Aug 11, 09:13 PM

Record Rain Swells Milwaukee Rivers, Cuts Power to Thousands

The Milwaukee metropolitan area began assessing damage and clearing debris on Monday after an exceptionally intense storm dumped more than 14 inches of rain in less than 24 hours in parts of north-western Milwaukee County, an amount that would set a Wisconsin precipitation record once verified. The National Weather Service (NWS) said the official two-day total at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport reached 6.91 inches, the airport’s second-highest reading on record, while Saturday’s 5.74-inch single-day figure was the facility’s second-largest. The deluge pushed the Kinnickinnic, Milwaukee, Menominee and Root rivers to their highest stages since records began, with the Milwaukee River cresting more than four feet above flood level. Flash flooding submerged vehicles, inundated basements and toppled power lines, leaving about 2,000 to 3,000 homes without electricity on Monday afternoon. Firefighters responded to more than 600 calls for water rescues, gas leaks and electrical hazards; one teenager swept away by the Root River was pulled to safety with no injuries reported. Although no fatalities had been reported, the flooding forced the cancellation of the final day of the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis and the USA Triathlon Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships downtown, events that had been expected to draw thousands of visitors. Milwaukee Public Works officials said road closures were becoming more isolated as waters receded, but meteorologists warned that additional scattered downpours Monday night could prolong standing water in low-lying areas. “We are not expecting the level that we saw over the weekend,” NWS meteorologist Sarah Marquardt said, “but the ground is saturated and any heavy cell could quickly create localized problems.” State and local authorities are continuing damage assessments and have not yet estimated the cost of repairs.

#Milwaukee #Milwaukee County #Wisconsin #National Weather Service #Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport #Kinnickinnic #Menominee #Root #Milwaukee River #Root River #Wisconsin State Fair #West Allis #Milwaukee Public Works #Sarah Marquardt

Written with ChatGPT .

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Record Rain Swells Milwaukee Rivers, Cuts Power to Thousands

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