Disappearing act

Through the winter of 2007 and 2008 we watched one weather system after the other dump snow on central and southern Wisconsin. From approximately the Dells to Madison the seasonal snowfall tallied from 90 to 100 inches.

In a taping for Minnesota Public Radio's podcast, Jet Streaming, hydrologist Brian Hahn from the National Weather Service near Milwaukee commented in March that it would take ideal melting and little additional precipitation to escape without widespread moderate to major flooding.

The snow is gone and for the most part the flooding is not historical. However high water is causing problems along rivers in some regions of southern Wisconsin.

Flooding in southern Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, the Red River of the North is behaving quite nicely after the region received normal snowfall for the winter season. A little more than a year ago the Red River had an extended period above flood stage due to heavy late spring raiinfall. The total water equivalent of precipitation at Fargo since December 1st, 2007 is only 2.90 inches. However excessive rain from thunderstorms can result in a rapid rise on the Red.

Six to ten day outlook

Some peak wind gusts from Tuesday

CE