Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, September 15, 1994

Thunderstorms producing torrential downpours developed over western and north-central parts of Wisconsin during the early morning on the 14th, again later in the evening and continued into the early morning hours of the 15th. Four day rainfall totals, from the 12th to the 16th, reached in excess of six inches. The highest rainfall reported was 13.10 inches near Phillips (Price County). The runoff from the four days of rain, drained into the Flambeau and Chippewa Rivers. The Flambeau River crested near Bruce (Rusk County) at 12.42 Feet on the morning of the 16th. The Chippewa River at Bruce (Rusk County) crested at 18.12 feet on the evening of the 17th. Flood stage is 12 feet. The Chippewa River crested during the evening of the 17th at Chippewa Falls (Chippewa County) at a level of 17.38 feet and flood stage is 16 feet. Several county highways were flooded across Rusk County, Chippewa County, and Eau Claire County as the rivers rose. A small portion of the University of Wisconsin Campus at Eau Claire was flooded due to the high water along the Chippewa River. On the 14th...minor flooding took place along the Trempealeau River. Several roads, including Highways 93 and 95 near Arcadia and Blair were closed through the 15th. Also, a dike near Arcadia was breached in a couple of places, but did not break. Lowland and agricultural flooding continued downstream at Dodge through the end of the week. In Trempealeau County rainfall totals of four to six inches were common along with isolated amounts of seven to eight inches. Flash flooding occurred on Tappen Coulee Creek near Blair forcing the closure of Highway 95 where two feet of water covered the road. On the 15th...severe thunderstorms uprooting trees and power lines and causing minor property damage occurred over western Wisconsin. In addition heavy rain flooded numerous basements and several roadways over northwest Wisconsin. A small dam on Glen Denning Creek near Danbury (Burnett County) gave way washing out a bridge on Highway 35. Traffic was rerouted for a month.