Alert archive / Wisconsin / Flash Flood Watches in 2008

Flash Flood Watch 1, NWS Milwaukee, WI

June 7, 200820 counties in Wisconsin

NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this flash flood watch at Jun 7, 2008, 12:46 PM CDT for 20 counties in Wisconsin. It took effect at Jun 7, 2008, 5:39 PM CDT. It was in force for 34 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 7, 2008, 12:46 PM CDT (17:46 UTC)
In effect from
Jun 7, 2008, 5:39 PM CDT
Expired
Jun 9, 2008, 3:57 AM CDT
In force
34 hr
Issued by
NWS Milwaukee, WI
Flood severity
None

Counties Columbia County, WI, Dane County, WI, Dodge County, WI, Fond du Lac County, WI, Green County, WI, Green Lake County, WI, Iowa County, WI, Jefferson County, WI, Kenosha County, WI, Lafayette County, WI, Marquette County, WI, Milwaukee County, WI, Ozaukee County, WI, Racine County, WI, Rock County, WI, Sauk County, WI, Sheboygan County, WI, Walworth County, WI, Washington County, WI, Waukesha County, WI

The radar

The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 31 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:04 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Green Bay/Straub, WI (KGRB), launched 12:00Z, 5.8 hours before the alert went out and 157 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 12:00Z on 2008-06-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 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 12:00Z on 2008-06-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 197 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
1417 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
197 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
231 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

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

NWS Milwaukee, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood watch went out at Jun 7, 3:56 AM CDT, 8 hours 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 7, 3:56 AM CDT, 8 hours 50 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
356 AM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

FORECAST FOCUS ON HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL NEXT FEW
DAYS.

LATEST WATER VAPOR IMAGERY INDICATED A POTENT UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER
SOUTH CENTRAL MANITOBA CANADA. SOUTHWEST UPPER LEVEL FLOW WAS
SEEN OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST AND BACK INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS.
STRONG JET STREAK WAS EMBEDDED WITHIN THIS AREA. AT THE
SURFACE...A STRONG SURFACE LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPPER LOW WAS
MOVING NORTH INTO MANITOBA CANADA. BROAD SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST
SURFACE WINDS WERE SEEN ACROSS THE REGION.

.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...

FOLLOWED THE GFS AND ECMWF FOR GUIDANCE FOR THE SHORT TERM PORTION
OF THE FORECAST...PER HPC DISCUSSION. SURFACE WARM FRONT EXPECTED
TO DEVELOP FROM THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS NORTHEAST INTO NORTHERN
IOWA AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA BY 00Z SUNDAY. THIS FEATURE SHOULD
COMBINE WITH LOW TO MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS RESPONSE FIELDS AND AN
INCREASING LOW LEVEL JET NOSE TO PRODUCE CONVECTION IN THESE
AREAS...NORTHEAST INTO NORTHERN WISCONSIN.

GFS AND ECMWF FOCUS THE CONVECTION TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE
FORECAST AREA TODAY AND TONIGHT. HOWEVER...GIVEN WEAKLY CAPPED
ENVIRONMENT OVER THE FORECAST AREA...AND LOW LEVEL JET NOSE AND
MOISTURE ADVECTION ALSO FOCUSING ON SOUTHERN WISCONSIN LATER
TODAY AND TONIGHT...OTHER AREAS OF CONVECTION MAY DEVELOP AND MOVE
INTO THE AREA. SO...WILL GO SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE POPS
TODAY...INCREASING TO LIKELY POPS TONIGHT.

HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS TONIGHT...AS MESO BETA
ELEMENTS INDICATE SLOW PROPAGATION OF STORMS...ESPECIALLY AFTER
06Z SUNDAY. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES RANGE FROM 1.50 TO 1.75
INCHES. TRAINING OF CONVECTION ALSO POSSIBLE...GIVEN PARALLEL
ORIENTATION OF MEAN WINDS AND LIFTING MECHANISMS. WILL HOLD OFF ON
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR NOW...AND WAIT TO SEE HOW CONVECTION
DEVELOPS AND WHERE IT GOES LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE WEATHER ALSO POSSIBLE LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. MEAN LAYER
CAPE VALUES OF 1500 TO 2500 J/KG ARE EXPECTED BY 00Z
SUNDAY...ALONG WITH 0-6KM SHEAR VALUES OF 40 TO 50 KNOTS...AND
0-1KM SHEAR OF 20 TO 30 KNOTS. THESE VALUES WOULD CERTAINLY
SUPPORT SEVERE CONVECTION...WITH SUPERCELLS POSSIBLE. GIVEN SOME
UNCERTAINTY WITH TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF CONVECTION AND POSSIBLE
MCS TONIGHT...WILL NOT MENTION SEVERE IN FORECAST FOR NOW. SEE SPC
DAY 1 OUTLOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION.

