A strong spring storm in the middle of April provided over 20 of snow on a deeper than average snowpack in central to northern Wisconsin, quickly followed by anomalously warm temperatures and rapid melting. 93 ft above flood stage.
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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.
A strong spring storm in the middle of April provided over 20 of snow on a deeper than average snowpack in central to northern Wisconsin, quickly followed by anomalously warm temperatures and rapid melting. The Yellow River at Necedah slowly rose and crested at 15.93 ft during the afternoon of April 22nd, which is 0.93 ft above flood stage. Lesser crests of 15.14 ft, 15.52 ft, and 15.66 ft were recorded on April 21st, April 23rd, and April 24th, respectively. The combination of this strong spring storm and subsequent flooding impacts resulted in the Governor of Wisconsin declaring of State of Emergency on April 16th.
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 21, 1:24 PM CST, 1 hour 36 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 224 PM CDT Fri Apr 21 2023 .DISCUSSION...(This evening through Friday) Issued at 224 PM CDT Fri Apr 21 2023 Key Messages: - Passing showers for some again on Saturday with cool conditions settling into the region through the weekend. - Quiet weather is anticipated for most through the new work week. Near to below seasonable conditions are anticipated for the next several days with a slight warming trend towards the end of the week. Rest of today through Saturday night... Primary forecast detail today and tomorrow will be passing rain/snow showers. Evident early this afternoon in southeast Minnesota, upstream into the Northern Plains. The upper level trough evident in satellite water vapor imagery over the Arrowhead of Minnesota. Surface frontal/convergence zone evident on automated observations from north-central Wisconsin across southern Minnesota. High resolution model soundings (RAP/HRRR 21.15/18Z) show slight instability through tomorrow with the ongoing lower level cold air advection. Low level lapse rates are expected to be greater than 7 C/km for much of the afternoon and evening, continuing and perpetuating the snow/rain shower chances. While I have veered further towards more snow than rain, diurnal influences may result in more rain being mixed in. Within the thicker stratus over central Minnesota, temperatures have struggled to increase into the late morning. Will need to be closely tracked over the next couple hours. If April sun angle can exert more influence than thick stratus can inhibit temperatures in the mid 30s, more rain will need to be introduced into the forecast. Similar conditions expected for tonight and tomorrow, primarily in central to eastern Wisconsin. Have kept 50% pops for west-central Wisconsin overnight with high resolution soundings keeping slight instability. However, limited confidence given overnight diurnal cooling. Tomorrow, the upper level trough farther east results in northwest flow and continual cold air advection. Again, high resolution soundings and ensemble guidance suggest scattered to numerous snow/rain showers as previously mentioned. Increase in low level lapse rates and instability with daytime warming expected for much of the day. Have increased PoPs over all given guidance given quasi-persistent pattern in place. Next week... High pressure settling into the region will bring a break of any widespread accumulating precipitation chances for the start of the new work week. Northwesterly flow will dominate aloft as an upper level low holds over southern Ontario through mid week. A lobe of shortwave energy rotating around the mid to upper level system does introduce some low end rainfall chances (<30%) for portions of northeast Iowa translating eastward into far southern Wisconsin Monday night. There are still some disagreements among the model guidance on how the upper flow pattern will exactly evolve with any incoming shortwave troughs and associated precipitation chances, so will continue with the blended model guidance. After mid week, a short wave trough is anticipated to slide through the southern CONUS keeping the highest chances for accumulating precipitation south of the region. Otherwise, will be keeping an eye on the next best chances for widespread precipitation across the local region at the end of the week. Confidence has increased from the previous forecast of 20-40% to now 30-50%. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Saturday afternoon) Issued at 1220 PM CDT Fri Apr 21 2023 A trough is pivoting across the area today, with cold air advection behind it. This is resulting in scattered to numerous mixed precipitation showers. Passing rain or snow showers may temporarily reduce visbys at both KRST and KLSE this afternoon and evening. However ,have not introduced visby restrictions at either TAF site for 18Z issuance with limited spatial continuity and confidence. Otherwise, VFR conditions expected for much of the TAF period before MVFR-IFR cigs return late tonight. Similar showers expected for tomorrow with limited change in the pattern. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 224 PM CDT Fri Apr 21 2023 The latest forecasts for the mainstem Mississippi River are nearly similar to last evening's forecast update regarding timing and magnitude of the crest. Will note that for locations south of L&D 9 where the Wisconsin River flows into the Mississippi River and just downstream, similar levels are still anticipated. However, these levels been delayed another 6-24 hours compared to the previous forecast. Regarding the meteorological conditions, there is little to no accumulating widespread precipitation anticipated over the next several days. The river forecasts will be refined as details become clearer on how the water continues to route downstream. Looking at the end of the week, accumulating precipitation chances return. With the preceding drying days, this precipitation is not anticipated to amplify the flood crests, but rather prolong the flooding then delaying the water recession. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && DISCUSSION...Peters/JAR AVIATION...JAR HYDROLOGY...Peters
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service La Crosse WI 500 AM CDT Fri Apr 21 2023 IAZ011-030-MNZ079-088-096-WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-053>055-061- 221100- Allamakee-Clayton-Wabasha-Winona-Houston-Taylor-Clark-Buffalo- Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse-Monroe-Juneau-Adams-Vernon-Crawford- Richland-Grant- 500 AM CDT Fri Apr 21 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Iowa...southeast Minnesota...and southwest into central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Flooding is occurring along the Mississippi River and some of its Wisconsin tributaries. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Flooding will continue along the Mississippi River for several weeks. The flooding on some of its Wisconsin tributaries will persist into early next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... No action needed. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. IAZ008>010-018-019-029-MNZ086-087-094-095-221100- Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-Dodge-Olmsted- Mower-Fillmore- 500 AM CDT Fri Apr 21 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... No action needed. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. Rieck
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Yellow River at Necedah crested at 15.93 ft on April 22nd, which is 0.93 ft above flood stage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, April 2023
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: 1096449.