Alert archive / Wisconsin / River Flood Warnings in 2026
River Flood Warning 8, NWS Milwaukee, WI
NWS Milwaukee, WI issued this river flood warning at Apr 4, 2026, 10:52 AM CDT for Columbia County, Sauk County, Wisconsin. It took effect at Apr 5, 2026, 7:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 16 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Apr 4, 2026, 10:52 AM CDT (15:52 UTC)
- In effect from
- Apr 5, 2026, 7:00 PM CDT
- Expired
- Apr 6, 2026, 10:34 AM CDT
- In force
- 16 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Milwaukee, WI
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- Minor
Counties Columbia County, WI, Sauk County, WI
The radar
The Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 103 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:55 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 river
Written for the forecast point Baraboo River near Baraboo (BABW3).
- Action stage
- 14 ft
- Minor stage
- 16 ft
- Moderate stage
- 22 ft
- Major stage
- 23.1 ft
This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests
Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 05405000, one reading an hour, from a day before the product to a day after it ended. Flood stages are today's.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this river flood warning 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 river flood warning went out at Apr 4, 6:41 AM CDT, 4 hours 11 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Light rain and drizzle lingering this morning will give way to brisk west winds this afternoon with a few rain showers developing toward evening.
- Seasonal temps and dry weather Sunday into early next week.
- Return to an active pattern Tuesday night through the weekend, with chances for rain and storms developing on and off through the week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 4, 6:41 AM CDT, 4 hours 11 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
641 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Light rain and drizzle lingering this morning will give way
to brisk west winds this afternoon with a few rain showers
developing toward evening.
- Seasonal temps and dry weather Sunday into early next week.
- Return to an active pattern Tuesday night through the weekend,
with chances for rain and storms developing on and off through
the week.
&&
.UPDATE...
Issued 641 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026
The widespread rain moved out of southern WI early this morning,
although a few light showers and drizzle are lingering. Winds
are still easterly but are easing, and temperatures are actually
warming a little. Expect a wind shift to the west by noon, with
gusty winds developing this afternoon. A few showers are
possible from late afternoon into mid evening as the wrap-around
region of the system tracks through central WI.
Several rivers are rising into minor flood stage due to the
recent rain. We have a period of quieter weather from today
through Monday night.
Cronce
&&
.SHORT TERM...
Issued 1230 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026
Today through Sunday night:
Severe thunderstorm threat has diminished greatly over the last
few hours, with mid-level instability too strongly undercut by the
cold airmass at the surfaces. MUCAPE gradient is leaning into Lake
Michigan as the parent low propagates into southern Wisconsin
this morning, so any lingering threat remains tied to long-
duration rain and storms. Expecting up to an additional inch of
rain in many areas, which is expected to lead to local ponding of
water and rising rivers.
Temperatures in the mid-30s have been observed across all of
southern Wisconsin for the last several hours, and although
expectations remain for temperatures to remain above freezing,
cannot rule out a localized lower elevation area seeing
temperatures fall to freezing for a few hours early this morning
and allowing for patchy freezing rain. This is especially true for
Marquette, Green Lake, Fond du Lac, and Sheboygan Counties, but
could dip down into the Dodge/Washington County areas as well. Not
anticipating widespread impacts. Temperatures will rise into the
upper 30s and low 40s just before sunrise as low pressure
propagates through the region, bringing a wave of warmer surface
air with it. This will bring an end to any freezing rain concerns.
Overcast skies continue throughout the day, with high temperatures
in the upper 40s to low 50s and breezy westerly winds around 25
mph. During the afternoon hours, wrap-around showers and sprinkles
may develop across southern Wisconsin (~15% chance, isolated to
scattered coverage). A few flurries may develop overnight as
temperatures fall to just below freezing. All precipitation ends
by Sunday morning.
Highs around 50 degrees expected Sunday, before 500 mb shortwave
works its way southeastward through Wisconsin Sunday evening
through Sunday night, bringing isolated to scattered rain showers
to the region (15-30% chances). A few snowflakes could mix in at
times, with temperatures in the low to mid-30s Sunday night as
Canadian high pressure builds into the region.
MH
&&
.LONG TERM...
Issued 1230 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026
Monday through Saturday:
The aforementioned 500 mb shortwave looks to phase with the
lingering remnants of a cold front draped across the Ohio Valley,
allowing the shortwave to deepen a surface through and bring in
additional precipitation on Monday. Current expectation is that
the majority of this precipitation will be confined to northern
and central Wisconsin as high pressure builds into the Upper
Mississippi Valley and presses moisture northward, but cannot
rule out a few showers (~15% chances) in southern Wisconsin on
Monday.
High pressure then dominates Monday night through Tuesday, before
quickly moving eastward in advance of a low pressure system
propagating through southern Canada Tuesday night through
Wednesday. Chances for precipitation return with this system as
warm frontogenesis develops over Wisconsin Tuesday night, although
confidence in coverage is not high at this time (keeping NBM PoPs
around 20-40%). Temperatures in the warm sector on Wednesday will
rise into the mid 60s away from Lake Michigan. Overnight
Wednesday, a weakened cold front from this system looks to push
southeastward through the Upper Midwest, but looks to stall as the
low continues its eastward progression and weakens while low
pressure develops in the Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Models
diverge with solutions for this low, some tracking it rapidly
through the Upper Midwest, while others have it deepening and
tracking southward. An active pattern remains in play through
Saturday.
MH
&&
.AVIATION...
