Wisconsin, 1996

Flood in Wisconsin, June 17 to 18, 1996

June 17 to 18, 1996 · NWS MKX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Three-day rainfalls of 3 inches in southern Milwaukee county to over 7 inches in the northern parts on top of a saturated ground resulted in widespread flooding of mainsteam rivers, streams, and creeks. Many roads, basements, businesses, and golf courses were flooded, especially in low lands near waterways.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$75,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MKX wrote it up.

Three-day rainfalls of 3 inches in southern Milwaukee county to over 7 inches in the northern parts on top of a saturated ground resulted in widespread flooding of mainsteam rivers, streams, and creeks. Many roads, basements, businesses, and golf courses were flooded, especially in low lands near waterways. Two roads in the city of Oak Creek were closed as several cars stalled in the high water. Concrete headwall washouts were noted on Oak creek in the city of Oak Creek, and on Beaver creek in the city of Brown Deer. Luckily, the forecasted all-time river crests never materialized on the Milwaukee river. Nonetheless, the Milwaukee river did exceed flood stage by 1 to 2 feet in the northern part of the county.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Milwaukee

When
June 17, 7:00 PM CST to June 18, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Milwaukee forecast zone
Property damage
$75,000
Coordinates
43.022, -87.929 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Wisconsin in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, June 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5566549.