Floodwaters rushed through Milwaukee’s fairgrounds, airport and roads Saturday, as historic rainfall led to flash flooding, water rescues and an early closure of the region’s beloved state fair.
With more rain forecast for the region Sunday, officials are urging caution on the roads. The National Weather Service in Milwaukee issued several flash flood warnings for the area, which will remain in effect until Monday.
Milwaukee received 5.74 inches of rain in just hours Saturday – a month and a half’s worth of rain, setting a new daily record for the region.
Flash flooding was reported in multiple areas, including basements, creeks and streets, where some vehicles were reported stranded, according to the National Weather Service.
With numerous roads affected and a high number of flood-related calls coming in, Milwaukee first responders were sent out to conduct rescue operations.
The Milwaukee River hit a record high crest of 11.19 feet. The previous record was 10.48 in July 2010.
The severe weather is part of the same storm system that brought strong winds with gusts higher than 80 mph to Nebraska, where one person was killed and another was seriously injured by a large cottonwood tree that toppled onto their vehicle.
The Wisconsin State Fair was forced to shut down early on the penultimate day of its 11-day run, canceling a performance by famed rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. Fair organizers urged caution as they directed visitors to exit the park as safely as possible.
The fair will not reopen for its final day, fair organizers announced Sunday.
Video from CNN affiliate WDJT shows visitors wading through waist-deep water as they made their way from the fairgrounds to the parking lot.
The flooding also hit Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport, where runways, taxiways and an underpass tunnel were flooded, the weather service said.
Storms are continuing Sunday, with the potential for flash floods and street flooding, the National Weather Service office in Milwaukee said, urging caution on the roads.
Milwaukee is under a level 2 of 4 risk for excessive rainfall Sunday and is under a flood watch. The area is forecast to pick up an additional 1 to 3 inches of rain on top of what they have already received and some isolated locations could see up to 5 inches of additional rainfall through early Monday.
