Dangerous Flooding, Severe Storms Threaten the Upper Midwest

September 21,2016
Dangerous flash flooding is a concern across the Upper Midwest into late week, along with the risk for a few strong to severe thunderstorms.
The National Weather Service has posted a flash flood watch for parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Iowa through Thursday.
A flash flood emergency was issued for Floyd County, Iowa, Wednesday evening after 5 to 9 inches of rain inundated the county.
Wednesday evening, additional heavy rain set up from eastern Minnesota into Wisconsin, including Minneapolis, St. Paul and Eau Claire, Wisconsin, causing many area roadways to become impossible due to several inches of standing water.

Heavy rain early Wednesday morning triggered at a mudslide over the southbound lanes of U.S. 61 between Winona, Minnesota, and La Crosse, Wisconsin. This is an area that has been repeatedly soaked by clusters of heavy rain in the last few weeks.
(MORE: Monday's Severe Weather Unleashes Damaging Hail)

Current Radar with Watches and Warnings

(MORE: View National Interactive Radar Map | Difference Between a Watch and a Warning)
Below is our latest forecast thinking on the timing and magnitude of the threats.

Forecast

Through Wednesday Night

• Forecast: Clusters of severe thunderstorms will erupt in portions of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and perhaps eastern South Dakota. Significant flash flooding could also develop in parts of those states, particularly in southern Minnesota, southwest Wisconsin and northern Iowa.
• Threats: Damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding are the main concerns.
• Cities: Minneapolis | Madison, Wisconsin | Mason City, Iowa

Thunderstorm Forecast Through Wednesday Night

Additional clusters of thunderstorms may again roll across parts of this same region Thursday into early Friday, potentially leading to more flooding rainfall across the saturated Upper Mississippi Valley.
Where any thunderstorms train, or continuously redevelop over the same area, an additional 3 to 5 inches of rain is possible into Friday, on top of what has already fallen.

Forecast Rainfall Through Friday

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