Flood warning issued for several SE Wisconsin counties as rain continues
Rivers and streams surge after massive rainfall; officials warn of continued flooding risk in Milwaukee metro area and surrounding counties
OVERNIGHT HOURS. WE’RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ZOOM OUT. YOU CAN SEE THIS REALLY HEAVY RAIN STRETCHING FROM JANESVILLE, DOWN SOUTH OF ROCKFORD AND INTO PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE’S BEEN SOME WEAKENING, PERHAPS IN THE LAST HALF HOUR OR SO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH RAIN WE GOT IN PARTS OF SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN LAST NIGHT, IF YOU’RE IN AN AREA THAT DEALT WITH SOME OF THAT HISTORIC FLOODING, IT’S NOT GOING TO TAKE MUCH MORE WATER TO CAUSE SOME PRETTY BIG ISSUES. AS WE HEAD THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS NOT SPED UP VIDEO. IT IS JUST FAST MOVING WATER OUT AT GRANT PARK. THIS IS NEAR THE LAGOON THAT WE WERE SENT BY A VIEWER. AMARYLLIS SENT THIS IN FROM BROWN DEER ROAD. THE ROAD HERE WAS COMPLETELY WASHED AWAY. AND THAT IS WHY WE ALWAYS SAY TO NEVER DRIVE OVER A FLOODED ROAD. IT TAKES JUST SIX INCHES OF WATER TO KNOCK DOWN AND MOVE A PERSON JUST 12IN TO MOVE A CAR, AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH WATER YOU’RE DRIVING INTO BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THE ROAD LOOKS LIKE UNDERNEATH THE WATER. AND UNFORTUNATELY, I DO THINK WE COULD SEE MORE FLASH FLOODING ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN AS WE HEAD THROUGH THE DAY TODAY WITH MORE ROUNDS OF POSSIBLY HEAVY RAIN ON THE WAY. WE HAVE A LOT OF FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT ACROSS SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN AS WELL. FLASH FLOOD FLOODING. I KNOW IT CAN BE CONFUSING, SO TAKE NOTE. MOST OF WAUKESHA, MILWAUKEE OZAUKEE AS WELL AS WASHINGTON COUNTIES ARE UNDER FLOOD WARNINGS. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS LAYING OUT KIND OF HOW THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT AND ISSUING THESE WARNINGS THROUGH THE REST OF THIS EVENT, A FLOOD WARNING, WHICH YOU JUST SAW. THOSE AREAS ARE BEING IMPACTED BY URBAN AND RIVER FLOODING. THOSE IMPACTS ARE FROM RAINFALL THAT HAS ALREADY MOVED OUT. SO STILL STANDING WATER IN PARTS OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, STILL SOME FLOODING, LIKELY IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND SOME BASEMENTS. FLASH FLOODING FLOOD WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED FOR CURRENT HEAVY RAINFALL. THE THE POTENTIAL FOR FAST CHANGING CONDITIONS AND QUICKLY RISING WATERS. THAT’S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO TAKE VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY. BUT EVEN THE AREAS THAT DON’T HAVE RAIN FALLING RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE STILL CONCERNS AND A LOT OF ROAD CLOSURES. IF YOU CAN STAY HOME, THAT’S JUST GOING TO BE THE SAFEST PLACE FOR YOU TO BE. I KNOW FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE BEEN BUSY ALL NIGHT LONG AND ALL MORNING LONG. RIVER LEVELS ARE ALSO BECOMING A BIT OF A CONCERN. THE MILWAUKEE RIVER AT ESTABROOK PARK IS CURRENTLY IN A MAJOR FLOOD STAGE, AND I DO THINK IT’S POSSIBLE THAT THERE WAS A RECORD CREST AT THAT RIVER EARLIER THIS MORNING. ALSO, KEEPING A REALLY CLOSE EYE ON THE FOX RIVER, BOTH IN WAUKESHA AS WELL AS IN FRANKLIN. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT BOTH OF THOSE LOCATIONS WILL SEE RECORD CRESTS LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. AND IT’S JUST BECAUSE ALL OF THE WATER THAT WE SAW, THERE’S NOT MUCH, NOT MANY PLACES FOR IT TO GO. THAT’S WHY WE STILL HAVE STANDING WATER IN SOME PLACES, AND THAT’S WHY RIVER LEVELS ARE QUICKLY RISING. ANYTHING IN PURPLE ON THIS MAP AND THAT JUST KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER. THERE’S MORE AND MORE PURPLE. AND THERE HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST 4 OR 5 HOURS, IS LIKELY MORE THAN EIGHT INCHES OF RAIN. BUT WE HAVE SEEN POCKETS WITH MORE THAN THAT. I’VE SEEN SOME TOTALS FROM MSD AS HIGH AS 14IN. THERE IS A BREAK RIGHT NOW, SO IF YOU NEED TO RUN SOME ERRANDS, NOW’S A GOOD TIME TO DO IT. JUST MAKE IT QUICK AND HEAD BACK HOME. BUT PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS. DO NOT DRIVE OVER A FLOODED ROADWAY AND WE ARE SEEING QUITE A FEW OF THOSE STILL ACROSS THE AREA. 76 DEGREES. IT’S CLOUDY AND NOT NEARLY AS DARK THERE. FROM OUR CAMERA AT MSD, WE HAD SOME STORMS OFF TO THE NORTH DRYING OUT. IT LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE BIT IN WAUKESHA. THE RAIN HAS JUST PICKED BACK UP. YOU CAN SEE THE HEADLIGHTS FROM THAT CAR SHINING OFF OF THE RAIN, BUT THE ROAD LOOKS A-OKAY THERE, AND IT’S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE IT’S REALLY JUST GOING TO DEPEND ON WHERE YOU ARE. OAK CREEK IT’S DRY RIGHT NOW, AND YOU CAN SEE THE SPLASH PADS ON. GOOD TIME TO TAKE THE PUP FOR A WALK RIGHT NOW. DARK CLOUDS IN RACINE AND MAYBE A FEW SHOWERS. