Urgent Flood Watch Issued: What Areas Are at Risk and How to Prepare Now

Southeast Wisconsin residents are on alert today as the National Weather Service (NWS) maintains a Flood Watch that covers Dodge, Jefferson, Rock and Winnebago counties following record-setting spring rains. Why the Flood Watch matters • Rock River at Afton is cresting near 9.3 ft—just above minor-flood stage—and is not expected to fall below flood levels until late Thursday night, 48 hours later than first projected. • Lake Koshkonong hit 10.07 ft this morning, more than a foot above bank-full; forecasts show only gradual recession through the weekend, heightening shoreline erosion and basement-seep risks. • April brought the wettest month on record to at least a dozen Michigan and Wisconsin cities, leaving soils saturated and river basins primed for overflow when the current storm system drops another 1–2 inches of rain through Wednesday night. What to expect next Meteorologists say a slow-moving low pressure wave will keep scattered downpours parked over the Upper Midwest until a cold front sweeps through early Thursday. Any thunderstorm embedded in that band could unleash rates over one inch per hour, quickly pushing small creeks and urban drains beyond capacity. Flash-flood–prone corridors include: • US-51 along the Rock River between Janesville and Beloit • County Highway A around Lake Koshkonong’s north shore • Low-lying neighborhoods in Watertown, Jefferson and Fort Atkinson Safety checklist (Turn Around, Don’t Drown) 1. Keep cell-phone emergency alerts enabled; NWS may upgrade watches to Flash Flood Warnings with little notice. 2. Avoid driving across water-covered pavement; two feet of moving water can sweep away most vehicles, while only six inches can knock an adult off their feet. 3. Relocate livestock, lawn equipment and chemicals from flood-prone barns and sheds to higher ground before nightfall. 4. If you rely on a sump pump, test backup batteries and clear debris from exterior discharge pipes now. 5. Photograph property and lower-level possessions for insurance documentation should flooding occur. Big-picture impact Hydrologists warn that repeated spring deluges are straining levees and aging storm-water infrastructure. Communities along the Rock, Fox and Wolf rivers have already spent millions on temporary barriers this year, and today’s Flood Watch underscores how vulnerable the region remains as the heart of severe-weather season approaches. Bottom line With rivers running high, soils water-logged and more rain in the forecast, southeast Wisconsin’s Flood Watch is likely to persist into Thursday. Stay weather-aware, map alternate routes around known high-water spots and act now to protect family and property before water levels rise again tonight.