Torrential rainfall in the Midwest has caused severe flooding in Wisconsin, leading to the closure of the Wisconsin State Fair and disruptions at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport. Milwaukee received 5.74 inches of rain on Saturday, setting a new daily record, with some areas seeing over 14 inches by Sunday morning, according to the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flash flood warning through Sunday morning, warning of up to 1.5 inches of rain per hour and describing the flooding as potentially life-threatening. The Central Plains and Midwest are expected to see further rain and flash floods, with severe thunderstorms, hail, and isolated tornadoes possible through Sunday night.
The Wisconsin State Fair closed around 9 p.m. local time on Saturday, with officials urging fair-goers to exit safely. The rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd's scheduled performance was cancelled about an hour before the closure. Video footage showed fair-goers wading through ankle-deep water and cars trapped in deep floodwaters at the fairground.
Basements across the region have flooded, with resident Jacqueline Zeledon telling the Journal Sentinel that her basement filled with about three feet of water overnight, damaging her furnace, water heater, and other belongings. Milwaukee Alderman Peter Burgelis warned that roads are underwater and rescue operations are underway, while the 911 system has received a high volume of calls.
Nearly all runways and taxiways at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport flooded overnight, causing 50 delays on Saturday and 12 more by Sunday morning, according to FlightAware. About 42,000 residents are without power as of Sunday morning, according to We Energies.
