Alert archive / Minnesota / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS La Crosse, WI

June 18, 2011Wabasha County, Minnesota

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this flash flood warning at Jun 18, 2011, 6:27 PM CDT for Wabasha County, Minnesota. It was in force for 4 hr. 4 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
Jun 18, 2011, 6:27 PM CDT (23:27 UTC)
Expired
Jun 18, 2011, 10:00 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Wabasha County, MN

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 97 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:28 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
Jun 18, 6:30 PM CDTFLOODLake City, MNSTREET FLOODING IN LAKE CITY
Jun 18, 6:45 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Sw Lake City, MNBANK EROSION ALONG HWY 63 CAUSED A COUPLE OF TREES TO FALL DOWN. ESTIMATE NEARLY 3 INCHES OF RAIN IN ABOUT 2 HOURS.
Jun 18, 7:30 PM CDTHEAVY RAIN 3Lake City, MNEXACTLY 3 INCHES MEASURED BY CO-OP OBSERVER IN ABOUT 2 HOURS.
Jun 18, 7:45 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Sw Lake City, MNBREMERS CREEK WAS OVER THE ROAD AND BRIDGE AT MARION ST. WATER WAS STILL RISING RAPIDLY. SOME ROAD EROSION NOTED.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 128 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 2011-06-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1215 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2011-06-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 29 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
1215 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-43 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
600 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
29 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
59 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.

560 
WGUS53 KARX 182327
FFWARX
MNC157-190300-
/O.NEW.KARX.FF.W.0002.110618T2327Z-110619T0300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
627 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN WABASHA COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 1000 PM CDT

* AT 624 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS
  WESTERN WABASHA COUNTY. RADAR ESTIMATES THAT BETWEEN 2 AND 3
  INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE 5 PM. 

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE... 
  LAKE CITY...WABASHA AND KELLOGG. SOME CREEKS AND RIVERS THAT MAY
  BE AFFECTED INCLUDE GILBERT CREEK...BOSTON COULEE...ALBANY CREEK...
  AND SPRING CREEK.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH 
8 PM. IF HIGH WATER IS ENCOUNTERED...DO NOT TRY TO CROSS. TURN 
AROUND...DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 4446 9243 4446 9225 4444 9221 4442 9211
      4441 9208 4441 9206 4438 9203 4436 9195
      4430 9192 4429 9192 4426 9189 4425 9243

$$

MW
3 follow-up statements
522 
WGUS73 KARX 190104
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
804 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011

MNC157-190300-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-110619T0300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WABASHA MN-
804 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN WABASHA COUNTY
UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

AT 745 PM...THE WABASHA SHERIFF AND PUBLIC REPORTS INDICATE THAT 
WATER FROM BREMERS CREEK WAS RISING QUICKLY AND WAS ALREADY OVER 
MARION STREET SOUTHWEST OF LAKE CITY. OFFICIALS HAVE SET UP 
BARRICADES CLOSING OFF MARION STREET. AROUND 645 PM...WATER FROM 
THIS CREEK ALSO CAUSED SOME EROSION ALONG HIGHWAY 63 AND CAUSED TWO 
TREES TO FALL DOWN.

AT 758 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. 
OBSERVERS IN LAKE CITY REPORTED AT 730 PM THAT THREE INCHES OF RAIN 
HAD FALLEN.

RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...LAKE
CITY...WABASHA AND KELLOGG.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLASH FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR
OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING 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
CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

&&

LAT...LON 4446 9243 4446 9225 4444 9221 4442 9211
      4441 9208 4441 9206 4438 9203 4436 9195
      4430 9192 4429 9192 4426 9189 4425 9243

$$

04
202 
WGUS73 KARX 190209
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
909 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011

MNC157-190300-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-110619T0300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WABASHA MN-
909 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN WABASHA COUNTY
UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

AT 900 PM CDT...THE WABASHA COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTS THAT BREMERS CREEK
CONTINUES TO BE OUT OF ITS BANKS...WITH ROAD CLOSURES ALONG MARION 
STREET JUST SOUTHWEST OF LAKE CITY.  

LIGHT RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL ON THE AREA...AND ADDITIONAL RAINS ARE 
POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. THIS FLASH FLOOD WARNING MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED
BEYOND 10 PM IF FLOODING CONDITIONS CONTINUE. 


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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. REMEMBER...IT IS MUCH HARDER TO SEE FLOODED AREAS AT NIGHT.
USE CAUTION IF YOU MUST TRAVEL TONIGHT. 

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FLOOD WATERS. ONLY A FEW INCHES OF
RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER CAN QUICKLY CARRY AWAY YOUR VEHICLE. DO NOT
DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED AREAS.  TAKE THE EXTRA TIME TO FIND A SAFER ROUTE.

&&

LAT...LON 4446 9243 4446 9225 4444 9221 4442 9211
      4441 9208 4441 9206 4438 9203 4436 9195
      4430 9192 4429 9192 4426 9189 4425 9243

$$

MW
183 
WGUS73 KARX 190256
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
956 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011

MNC157-190306-
/O.EXP.KARX.FF.W.0002.000000T0000Z-110619T0300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WABASHA MN-
956 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN WABASHA
COUNTY WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 1000 PM CDT...

AT 950 PM CDT...THE WABASHA COUNTY SHERIFF INDICATED THE FLOODING 
SOUTHWEST OF LAKE CITY WAS NO LONGER A CONCERN. MARION ROAD WILL 
REMAIN BLOCKED OFF THROUGH THE NIGHT BECAUSE SOME GRAVEL MAY HAVE 
WASHED OUT AROUND THE CULVERT. NO OTHER FLOODING PROBLEMS WERE 
REPORTED IN THE REST OF THE COUNTY.

LIGHT RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO FALL THROUGH MIDNIGHT BUT THE ADDITIONAL 
RAINFALL IS NOT EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ANY MORE FLOODING PROBLEMS.

EXCESS RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED OVER THE WARNED AREA. STREAMS
AND CREEKS IN THE WARNED AREA HAVE RECEDED OR WERE BEGINNING TO
RECEDE...ENDING THE FLOOD THREAT. IF FLOODING HAS BEEN OBSERVED...
PLEASE REPORT IT TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

LAT...LON 4446 9243 4446 9225 4444 9221 4442 9211
      4441 9208 4441 9206 4438 9203 4436 9195
      4430 9192 4429 9192 4426 9189 4425 9243

$$

04

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 18, 5:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXWabasha39 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Minnesota, 2011Every flash flood warning in 2011

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.