Heavy rainfall in half a dozen midwest US states forced motorists to abandon their vehicles, cut power to thousands of households and closed busy roadways over the weekend.
The National Weather Service issued flood watches and warnings for parts of Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin. After rainfall began on Saturday in some areas forecasters predicted “repeated rounds of heavy rain”, along with hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes into Monday.
Among the worst hit was the Milwaukee area, where up to 14 inches (36cm) of rain had fallen in some areas by Sunday, according to the National Weather Service, which also noted river flooding in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. About 5.74 inches of that amount fell within hours on Saturday night, marking a new daily record and the city’s second-wettest day ever recorded, Axios reported.
Some motorists left their stranded cars on roads. Nearly 18,000 customers of We Energies in south-east Wisconsin were without power late on Sunday. In the suburban village of Wauwatosa, an overflowing and fast-moving Menomonee River submerged a popular playground.
“Really unfortunately, it’s just a really bad overlap of circumstances in terms of how all this rain fell but then fell over such a populated area,” said Andrew Quigley, a National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist.
Flooding rainstorms have become increasingly common amid the Earth’s climate crisis, which is fueled by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
Firefighters responded to more than 600 calls including for gas leaks, flooded basements, electrical outages and water rescues, according to the Milwaukee fire department. Meanwhile, crews worked to clear surface water, and the Red Cross opened two shelters in the city for displaced residents.
“We’re still in the middle of it,” the fire chief, Aaron Lipski, told reporters on Sunday. “We’re still catching up right now.”
Flash flooding canceled the final day of the Wisconsin state fair on Sunday.
Organizers of the Wisconsin State Fair said they were scrapping the final day of the 11-day event after rains flooded the fairgrounds in West Allis, which is just outside Milwaukee.
“We are saddened we cannot deliver this final day of the Wisconsin State Fair, but know that this is the best decision with current conditions and the forecast ahead,” organizers said in a statement.
USA Triathlon canceled its sprint and paratriathlon national championships in Milwaukee, where thousands of athletes were expected to participate. The Brewers and Mets played at American Family Field even as the parking lot remained inaccessible to traffic.
“We will not be able to guarantee parking for all fans, even those who purchased parking in advance,” the Brewers said in a statement before the game.
City officials warned residents to avoid driving or walking in the standing waters.
“It remains dangerous,” the Milwaukee’s municipal department of public works said in a statement.
On Saturday, strong winds led to the death of one person in eastern Nebraska after a tree fell on a woman’s car. In the state capital of Lincoln, storms damaged two housing units at the Nebraska state penitentiary, displacing 387 prisoners, the state department of correctional services said. The agency said all staff and incarcerated individuals were safe and accounted for.
