Alert archive / Wisconsin / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 6, NWS La Crosse, WI

May 21, 2004Crawford County, Richland County, Vernon County, Wisconsin

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this flash flood warning at May 21, 2004, 8:40 PM CDT for Crawford County, Richland 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 21, 2004, 8:40 PM CDT (01:40 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 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 Crawford County, WI, Richland County, WI, Vernon County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:41 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 21, 11:32 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Nw Dilly, WIMUDSLIDE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF STATE HIGHWAY 33 AND BURR SALEM ROAD
May 21, 11:32 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Nw Dilly, WIMUDSLIDE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF STATE HIGHWAY 33 AND BURR SALEM ROAD
May 21, 11:32 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Nw Dilly, WIMUDSLIDE NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF STATE HIGHWAY 33 AND BURR SALEM ROAD
May 21, 11:32 PM CDTFLASH FLOODLa Farge, WIMUDSLIDES REPORTED EAST AND WEST OF LA FARGE ON STATE HIGHWAY 82
May 21, 11:32 PM CDTFLASH FLOODLa Farge, WIMUDSLIDES REPORTED EAST AND WEST OF LA FARGE ON STATE HIGHWAY 82
May 21, 11:32 PM CDTFLASH FLOODLa Farge, WIMUDSLIDES REPORTED EAST AND WEST OF LA FARGE ON STATE HIGHWAY 82

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

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 243 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 2004-05-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Green Bay/Straub, WI at 00:00Z on 2004-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 418 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
542 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
418 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
649 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 220142
FFWARX
WIC023-103-123-220445-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
840 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  VERNON COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
  RICHLAND COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN
  CRAWFORD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN

* UNTIL 1145 PM CDT

* AT 840 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR DETECTED
  THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF VIROQUA TO 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF PRAIRIE DU CHIEN.
  ESTIMATES FROM RADAR INDICATED THAT NEARLY 1 INCH OF RAIN HAS      
  FALLEN DURING THE PAST HOUR OVER PARTS OF THE WARNED AREA. IN      
  ADDITION TO THE CURRENT STORMS...MORE ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE IN      
  FROM THE WEST...MOVING OVER THE ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS. THE     
  STORMS PRODUCING THE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WERE MOVING EAST AT 25    
  MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...COON VALLEY...LA
  FARGE...RICHLAND CENTER...VIROQUA...WESTBY...HIGHWAY 82 AND COUNTY
  D AND HIGHWAY 82 AND COUNTY A.

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 4371 9115 4309 9108 4327 9027 4368 9040

$$

RIECK
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS73 KARX 220218
FFSARX
WIC023-103-123-220445-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
917 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 PM CDT FOR
CRAWFORD...RICHLAND AND VERNON COUNTIES...

AT 916 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR DETECTED THUNDERSTORMS
PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN WEST OF A LIBERTY POLE...TO ROLLING MOOUND 
LINE. RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES PER HOUR ARE EXPECTED OVER THE 
WARNED AREA. THE STORMS PRODUCING THE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WERE 
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...COON VALLEY...LA
FARGE...RICHLAND CENTER...VIROQUA...WESTBY AND EXCELSIOR.

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 4371 9115 4309 9108 4327 9027 4368 9040

$$

RABERDING
000 
WGUS73 KARX 220321
FFSARX
WIC023-103-123-220445-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1021 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 PM CDT FOR
CRAWFORD...RICHLAND AND VERNON COUNTIES...

AT 1018 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR DETECTED MODERATE TO 
AT TIMES HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. LAW ENFORCEMENT IN 
CRAWFORD COUNTY REPORTED SOME STREETS UNDER A FOOT OF WATER AND IMPASSABLE IN 
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN. THE STORMS PRODUCING THE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WERE 
MOVING WEST AT 40 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...COON VALLEY...LA
FARGE...RICHLAND CENTER...VIROQUA...WESTBY AND LOCK AND DAM 9.

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 4371 9115 4309 9108 4327 9027 4368 9040

$$

RABERDING

&
000 
WGUS73 KARX 220400
FFSARX
WIC023-103-123-220445-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1100 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1145 PM CDT FOR
CRAWFORD...RICHLAND AND VERNON COUNTIES...

AT 1100 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR DETECTED 
THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN OVER THE ENTIRE 
WARNED AREA. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN CRAWFORD COUNTY REPORT 
HIGHWAY 35 BETWEEN LYNXVILLE AND PRAIRIE DU CHIEN CLOSED DUE TO 
FLOODING. IN ADDITION NUMEROUS OTHER ROADS ACROSS CRAWFORD COUNTY 
WERE CLOSED. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AN INCH IS LIKELY 
THROUGH 1145 PM. THE STORMS PRODUCING THE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WERE 
MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...COON VALLEY...LA
FARGE...VIROQUA...WESTBY...EXCELSIOR AND LOCK AND DAM 9.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS. IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO
HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO
FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

LAT...LON 4371 9115 4309 9108 4327 9027 4368 9040

$$

RABERDING

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 9:38 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXGrant3 hr
May 21, 11:44 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXCrawford, Richland, Vernon3 hr
May 22, 12:30 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXGrant3 hr
May 22, 2:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXGrant66 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Wisconsin, 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.