SURFACE BOUNDARY AND WEAK SURFACE LOW SLOWLY SINK SOUTH INTO THE
FORECAST AREA BY 00Z MONDAY...WITH THE FRONT INTO NORTHERN
ILLINOIS BY 12Z MONDAY. AGAIN...THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE LIKELY
SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY EVENING...WITH HEAVY RAINFALL AND SEVERE
WEATHER REMAINING POSSIBLE. WILL MAINTAIN THE HEAVY RAIN WORDING
IN THE FORECAST...AS PARAMETERS MENTIONED ABOVE PERSIST. SEE SPC
DAY 2 OUTLOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SEVERE POTENTIAL.

.LONG TERM...MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...

UNSETTLED PATTERN TO CONTINUE THROUGH MOST OF THE WEEK...AS GFS
AND ECMWF BOTH CONTINUE TO SHOW UPPER LEVEL FLOW BRINGING WEATHER
SYSTEMS THROUGH THE REGION. WILL MAINTAIN CHANCE WORDING FOR MOST
OF THE PERIOD.

&&

.AVIATION...DRY AIR IN PLACE FOR A SHORT TIME THIS MORNING.
HIGHER DWPNTS SURGING NORTH AND WILL OVERSPREAD THE CWA THIS
MORNING. MOISTURE FLUX AND APPROACH OF FRONT TO THE WEST WILL
RAISE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. VFR
CONDITIONS THROUGH PERIOD...EXCEPT IN AND AROUND ANY
THUNDERSTORMS.

&&

.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...NONE.
LM...NONE.
&&

SHORT/LONG TERM...08/WOOD
AVIATION/MARINE...05/DAVIS
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 7, 8:25 AM CDT, 4 hours 21 minutes before
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In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 7, 11:24 AM CDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1124 AM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-072100-
MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE-
WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-JEFFERSON-WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE-
LAFAYETTE-GREEN-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MONTELLO...BERLIN...FOND DU LAC...
SHEBOYGAN...BARABOO...PORTAGE...WISCONSIN DELLS...BEAVER DAM...
WEST BEND...PORT WASHINGTON...DODGEVILLE...MADISON...JEFFERSON...
LAKE MILLS...WAUKESHA...BROOKFIELD...MILWAUKEE...DARLINGTON...
MONROE...JANESVILLE...BELOIT...ELKHORN...LAKE GENEVA...RACINE...
KENOSHA
1124 AM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

...SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK EXPECTED FOR SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AT 1120 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWS A
LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG A LINE FROM JUST
WEST OF BLACK RIVER FALLS...TO LA CROSSE...TO DECORAH IOWA. AS
THESE STORMS PUSH EAST...THEY WILL ENCOUNTER A VERY FAVORABLE
ATMOSPHERE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING FAVORABLE FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO
THROUGH THE EVENING. INSTABILITY...LIFT...AND SHEAR PROFILES ARE
STRENGTHENING ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...NORTHERN ILLINOIS...AND
EASTERN IOWA.

ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES. A STRONG TORNADO
ALSO CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION UNFOLDING. ALL PERSONS
ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS. HAVE AN ACTION PLAN READY FOR WHEN A SEVERE WEATHER
WATCH IS ISSUED...AND BE PREPARED TO EXECUTE THE PLAN WHEN A
WARNING IS ISSUED.

BORGHOFF/GEHRING/TZ
Special weather statement, Jun 7, 12:46 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
1246 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

WIZ046-047-051-071945-
MARQUETTE-GREEN LAKE-FOND DU LAC-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MONTELLO...BERLIN...FOND DU LAC
1246 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

...TORNADO WATCH 478 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

AT 1245 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWS A
LINE OF STRONG OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG A LINE
FROM JUST WEST OF WISCONSIN RAPIDS...TO CAMP DOUGLAS...TO PRAIRIE
DU CHIEN.

ONE STORM IN SOUTHEAST MONROE COUNTY HAS EXTREME ROTATION
ASSOCIATED WITH IT AND IS LIKELY PRODUCING A TORNADO. RESIDENTS
IN MARQUETTE...GREEN LAKE...AND FOND DU LAC COUNTY NEED TO BE
PREPARED FOR WARNINGS TO BE ISSUED SOON.

THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING FAVORABLE FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO
THROUGH THE EVENING. INSTABILITY...LIFT...AND SHEAR PROFILES ARE
STRENGTHENING ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...NORTHERN ILLINOIS...AND
EASTERN IOWA.

ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES. STRONG TORNADOES
CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION UNFOLDING. ALL PERSONS ACROSS
SOUTHERN WISCONSIN NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION AND HAVE AN ACTION PLAN READY TO
BE EXECUTED WHEN A WARNING IS ISSUED.