Issued 641 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026
The widespread rain moved out of southern WI early this morning,
although a few light showers and drizzle are lingering. A period
of IFR ceilings (with some LIFR) will persist until late morning
when the winds shift. Winds are still easterly but are easing,
and temperatures are actually warming a little. Expect a wind
shift to the west by noon, with gusty winds developing this
afternoon. A few showers are possible from late afternoon into
mid evening as the wrap- around region of the system tracks
through central WI. Ceilings are expected to lift to MVFR this
afternoon, with the potential for brief VFR, before returning to
MVFR tonight.
Cronce
&&
.MARINE...
Issued 1230 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026
Northeasterly winds will continue to gust near 30 kt into the
early morning hours, with a few gales expected in the far
northern portions of the lake. Winds will gradually veer through
the day Saturday as low pressure around 29.6 inches crosses the
northern portions of the lake. Thunderstorms will continue across
the southern half of the lake through the early morning hours,
with lightning as the main threat. Thunderstorms will end into the
mid-morning hours as low pressure exits into Ontario and deepens
to 29.3 inches. Expect winds to become westerly and gust again
around 30 kt through tonight as this low deepens.
Winds veer northwesterly and gradually diminish Sunday as low
pressure exits into northern Quebec. A weak low around 30.0 inches
in southern Quebec will bring gusty conditions again Sunday night
into Monday morning, with winds remaining northwesterly. As low
pressure exits into Monday night, expect a few gales to develop
and winds to shift northerly. High pressure builds into the Upper
Midwest into Tuesday, with winds becoming light and variable.
Winds shift back to southerly as low pressure develops in the
northern Plains into Wednesday.
MH
&&
.MKX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
LM...Small Craft Advisory...LMZ643-LMZ644-LMZ645-LMZ646 until 1 PM
Sunday.
&&
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www.youtube.com/NWSMilwaukeeHazardous weather outlook, Apr 4, 6:45 AM CDT, 4 hours 7 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI 645 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026 WIZ046-047-051-052-056>060-062>072-051145- Marquette-Green Lake-Fond du Lac-Sheboygan-Sauk-Columbia-Dodge- Washington-Ozaukee-Iowa-Dane-Jefferson-Waukesha-Milwaukee- Lafayette-Green-Rock-Walworth-Racine-Kenosha- 645 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of east central Wisconsin, south central Wisconsin and southeast Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Several rivers are rising into minor flood stage due to the recent rain. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. LMZ643>646-051145- Sheboygan to Port Washington WI- Port Washington to North Point Light WI- North Point Light to Wind Point WI- Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL- 645 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the nearshore waters from Sheboygan Wisconsin to Winthrop Harbor Illinois. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Small Craft Advisory is in effect for gusty winds and high waves. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday The Small Craft Advisory continues into midday Sunday for gusty winds and high waves. Winds and waves may reach Small Craft Advisory levels again Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning. Additional periods of Small Craft Advisory conditions are expected during the middle to late portions of next week. LMZ080-261-362-364-366-563-565-567-669-671-673-675-777-779-868- 870-872-874-876-878-051145- Lake Michigan Michigan City IN to St. Joseph MI 5 NM offshore to mid-line of lake.- Lake Michigan from Seul Choix Point to Rock Island Passage 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan South of a line from Seul Choix Point to the Mackinac Bridge and North of a line from Charlevoix MI to South Fox Island 5NM offshore- Lake Michigan from Charlevoix to Point Betsie MI 5NM Offshore to mid lake- Lake Michigan from Point Betsie to Manistee MI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Rock Island Passage to Sturgeon Bay WI 5NM offshore to mid lake- Lake Michigan from Sturgeon Bay to Two Rivers WI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Two Rivers to Sheboygan WI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Sheboygan to Port Washington WI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Port Washington to North Point Light WI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from North Point Light to Wind Point WI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Wind Point WI to Winthrop Harbor IL 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Wilmette Harbor to Michigan City in 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Pentwater to Manistee MI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Whitehall to Pentwater MI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Grand Haven to Whitehall MI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from Holland to Grand Haven MI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- Lake Michigan from South Haven to Holland MI 5NM offshore to Mid lake- Lake Michigan from St Joseph to South Haven MI 5NM offshore to Mid Lake- 645 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the open waters of Lake Michigan. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Easterly winds may approach gale force over far northern Lake Michigan early this morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Gales are possible toward the middle of next week. MRC www.weather.gov/mkx
In the hours before
Local storm report, Apr 4, 9:44 AM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
944 AM CDT Sat Apr 4 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0641 PM Hail 2 W Whitewater 42.84N 88.77W
04/02/2026 M2.00 Inch Walworth WI Broadcast Media
&&
AKThe office that day
Everything else NWS Milwaukee, WI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 8:43 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MKX | Walworth | 32 min |
| Apr 3, 8:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MKX | Racine, Walworth | 32 min |
| Apr 3, 9:15 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MKX | Jefferson, Waukesha | 45 min |
| Apr 3, 9:23 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MKX | Milwaukee | 37 min |
| Apr 3, 9:48 PM CDT | River Flood Watch | MKX | Sauk | 13 hr |
| Apr 3, 9:48 PM CDT | River Flood Watch | MKX | Sauk | 13 hr |
| Apr 3, 9:48 PM CDT | River Flood Watch | MKX | Columbia, Sauk | 13 hr |
| Apr 3, 9:54 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MKX | Milwaukee | 36 min |
| Apr 4, 4:49 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | MKX | Milwaukee | 11 hr |
| Apr 4, 6:47 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | MKX | Milwaukee | 4 hr |
| Apr 4, 10:45 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | MKX | Sauk | 48 hr |
| Apr 4, 10:48 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | MKX | Sauk | 4 days |
Nearby
River Flood Warnings in Wisconsin, 2026Every river flood warning in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.