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE. AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE DARK STORM CLOUDS UP IN SLINGER, WHERE WE ARE STARTING TO SEE SOME OF THE RAIN MOVE BACK IN. THERE YOU GO. THERE’S THE HEAVY RAIN THAT I’M WATCHING, AND I’M CONCERNED THAT THIS IS WHAT’S COULD COULD MOVE INTO WAUKESHA AND MILWAUKEE COUNTIES. THIS IS DELAVAN. IT’S ABOUT 70 DEGREES THERE. SO THE RAIN CERTAINLY KEEPING US COOLER. THESE ARE RIVER LEVEL FORECASTS. WAUKESHA AT THE FOX RIVER. ACTUALLY LIKELY GOING TO CLIMB TO MAJOR FLOOD STAGE. THE FOX RIVER IN FRANKLIN. POTENTIALLY MODERATE, BUT BIG IMPACTS FROM BOTH LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING, STREET FLOODING AND RIVER FLOODING. AND I DO THINK WE COULD LIKELY SEE MORE BIG CHANGES WITH FLOODING CONCERNS AS THIS NEXT BATCH OF RAIN MOVES THROUGH. AGAIN. THERE’S NOT AS MUCH DARK RED HERE AS THERE WAS ABOUT 25 MINUTES AGO. I DO THINK WE COULD SEE THAT CHANGE AS IT MOVES THIS WAY, BUT THAT’S STILL A LOT OF RAIN THAT’S GOING TO WORK ITS WAY INTO AREAS THAT HAVE SEEN IN SOME PLACES, A FOOT OF RAIN SINCE ABOUT 10:00 LAST NIGHT. SO PLEASE, IF YOU CAN STAY INSIDE, STAY OFF OF FLOODED ROADS. IF YOU HAVE TO BE OUTSIDE, WEATHERWATCH 12 IS GOING TO BE WITH YOU ALL AFTERNOON AND ALL EVENING LONG. I’M GOING TO BE BACK ON AT NOON. I’LL HAVE ANOTHER UPDATE TO THE WEATHER AS THIS RAIN CONTINUES TO MOVE INTO THE MILWAUKEE METRO. ALSO COMING UP AT NOON, WE’RE GOING TO HEAR FROM A PRESS CONFERENCE WITH MILWAUKEE MAYOR CAVALIER JOHNSON ABOUT THE CITY’S RESPONSE TO THE HISTORIC FLOODING THAT WE’VE SEEN THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. FOR NOW, THOUGH, I’M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SEND IT BACK TO REGULAR SCHEDULED PROGRAMING.
Flood warning issued for several SE Wisconsin counties as rain continues
Rivers and streams surge after massive rainfall; officials warn of continued flooding risk in Milwaukee metro area and surrounding counties
Updated: 12:27 PM CDT Aug 10, 2025
The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for portions of southeast Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, Ozaukee, DodgeWashington, and Waukesha counties. The warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Sunday. It replaces a previously issued flash flood warning.Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to affect rivers, streams, and flood-prone areas. Reports confirm that numerous roads remain closed due to flooding. Rivers and creeks in the region are moving swiftly, posing potential safety risks.Between 4 and 8 inches of rain have fallen in the area since Saturday evening.More heavy rain is possible on and off through Sunday night. 1 to 2 inches of additional rainfall is possible.”There could be locally higher totals if we see heavy rain train over the same area similar to what the metro saw Saturday night.” WISN 12 News Meteorologist Molly Bernard said.
MILWAUKEE —The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for portions of southeast Wisconsin, including Milwaukee, Ozaukee, DodgeWashington, and Waukesha counties.
The warning is in effect until 7 p.m. Sunday. It replaces a previously issued flash flood warning.
Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to affect rivers, streams, and flood-prone areas.
Reports confirm that numerous roads remain closed due to flooding. Rivers and creeks in the region are moving swiftly, posing potential safety risks.
Between 4 and 8 inches of rain have fallen in the area since Saturday evening.
More heavy rain is possible on and off through Sunday night. 1 to 2 inches of additional rainfall is possible.
“There could be locally higher totals if we see heavy rain train over the same area similar to what the metro saw Saturday night.” WISN 12 News Meteorologist Molly Bernard said.
