Lakeshore Flood — Kenosha, Wisconsin

2020-01-11 · Kenosha, Wisconsin

Event narrative

Near record high Lake Michigan water levels along with strong winds and resultant high waves peaking at 10 to 15 feet caused considerable erosion and lakeshore flood damage along the Kenosha County lakeshore.

Some of the damage in the county included:

Kemper Center County Park in Kenosha was severely damaged along the Lake Michigan shoreline due to high winds and waves. One thousand, five hundred feet of shoreline was damaged. Severe destruction occurred where voids in the shoreline were created, causing displaced rock and earth material.

The Kenosha shoreline between 71st Street and 76th Street was damaged. A sinkhole developed and caused the shoreline to collapse in two locations. Damage also occurred on the Kenosha Harbor walls and promenade due to high waves of at least 10 feet. Lakeshore flooding also closed Kenosha streets including First Avenue, 50th Street, Fourth Avenue and 45th street.

The Village of Pleasant Prairie sustained lakeshore damage on Lake Shore Drive between 107th St and 113th Street, to about 1300 feet of shoreline. A stream outlet just north of 110th St. was buried by lakeshore flooding and erosion, which resulted in flooding on upstream properties A 15-inch corrugated metal culvert end section required emergency excavation to alleviate the flooding. Damage was also done at the South Beach area, Chiwaukee Beach and Prairie Shores Beach.

Lakeshore erosion also caused a Pleasant Prairie home to teeter on the edge of bluff overlooking Lake Michigan.

Wider weather episode

Strong low pressure passing by to the southeast resulted in an extended period of strong north to northeast winds along the Lake Michigan shoreline of southeast and east central Wisconsin. Wind gusts at Milwaukee Mitchell Field gusted 40 to 50 knots at time from 9 pm CST the evening of January 10 through 3 pm CST the afternoon of January 11. The persistent strong onshore winds combined with near record high Lake Michigan water levels produce severe lakeshore flooding and erosion at the Port of Milwaukee as well as at spots all along Lake Michigan from Kenosha to Sheboygan. Wave heights were estimated to be in the 10 to 18 foot range at the height of the event the morning of January 11th.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 867104. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.