Flash Flood — Monroe, Wisconsin

2017-07-20 · near Warrens, Monroe, Wisconsin

Event narrative

Heavy rains, with totals of 6 to 8 inches, produced flash flooding across the western and central sections of Monroe County. A mudslide occurred between Sparta and Tomah in the Jackson Pass area that blocked State Highway 16. In Sparta, water spilled over the dam at Perch Lake prompting officials to advise people who lived downstream along the La Crosse River to evacuate, including a trailer park and water went over several roads. Around 10 roads across the county were closed because of the flooding.

Wider weather episode

After a round of severe thunderstorms moved across western Wisconsin, a second round of thunderstorms developed over much of the same area during the late evening of July 19th into the early morning of the 20th. These storms produced torrential rains with rainfall totals of 6 to 8 inches common from northern Buffalo County southeast into Richland and Grant Counties. Arcadia (Trempealeau County) was hit the hardest as all roads into town were closed and water rescues had to be performed. Residents of the town of Greenfield (La Crosse County) had to be evacuated from flood waters along Mormon Creek. Some of these evacuations had to be made using a boat. A mudslide covered part of State Highway 37 north of Alma (Buffalo County), flood waters from the Kickapoo River closed State Highways 33 and 131 in Ontario (Vernon County) and flood waters from the Pine River closed State Highway 80 north of Richland Center (Richland County). The Governor of Wisconsin declared a state of emergency for Buffalo, Crawford, Grant, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau and Vernon Counties. A federal disaster declaration was made for Buffalo, Crawford, Grant, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Trempealeau and Vernon Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (44.1595, -90.5925)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 711037. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.