WIZ052-056>060-062>064-067-068-071945-
SHEBOYGAN-SAUK-COLUMBIA-DODGE-WASHINGTON-OZAUKEE-IOWA-DANE-
JEFFERSON-LAFAYETTE-GREEN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SHEBOYGAN...BARABOO...PORTAGE...
WISCONSIN DELLS...BEAVER DAM...WEST BEND...PORT WASHINGTON...
DODGEVILLE...MADISON...JEFFERSON...LAKE MILLS...DARLINGTON...
MONROE
1246 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

...TORNADO WATCH 478 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

AT 1245 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWS A
LINE OF STRONG OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG A LINE
FROM JUST WEST OF WISCONSIN RAPIDS...TO CAMP DOUGLAS...TO PRAIRIE
DU CHIEN. AS THESE STORMS PUSH EAST...THEY WILL ENCOUNTER A VERY
FAVORABLE ATMOSPHERE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING FAVORABLE FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO
THROUGH THE EVENING. INSTABILITY...LIFT...AND SHEAR PROFILES ARE
STRENGTHENING ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...NORTHERN ILLINOIS...AND
EASTERN IOWA.

ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES. STRONG TORNADOES
CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION UNFOLDING. ALL PERSONS ACROSS
SOUTHERN WISCONSIN NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
HAVE AN ACTION PLAN READY TO BE EXECUTED WHEN A WARNING IS
ISSUED.

WIZ065-066-069>072-071945-
WAUKESHA-MILWAUKEE-ROCK-WALWORTH-RACINE-KENOSHA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WAUKESHA...BROOKFIELD...MILWAUKEE...
JANESVILLE...BELOIT...ELKHORN...LAKE GENEVA...RACINE...KENOSHA
1246 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

...SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK EXPECTED FOR SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AT 1245 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWS A
LINE OF STRONG OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG A LINE
FROM JUST WEST OF WISCONSIN RAPIDS...TO CAMP DOUGLAS...TO PRAIRIE
DU CHIEN. AS THESE STORMS PUSH EAST...THEY WILL ENCOUNTER A VERY
FAVORABLE ATMOSPHERE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE RAPIDLY BECOMING FAVORABLE FOR
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT...AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO
THROUGH THE EVENING. INSTABILITY...LIFT...AND SHEAR PROFILES ARE
STRENGTHENING ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...NORTHERN ILLINOIS...AND
EASTERN IOWA.

ANY THUNDERSTORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES. STRONG TORNADOES
CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION UNFOLDING. ALL PERSONS ACROSS
SOUTHERN WISCONSIN NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
HAVE AN ACTION PLAN READY FOR WHEN A SEVERE WEATHER WATCH IS
ISSUED...AND BE PREPARED TO EXECUTE THE PLAN WHEN A WARNING IS
ISSUED.

BORGHOFF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 7, 1:05 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXSauk40 min
Jun 7, 1:23 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Marquette67 min
Jun 7, 1:33 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXColumbia, Marquette, Sauk4 hr
Jun 7, 1:45 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Green Lake, Marquette, Sauk60 min
Jun 7, 1:58 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXGreen Lake4 hr
Jun 7, 2:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXColumbia, Dodge, Fond du Lac4 hr
Jun 7, 2:37 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Dodge, Green Lake53 min
Jun 7, 2:45 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Iowa, Sauk60 min
Jun 7, 2:48 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDane, Iowa57 min
Jun 7, 2:59 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMKX2 hr
Jun 7, 3:10 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDane, Green, Jefferson, Rock65 min
Jun 7, 3:13 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXDodge, Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington6 hr
Jun 7, 3:25 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDodge, Washington65 min
Jun 7, 3:29 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXDane, Jefferson4 hr
Jun 7, 3:37 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Dane, Sauk53 min
Jun 7, 3:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXGreen, Lafayette52 min
Jun 7, 4:00 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXMilwaukee, Waukesha4 hr
Jun 7, 4:05 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXDane, Jefferson, Rock, Walworth, Waukesha55 min
Jun 7, 4:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXDane, Iowa40 min
Jun 7, 4:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXOzaukee48 min
Jun 7, 4:30 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXColumbia, Dane41 min
Jun 7, 4:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXWashington39 min
Jun 7, 4:43 PM CDTSpecial Marine WarningMKX2 hr
Jun 7, 4:43 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXMilwaukee62 min
Jun 7, 4:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXColumbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Racine, Walworth and 1 more47 min
Jun 7, 5:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXJefferson, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Racine, Walworth, Waukesha3 hr
Jun 7, 5:28 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXColumbia, Sauk9 hr
Jun 7, 5:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMKXMilwaukee, Racine40 min
Jun 7, 6:16 PM CDTTornado WarningMKXSauk59 min
Jun 7, 6:44 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMKXMilwaukee21 hr
Jun 7, 6:45 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMKXMilwaukee62 hr
Jun 7, 6:52 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMKXMilwaukee27 hr
Jun 7, 6:54 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMKXMilwaukee67 hr
Jun 7, 6:54 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMKXRacine5 days
Jun 7, 6:57 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMKXGreen Lake, Marquette6 hr
Jun 7, 6:57 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMKXWaukesha10 days
Jun 7, 6:57 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMKXRacine14 days

Nearby

Flash Flood Watches in Wisconsin, 2008Every flash flood watch in 2008

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.