Flash Flooding Slams Midwest Forcing Wisconsin State Fair To Cancel Events

A terrible flash flooding arena has taken nonstop purpose astatine parts of nan Midwest this weekend, forcing nan Wisconsin State Fair to cancel galore of its events.

The flooding has straight impacted confederate Wisconsin, including nan Milwaukee metropolitan area. On Saturday evening, 24 preliminary large wind reports came successful for nan Upper Midwest, including 80 to 90 mph upwind gusts successful nan Omaha area.

Wisconsin State Fair Park, wherever nan state's adjacent is held, was forced to adjacent early connected Saturday owed to flooding. The authorities adjacent announced connected Sunday that it will not reopen for nan day's events.

"We understand nan disappointment you whitethorn consciousness arsenic our squad useful each twelvemonth for these 11 days," nan statement, posted to Facebook, read. "However, nan information of our Fairgoers, team, partners, and vendors will ever beryllium our apical priority."

An further information of thunderstorms is expected to effect nan Midwest again starting Sunday morning, including parts of Nebraska and Iowa, bringing nan consequence of damaging upwind and hail.

Flash flooding is besides a interest passim this region, pinch 8 cardinal nether Flood Alerts from Kansas to Wisconsin. These alerts will stay successful effect into Monday arsenic 1 to 6 inches of rainfall will beryllium possible.

As of Sunday morning, nan Milwaukee River is reaching awesome flood shape level, which intends a surge of astatine slightest 9 feet, according to nan National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Rainfall was moving toward nan west-northwest Milwaukee metropolitan area connected Sunday morning, according to nan National Weather Service section agency successful nan city.

"It will return small rainfall to get much flash flooding successful this area, making this a vulnerable business crossed west-northwest MKE metro," nan upwind work said. "Turn astir don’t drown!"

The USA Triathlon announced that nan sprint and paratriathlon nationals scheduled to beryllium held connected Sunday person been canceled owed to "the operation of imaginable h2o conditions, flooding and people harm passim nan course, constricted emergency consequence teams to support nan event, arsenic good arsenic impending upwind for Sunday."

"We cognize really overmuch time, training, and anticipation you’ve invested successful this event, and we stock your disappointment," USA Triathlon said successful a statement. "This was not nan result immoderate of america wanted. We will travel up soon pinch much specifications astir adjacent steps, including deferral and in installments options."

Video posted to societal media showed flooding successful nan Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa connected Saturday. Another video showed cars trapped successful heavy flood waters astatine nan Wisconsin State Fair.

Fire departments successful Waukesha County, which includes parts of Milwaukee, were conducting rescues of group trapped successful floodwaters connected Sunday.