Runoff from several heavy rain events pushed the Mississippi River out of its banks across western Wisconsin in late May. The river went out of its banks in La Crosse (La Crosse County).
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
Runoff from several heavy rain events pushed the Mississippi River out of its banks across western Wisconsin in late May. The river went out of its banks in La Crosse (La Crosse County).
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 May 23, 2:16 PM CST, 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 316 PM CDT Tue May 23 2017 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) Issued at 315 PM CDT Tue May 23 2017 Main impactful weather concerns are on rain chances this evening into Wednesday. Focus then turns to rain chances, with the potential for a few thunderstorms, later this week into the weekend. Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms continue across the area as low pressure continues to impact the region. The low responsible for this activity will slowly move south and east late tonight into Wednesday. Surface based CAPE this afternoon has been pretty low, generally in the 100 to 200 J/kg range south of Interstate 90. A couple of very subtle boundaries to keep an eye on for potential cold air funnels. Mainly one across far southwest Wisconsin and another over central Wisconsin. Any thunderstorms that interact with this boundary may produce a few funnel clouds. This potential will quickly diminish by this evening with the loss of daytime heating. Shower chances linger into Wednesday then we will finally dry out a little by Wednesday night as high pressure edges in from the west. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) Issued at 315 PM CDT Tue May 23 2017 Thursday will be a dry day across the region, during the daytime hours anyway, as the upper level ridge moves through. Plan on pleasant weather on Thursday with highs climbing into the upper 60s to lower 70s under partly sunny skies. A couple of weak shortwaves move through the area Thursday night into Friday. At this time, the main timeframe for any showers and storms appears to be Friday morning. Flow aloft then turns zonal Friday afternoon into Friday night with a couple of weak shortwaves noted for continued low chances for showers or perhaps a couple of thunderstorms. Stronger forcing for precipitation arrives Saturday into Saturday night as a trough dives into the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Forecast models are in pretty good agreement with this idea, so plan on periodic chances for showers and some thunderstorms through the Memorial Day weekend. Plan on high temperatures in the 60s to lower 70s. Memorial day looks to be the coolest day with highs will mainly be in the 60s along with continued chances for showers an maybe a few thunderstorms. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Wednesday afternoon) Issued at 1233 PM CDT Tue May 23 2017 A deep, cold mid level low will continue to spread low clouds and moisture across the taf sites thru tonight and Wed morning. Areas with lingering VFR cigs early this afternoon will low clouds spread in and cigs lower to MVFR. Thru tonight higher elevation locations (KRST) can expect cigs to lower to IFR as abundant low level moisture and weak lift remain over the area. With the sfc-925mb winds thru tonight/Wed morning from the N and NE, vsbys generally expected to remain VFR. Sct -SHRA also expected around the taf sites thru this afternoon and much of tonight. Generally carried VCSH at the taf sites thru 07z at KRST and 13z at KLSE, vs. extended periods of -RA or -SHRA. If a -SHRA would pass across one of the airfields, a short period of MVFR vsby can be expected. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 315 PM CDT Tue May 23 2017 Minor flooding will continue along portions of the Mississippi River this week. Flooding is forecast to continue on the Trempealeau River at Dodge through Thursday. Monitor river forecasts closely if you interests along these rivers. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && SHORT TERM...Wetenkamp LONG TERM...Wetenkamp AVIATION...Rogers HYDROLOGY...Wetenkamp
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service La Crosse WI 355 AM CDT Tue May 23 2017 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061-240900- 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- 355 AM CDT Tue May 23 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast Minnesota...northeast Iowa and southwest into central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Areas of locally dense fog are possible across northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin early this morning. Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon, mainly along and south of Interstate 90. Severe weather is not expected. Some flooding will continue along portions of the Mississippi River and a few of its Wisconsin tributaries. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Thunderstorms are possible on Friday and on Sunday. It is too early to discern the severe potential for late this week. Some flooding will continue along portions of the Mississippi River and a few of its Wisconsin tributaries this week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... No action needed. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. JAM
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service La Crosse WI 1143 AM CDT Tue May 23 2017 IAZ030-WIZ043-044-054-055-061-232000- Clayton-Juneau-Adams-Crawford-Richland-Grant- Including the cities of Elkader, Mauston, Friendship, Prairie Du Chien, Richland Center, and Platteville 1143 AM CDT Tue May 23 2017 ...Funnel clouds possible this afternoon... Atmospheric conditions over parts of northeast Iowa into southwest and central Wisconsin will be favorable for the formation of short lived funnels during much of the afternoon. These funnel clouds normally do not touch the ground. As a result, they rarely do any damage and last only a few minutes. However, be on the alert this afternoon and be prepared to move to a place of safety if you see a funnel and it approaches the ground. RRS
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service La Crosse WI 229 PM CDT Tue May 23 2017 WIZ041>044-053>055-061-232200- La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau-Adams-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-Grant- Including the cities of La Crosse, Sparta, Tomah, Mauston, Friendship, Viroqua, Prairie Du Chien, Richland Center, and Platteville 229 PM CDT Tue May 23 2017 ...Funnel Clouds Possible This Afternoon... Atmospheric conditions over parts of southwest into central Wisconsin remain favorable for the formation of short lived funnels this afternoon. These funnel clouds normally do not touch the ground. As a result, they rarely do any damage and last only a few minutes. However, be on the alert this afternoon and be prepared to move to a place of safety if you see a funnel and it approaches the ground. RRS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
317 PM CDT TUE MAY 23 2017
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0818 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 ENE WEST SALEM 43.92N 91.03W
05/17/2017 LA CROSSE WI NWS STORM SURVEY
UP TO 250 TREES WERE DAMAGED OR UPROOTED. THE TREE DAMAGE
STARTED ON THE EAST END OF LAKE NESHONOC AND THEN
CONTINUED TO THE NORTHEAST FOR 2 MILES. THE GREATEST LOSS
OF TREES WERE NEAR LAKE NESHONOC. THREE FARMS WERE
AFFECTED. IT DESTROYED 1 BARN. ANOTHER BARN LOST ITS
SOUTH ROOF. THERE WAS ALSO MINOR DAMAGE TO A HOUSE AND A
GARAGE. ONE OF THE FARMERS THOUGHT THAT THEY HAD LOST
THEIR CHICKENS, BUT THEY WERE FOUND ROOSTED IN A PINE
TREE AN HOUR LATER. THE STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS WAS ESTIMATED
TO BE 6
&&
BOYNEThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Runoff from several heavy rain events pushed the Mississippi River out of its banks in La Crosse. The river crested almost a half foot above the flood stage at 12.42 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, May 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: 702317.