Alert archive / Wisconsin / Flash Flood Warnings in 2016

Flash Flood Warning 17, NWS La Crosse, WI

August 11, 2016Buffalo County, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin; Wabasha County, Minnesota

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this flash flood warning at Aug 11, 2016, 10:16 AM CDT for Buffalo County, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin; Wabasha County, Minnesota. 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
Aug 11, 2016, 10:16 AM CDT (15:16 UTC)
Expired
Aug 11, 2016, 1:15 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Wabasha County, MN, Buffalo County, WI, Trempealeau County, WI

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 94 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:17 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
Aug 11, 10:49 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 Wsw Strum, WICOUNTY ROAD Y STILL CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER. SOME IMPROVEMENT ON OTHER STATE HIGHWAYS NEAR THERE.
Aug 11, 11:11 AM CDTFLASH FLOODElk Creek, WIRISING WATER HAS STRANDED RESIDENCE
Aug 11, 11:37 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD3 Nnw Elk Creek, WIWATER STILL OVER HIGHWAY 93
Aug 11, 12:19 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD4 Ene Buffalo, WIWATER 1 TO 2 FEET DEEP OVER HIGHWAY 88 AT COUNTY ROAD 0. ALL OF HIGHWAY 88 IS CLOSED.
Aug 11, 12:32 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 S Cream, WIFLOODING REPORTED NORTH OF COUNTY ROAD U ALONG HIGHWAY 88
Aug 11, 1:01 PM CDTFLASH FLOODIndependence, WIWATER RISING QUICKLY AT HIGHWAY 93 AND ELM STREET NEAR BRIDGE

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, 3.3 hours before the alert went out and 130 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 2016-08-11Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2016-08-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 2 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1072 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
73 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

472 
WGUS53 KARX 111516
FFWARX
MNC157-WIC011-121-111815-
/O.NEW.KARX.FF.W.0017.160811T1516Z-160811T1815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1016 AM CDT THU AUG 11 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  WABASHA COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA...
  NORTHERN TREMPEALEAU COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...
  BUFFALO COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

* UNTIL 115 PM CDT

* HEAVY RAIN FROM EARLY THIS MORNING, EXCEEDING 7 INCHES IN SOME
  AREAS, HAS LED TO SIGNIFICANT FLASH FLOODING. MANY AREA ROADS
  ARE CLOSED OR HEAVILY DAMAGE. TRAVEL IS NOT ADVISED IN SOME AREAS.

* THE HARDEST HIT AREAS INCLUDE
  KELLOGG...WABASHA...WHITEHALL...ALMA...BUFFALO...
  PLAINVIEW...OSSEO...INDEPENDENCE...STRUM...ELGIN...BUFFALO CITY...
  MAZEPPA...ELEVA...WAUMANDEE...COCHRANE...AND GILMANTON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED
ROADS. FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE. WATER IS STILL RISING IN SOME AREAS.

TRAVEL IS NOT ADVISED DUE TO WATER OVER ROADS, DAMAGED ROADS,
WASHOUTS, AND CULVERT WASHOUTS.

&&

LAT...LON 4437 9255 4437 9243 4445 9243 4445 9224
      4441 9208 4456 9204 4460 9200 4459 9117
      4432 9117 4419 9185 4419 9208 4411 9208
      4411 9232 4420 9233 4419 9255

$$

SHEA
2 follow-up statements
538 
WGUS73 KARX 111616
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1116 AM CDT THU AUG 11 2016

MNC157-WIC011-121-111815-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0017.000000T0000Z-160811T1815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WABASHA MN-TREMPEALEAU WI-BUFFALO WI-
1116 AM CDT THU AUG 11 2016

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 PM CDT FOR
WABASHA...NORTHERN TREMPEALEAU AND BUFFALO COUNTIES...

