Wisconsin Weather: Labor Day Storms, More Flooding Likely

WISCONSIN -- The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for southeastern Wisconsin for Friday evening, and a flash flood warning for this weekend as heavy rains are forecast to move in for the Labor Day weekend.

According to the National Weather Service, there is a slight risk for severe weather in southwest Wisconsin Friday night and a marginal risk for the rest of southern Wisconsin with damaging winds and large hail as the main hazards.

Also, a Flash Flood Watch goes into effect this evening and overnight for Sauk, Columbia, Marquette, Green Lake, Fond du Lac, Dodge, Washington, Ozaukee, Sheboygan counties. Heavy rainfall on top of already saturated grounds could lead to new flash flooding in these areas.

The National Weather Service is reporting that record river flooding will continue on the Baraboo River in Sauk County. Also, high water levels causing dam gate releases will continue to cause areas of flooding in parts of downtown Madison and new areas of flooding in Montello in Marquette county.

There is a moderate swim risk today for Sheboygan and Ozaukee counties.

Tornadoes Rip Through Wisconsin

The National Weather Service has confirmed an outbreak Tuesday of 16 tornadoes in east central Wisconsin on Tuesday evening. Several trees were uprooted and buildings were damaged. No injuries were reported. Here are all of the reported tornadoes that have been confirmed:

Calumet County and Manitowoc County
An EF-1 tornado touched down Tuesday north of Kiel near the Calumet and Manitowoc County lines, with peak winds reaching 90 mph. The tornado’s path was almost a mile long. A barn was destroyed and several trees were damaged and uprooted.

Dodge County
An EF-2 tornado touched down west of Brownsville and traveled almost four miles, crossing the Dodge and Fond du Lac County lines. Peak winds reached 125 mph.

An EF-1 tornado touched down in Brownsville, located in northeast Dodge County. Peak winds reached 107 mph and the tornado traveled more than 2.5 miles.

Fond du Lac County
An EF-1 tornado touched down in the town of Alto. With winds reaching 100 mph, it traveled a little more than a mile. Several trees were uprooted, with damage to some houses, large farm buildings and sheds.
An EF-1 tornado touched down northeast of Waupun and traveled 4.5 miles. It had wind speeds of 94 mph and ended in Oakfield.
An EF-0 tornado touched down south of Oakfield. Peak winds were 80 mph. Two large farm buildings sustained roof damage and trees were uprooted.
An EF-1 tornado touched down west of South Byron. Peak winds reached 100 mph. The tornado traveled just under a mile.
An EF-1 tornado touched down in South Byron. Peak winds reached 94 mph. It traveled 0.15 miles.
An EF-1 tornado touched down east of South Byron, with peak winds reaching 90 mph. It traveled 3 miles, ending southwest of Eden.
An EF-1 tornado touched down near Eden and traveled 4.5 miles with 90 mph winds.
An EF-0 tornado touched down in Dundee with 80 mph winds. It traveled 0.04 miles.

Green Lake County
An EF-1 tornado touched down west of the Village of Marquette. With winds reaching 90 mph, it was on the ground for 3.22 miles.
An EF-0 tornado touched down northwest of Markesan. With wind of 80 miles an hour, it had a path of about 2 miles.

Marquette County
An EF-1 tornado touched down south of Oxford.
An EF-1 tornado touched down northwest of Markesan.

Watch as a stormchaser drives by and records two tornadoes forming in the Town of Lagoda on Tuesday.

Labor Day Weekend Forecast

From the National Weather Service

Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms, mainly between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m., the NWS is predicting. Some of the storms could produce heavy rain. Low around 68. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Saturday
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 7 a.m. according to the NWS. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Saturday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1 a.m. according to the NWS. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 81. South wind around 5 mph.

Sunday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Labor Day
A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 80. South wind around 5 mph.

Monday Night
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

State of Emergency

An 11-year-old boy playing in floodwaters was quickly swept away and, if not for a sharp-eyed firefighter, might have been lost to a wicked thunderstorm front that pounded the southern half of Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota Tuesday night.

The boy and some of his friends were playing in a flooded drainage ditch in the Village of Harrison about 6 p.m. after the rain had passed and disappeared under water. The water was rushing so fast a grown adult man would have been sucked into the culvert that leads to the storm sewer, a Harrison rescue official said.

A bystander told of unsuccessfully trying to hold onto the boy to prevent him from being sucked into the culvert, leading to a scramble to find storm sewer maps to figure out where the water might carry him. Harrison Deputy Fire Chief Wesley Pompa and Road Superintendent Bob Kesler were poring over maps from about 30 feet away when Pompa saw the boy's finger pop through the cover.

He was lucky. He found a pocket of air just beneath the manhole cover and clung to the ladder. Poma and Kesler popped the cover off and lifted him to safety.

"He was hollering and talking to us and he was able to reach up for us," Pompa told the Associated Press.

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