHIEN 
WISCONSIN.

AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED INCLUDE LANSING IOWA...DE SOTO AND 
FERRYVILLE WISCONSIN.

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FLASH FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES IN 
THE STEEPER TERRAIN CLOSE TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. SEVERAL ROADS 
ARE CLOSED.

IF YOU HAVE TRAVEL PLANNED IN THIS AREA TONIGHT...USE EXTREME 
CAUTION. IF YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA...MOVE TO HIGH GROUND NOW.

$$

SHEA
000 
WGUS73 KARX 090327 RRA
FFSARX
IAC005-WIC023-123-090445-

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1027 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN
NORTHEAST IOWA...AND CRAWFORD AND VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN UNTIL 1145 PM...

IF YOU LIVE NEAR SMALL TRIBUTARIES INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IN 
EXTREME NORTHEAST IOWA OR SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN...BE ALERT FOR FLASH 
FLOODING TONIGHT.

THE FOLLOWING CREEKS IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN CAN EXPECT FLASH 
FLOODING LATE THIS EVENING...RUSH...SUGAR...BUCK AND COPPER.

IN NORTHEAST IOWA...VILLAGE CREEK MAY CAUSE FLASH FLOODING.

MOVE TO HIGH GROUND NOW

AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED INCLUDE LANSING IN NORTHEAST IOWA...AND
DE SOTO...LYNXVILLE AND FERRYVILLE IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN.

IF YOU HAVE TRAVEL PLANNED IN THIS AREA TONIGHT...USE EXTREME 
CAUTION. 

$$

SHEA
000 
WGUS73 KARX 090338 RRA
FFSARX
IAC005-WIC023-123-090445-

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1038 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN 
NORTHEAST IOWA...AND CRAWFORD AND VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST 
WISCONSIN UNTIL 1145 PM...

THE CRAWFORD COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTS FLASH FLOODING NEAR HIGHWAY 35 
AND 82...NEAR THE BRIDGE THAT CROSSES THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER INTO 
LANSING IOWA. COUNTY ROADS D...C...B...AND E ALL HAVE HIGH WATER 
OVER THEM IN NORTHERN CRAWFORD COUNTY.

FLASH FLOODING WILL CONTINUE IN THIS AREA THROUGH 1145 PM.

AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED INCLUDE LANSING IN NORTHEAST IOWA...AND
DE SOTO...LYNXVILLE AND FERRYVILLE IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN.

IF YOU HAVE TRAVEL PLANNED IN THIS AREA TONIGHT...USE EXTREME 
CAUTION. AVOID HIGHWAY 35 ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BETWEEN
LA CROSSE AND PRAIRIE DU CHIEN...AND SECTIONS OF HIGHWAY 26 IN 
EXTREME NORTHEAST IOWA. FLASH FLOODING IS HARD TO SPOT AT NIGHT.

$$

SHEA
000 
WGUS73 KARX 090422 RRA
FFSARX
IAC005-WIC023-123-090445-

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1122 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN 
NORTHEAST IOWA...AND CRAWFORD AND VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST 
WISCONSIN UNTIL 1145 PM...

THE ALLAMAKEE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT REPORTS ROAD CLOSURES IN AND 
NEAR LANSING IOWA ON HIGHWAYS 26 AND 9...INCLUDING THE GREAT RIVER 
ROAD. SOME MUDSLIDES ARE IMPASSABLE AT THIS POINT. MOST OF THE FLASH 
FLOODING CONCERNS ARE CENTERED IN THE LANSING AREA WITH VERY FEW 
PROBLEMS NOTED ELSEWHERE IN ALLAMAKEE COUNTY.

CRAWFORD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN HAS ALSO REPORTED MUDSLIDES 
AND ROAD CLOSURES NEAR DE SOTO AND FERRYVILLE AS REPORTED EARLIER.

WHILE THE HEAVY RAIN HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA...RUNOFF AND EXISTING 
FLASH FLOODING WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. USE EXTREME CAUTION 
IF YOU ARE DRIVING IN EXTREME NORTHEAST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN 
OVERNIGHT. ROADS WILL LIKELY BE CLOSED WELL INTO SUNDAY MORNING.

THIS FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 1145 PM CDT.

$$

SHEA
000 
WGUS73 KARX 090450 RRA
FFSARX
IAC005-WIC023-123-090700-

FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1150 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 2004

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR ALLAMAKEE...CRAWFORD AND VERNON 
COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR ALLAMAKEE COUNTY IN EXTREME NORTHEAST 
IOWA...AND CRAWFORD AND VERNON COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN WAS 
ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 1145 PM. HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS HAS 
MOVED OUT OF THE AREA FOR THE TIME BEING.

EVEN THOUGH THE WARNING HAS EXPIRED...REMAIN ALERT FOR FLASH FLOOD 
THREATS. SOME ROADS REMAINED CLOSED NEAR LANSING IOWA...AS WELL AS
DE SOTO AND FERRYVILLE WISCONSIN...ALONG HIGHWAYS 35...26 AND 9...
FROM EARLIER MUDSLIDES AND FLASH FLOODING.

DO NOT DRIVE INTO FLOOD WATERS OR DRIVE AROUND ROAD CLOSED SIGNS. 
FIND A DIFFERENT ROUTE. STAY ON HIGHER GROUND AND REMAIN ALERT 
OVERNIGHT FOR OTHER FLASH FLOOD RELATED PROBLEMS.

$$

SHEA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 8, 7:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXFloyd32 min
May 8, 7:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXAllamakee30 min
May 8, 8:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXChickasaw42 min
May 8, 8:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXHoward, Winneshiek61 min
May 8, 8:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXCrawford58 min
May 8, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXCrawford63 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Wisconsin, 2004Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2004Every flash flood warning in 2004

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.