WHILE RAIN HAS ENDED ACROSS THE AREA, HEAVY RAIN EARLY THIS MORNING
CONTINUES TO CAUSE PROBLEMS AS FLOOD WATERS CONTINUE IN WESTERN
WISCONSIN. MANY AREAS STILL HAVE ROADS CLOSED OR HEAVILY DAMAGE
ROADS LEADING TO DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE DUE TO RISING WATERS IN SOME AREAS AND
THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE LEFT OVER FROM EARLIER.

BUFFALO COUNTY HAS DECLARED A STATE OF EMERGENCY DUE TO FLOOD
CONDITIONS.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED
ROADS. FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

SOME ROUTES WILL REMAIN IMPASSABLE TO REMAIN CLOSED FOR SOMETIME.

&&

LAT...LON 4437 9255 4437 9243 4445 9243 4445 9224
      4441 9208 4456 9204 4460 9200 4459 9117
      4432 9117 4419 9185 4419 9208 4411 9208
      4411 9232 4420 9233 4419 9255

$$

SHEA
931 
WGUS73 KARX 111727
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1227 PM CDT THU AUG 11 2016

MNC157-WIC011-121-111815-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0017.000000T0000Z-160811T1815Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WABASHA MN-TREMPEALEAU WI-BUFFALO WI-
1227 PM CDT THU AUG 11 2016

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 PM CDT FOR
WABASHA...NORTHERN TREMPEALEAU AND BUFFALO COUNTIES...

AT 1220 PM...WATER CONTINUES TO RISE IN PARTS OF TREMPEALEAU AND
BUFFALO COUNTIES IN WESTERN WISCONSIN. SOME ROADS HAVE REPORTEDLY 4
TO 5 FEET OF WATER OVER THEM, WITH SEVERAL HIGHWAYS CLOSED STILL.
SECONDARY ROADS ARE ALSO WASHED OUT AND IMPASSABLE.  WATER IS RISING
QUICKLY ON RIVERS AND CREEKS THAT DRAIN AWAY FROM THE RAINFALL AREA
FROM THIS MORNING AS WELL.

CONDITIONS IN WABASHA COUNTY, MINNESOTA ARE FAR BETTER. WATER HAS
RECEDED AND ROADS ARE OPEN.

IN COOPERATION WITH LOCAL OFFICIALS, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
URGES YOU NOT TO DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES AND REMAIN ALERT FOR
DAMAGED ROADS. SOME CULVERTS COULD BE WASHED OUT AND HARD TO NOTICE.
AND CERTAINLY NEVER DRIVE INTO FLOODED ROADS OR HIGH WATER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE
POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED
ROADS. FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.

&&

LAT...LON 4437 9255 4437 9243 4445 9243 4445 9224
      4441 9208 4456 9204 4460 9200 4459 9117
      4432 9117 4419 9185 4419 9208 4411 9208
      4411 9232 4420 9233 4419 9255

$$

SHEA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 11, 4:01 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryARXBuffalo, Trempealeau5 hr
Aug 11, 4:05 AM CDTFlash Flood WatchARXAdams, Buffalo, Clark, Crawford, Grant, Jackson and 7 more24 hr
Aug 11, 6:03 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementARXBuffalo, La Crosse, Trempealeau87 min
Aug 11, 6:23 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXBuffalo, Trempealeau4 hr
Aug 11, 6:45 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXClark, Taylor4 hr
Aug 11, 7:30 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementARXClark, Jackson45 min
Aug 11, 7:39 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXClark, Jackson, Trempealeau3 hr
Aug 11, 8:47 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementARXAdams, Juneau43 min
Aug 11, 9:09 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningARXBuffalo, Trempealeau5 days
Aug 11, 1:16 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXBuffalo, Trempealeau3 hr
Aug 11, 1:40 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningARXBuffalo, Trempealeau39 hr
Aug 11, 4:19 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningARXBuffalo, Trempealeau6 hr
Aug 11, 2:57 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryARXDodge, Olmsted5 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Wisconsin, 2016Flash Flood Warnings in Minnesota, 2016Every flash flood warning in 2016

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.