Wisconsin, 1996

Flood in Wisconsin, May 19 to 20, 1996

May 19 to 20, 1996 · NWS MKX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

A steady, but occasionally heavy, rain affect most of Kenosha county and resulted in widespread flooding. Two to 3 inches of rain fell on top of a previously saturated ground.

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.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
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.

A steady, but occasionally heavy, rain affect most of Kenosha county and resulted in widespread flooding. Two to 3 inches of rain fell on top of a previously saturated ground. Numerous roads had water over them, and there were numerous washouts of roadside ditches, culverts, and shoulders. The area around and in the villages of Paris and Somers was hard hit. A 15-foot section of a road shoulder collapsed on Highway D south of Highway N, or 3SE of Paris. In some locations near these villages had 5 to 6 feet of water covering low road spots. In the city of Kenosha the rain officially totaled 2.57 inches. Throughout the county there were numerous reports of water in basements, and sewers backing up. Unofficially there were reports of 4 inch rain totals.

The radar

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

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Event by event

1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Kenosha

When
May 19, 11:00 PM CST to May 20, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Kenosha forecast zone
Coordinates
42.573, -87.840 (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, May 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: 5553156.