Rain, Snow To Cause Minor Flooding

Rain and snow in Wisconsin is expected to raise river levels and cause some flooding.

Mother Nature is hitting the state with a one-two punch: Rain is expected through Thursday, putting western and central parts of Wisconsin under a flood watch, while several inches of snow, freezing rain and sleet are expected up north and in west-central Wisconsin.

A lot of the precipitation will end up in rivers. Emergency officials say water levels will rise just above their banks, including with the Trempealeau River, which experienced severe flooding in 2010.

County emergency management director Dan Schreiner says his department is ready with sandbags if needed.

“Everybody on the Trempealeau River is getting attention from me. The city of Arcadia is pretty attuned to what’s going on, as are the people in Dodge, Blair, Whitehall, [and] Independence.”

During a typical spring, the ground soaks up a lot of the moisture from rain and melted snow. With a lot of ground still frozen, water will more likely stay on or near the surface.