Two rounds of moderate to heavy rains in the middle of April produced some river flooding across western and central Wisconsin. Flooding was observed along the Trempealeau, Black and Yellow Rivers.
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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.
The episode as NWS ARX wrote it up.
Two rounds of moderate to heavy rains in the middle of April produced some river flooding across western and central Wisconsin. Flooding was observed along the Trempealeau, Black and Yellow Rivers.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 17, 1:51 PM CST, 54 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 251 PM CDT Mon Apr 17 2017 .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Tuesday night) Issued at 251 PM CDT Mon Apr 17 2017 Weak mid-level trough and associated altocumulus clouds exiting east of the area this afternoon. Otherwise relatively quiet across the area with temperatures ranging from the lower 50s across north central WI to near 70 degrees across northeast IA into southwest WI. Looking mostly clear going into this evening, but then expecting a general increase in mid-level clouds after midnight. This will be in response to increasing warm air advection and isentropic upglide after midnight in advance of a fairly vigorous mid-level trough/surface low moving through the Dakotas. Look for overnight lows in the upper 30s across central WI to the mid/upper 40s along and west of the Mississippi River. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected to accompany the low and cold front making passage through the area Tuesday. Highest rain coverage expected through the morning hours and north of I-94 in better moisture transport plume. A general decrease in coverage expected through the afternoon with waning moisture transport and passage of the front. Also kept isolated thunder mention confined mainly along and south of I-94 where the NAM is showing elevated/2-7km narrow CAPE axis in the 100-300J/Kg range. Otherwise, looks like a mostly cloudy but mild day with highs topping off in the upper 50 to the upper 60s. The cold front is expected to slip just south of the area then become nearly stationary across northern IL into central IA Tuesday night as high pressure builds south into WI. This is expected to push bulk of rain out of the area with mostly dry condition after midnight. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Monday) Issued at 251 PM CDT Mon Apr 17 2017 Wednesday into Wednesday night bears watching for flooding potential. A wave of low pressure is expected to ripple northeast along the stalled frontal boundary in place across central IA into northern IL for a resurgence of showers and thunderstorms. Strong moisture transport impinges into and over the frontal boundary. With good gulf tap available, models producing precipitable water values of 1-1.5 inches into the area, mainly south of I-94. Models all in pretty good agreement on this scenario. As such, a good possibility exists that the showers/storms will be efficient rain-makers with heavy rainfall. Storms across our area appear to be elevated in nature according to model soundings and a few could have the possibility of some large hail south of I-90. Shower chances continue into Thursday with lingering cyclonic flow aloft. Otherwise, cooler temperatures are expected with highs in the upper 40s to the middle 50s. Thursday night through Friday looks dry as a ridge of high pressure drifts across our area. For Friday night into Saturday, a closed mid-level low passing just to our south puts us in general default ridging. this is expected to result in dry conditions with highs slightly cooler than normal in the 50s/near 60. Far southwest WI/northeast IA could get clipped with some showers associated with the low Saturday night into Sunday per the Canadian model. Latest GFS/ECMWF are dry. Will carry slight chance showers to cover this for now. Monday looks dry as a ridge f high pressure builds back into the region. Looks like near normal temperatures otherwise. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Tuesday afternoon) Issued at 1235 PM CDT Mon Apr 17 2017 VFR conditions expected through much if not all of this period. Light north or northwest winds near or under 10 kts will continue through the afternoon. Winds will then gradually become southeasterly overnight ahead of an approaching cold front. By Tuesday morning south to southeast winds will increase, with gusts of 20 to 30 kts expected, highest at KRST. VFR ceilings will gradually lower on Tuesday morning with showers/isolated thunder expected to increase ahead of the frontal passage late in the period. Some MVFR ceilings/visibilities are not out of the question with the frontal passage/showers. Otherwise, as a low- level jet increases tonight, LLWS may be a concern, but confidence too low to mention in the TAFs right now. && .HYDROLOGY...Wednesday and Wednesday night Issued at 251 PM CDT Mon Apr 17 2017 There is the potential for widespread 1 to locally 3 inches of rainfall across parts of the area Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night. At this time, models are showing the focus of the heavy rainfall being south of I-94. Due to recent locally heavy rains this past Friday night, runoff of this forecast rainfall raises some river flooding concerns. As details become clearer and if confidence increases on the placement of the heavy rain threat, hydrology headlines may be needed. Continue to monitor forecasts closely. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && SHORT TERM...DAS LONG TERM....DAS AVIATION.....JM HYDROLOGY....DAS
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service La Crosse WI 313 PM CDT Mon Apr 17 2017 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061-181100- Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette- Clayton-Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston- Taylor-Clark-Buffalo-Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau- Adams-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-Grant- 313 PM CDT Mon Apr 17 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday Isolated thunderstorms are possible Tuesday into Tuesday evening. Severe weather is not expected at this time. Thunderstorms and locally heavy rainfall are possible Wednesday afternoon into Wednesday night, mainly along and south of Interstate 94. The rainfall may result in rises on area rivers with some flooding possible. Some localized flash flooding is also possible given saturated soils from recent heavy rainfall. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... No action needed. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. RRS/Rogers/DAS
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Runoff from heavy rains pushed the Trempealeau River out of its banks in Dodge. The river crested less than a quarter of an inch above the flood stage at 9.16 feet.
Runoff from heavy rains briefly pushed the Yellow River out of its banks in Necedah on April 19th. The river crested just a few hundredths of a foot above the flood stage at 15.08 feet. Just a few days later, the river went out of its banks again from the afternoon of April 22nd into the evening of April 24th. This time the river crested around a foot and a half above the flood stage at 16.64 feet.
Runoff from heavy rains pushed the Black River out of its banks in Black River Falls. The river crested almost 3 feet above the flood stage at 49.73 feet.
Runoff from heavy rains pushed the Trempealeau River out of its banks in Dodge for the second time in less than a week. The river crested less than a foot above the flood stage at 9.82 feet.
Runoff from heavy rains pushed the Black River out of its banks near Galesville. The river crested less than 2 feet above the flood stage at 16.64 feet.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, April 2017
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: 691170, 691443, 691441, 691438, 691442.