We are dealing with not so nice weather in my area ....got off line as the storms moved into the area. There is another band coming through. Interesting how flooding is happening all over in different parts of the U.S. as well as other countries...if it isn't one thing, it is another. The people directly affected need our prayers.
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A line of strong thunderstorms late this afternoon and this evening hit areas from Jefferson and Waukesha counties east to Milwaukee's east side, dropping near-record rainfall, flooding streets, closing freeways and stalling traffic in all directions.
The National Weather Service said there is at least one confirmed tornado touched down with storm watchers spotting it near Palmyra, Muskego and Wind Lake moving eastward at 30 mph. Another tornado touched down in Milton, near Whitewater.
Weather forecasters weren't sure yet whether the storm would break the overall Milwaukee record for a one-day total of 6.81 inches, set during the flash flood on August 6, 1986.
Meanwhile, WTMJ-TV (Channel 4) is reporting that a tornado touched down in Milton near Whitewater that is moving east at about 30 mph.
The storm, which pounded areas north of I-94 for most of the afternoon and early evening, is now hitting areas south of I-94 in Waukesha and Milwaukee counties with torrential downpours.
For the second consecutive Thursday, intense rainfall caused combined sanitary and storm sewer overflows in central Milwaukee and eastern Shorewood, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District said.
By 6 p.m., district gauges measured up to 5.1 inches of rain on Milwaukee's north side.
At 6:10 p.m., as the deep tunnels were filling from the storm, MMSD Executive Director Kevin Shafer ordered gates between combined sewers and the tunnels to be closed, resulting in the overflows to local rivers and Lake Michigan.
Gates were closed in an attempt to reserve adequate space in the tunnels for flows from communities served by separate sanitary sewers and prevent sewage backups into basements.
At 6:15 p.m., MMSD started a second emergency measure known as blending at the Jones Island sewage treatment plant in an attempt to gain more space in the tunnels and minimize overflows, Shafer said. In blending, an untreated sewage and storm water mix is pumped from the tunnel to the plant where it is disinfected only before it is blended with fully treated wastewater and discharged to Lake Michigan.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings for Dane, Iowa, Jefferson, Milwaukee and Sauk Counties through 11:30 p.m., with heavy rainfall causing flooding and traffic jams on are roads and highways.
I-43 at Good Hope Road is closed in both directions because of flooding, and U.S. Highway 45 is closed in both directions at Hampton Ave.
Streets surrounding the Bradley Center and the U.S. Cellular Arena were under nearly a foot of water at 6:45 p.m. Oakland Ave. on Milwaukee's east side has standing water reaching over the sidewalks and up to the shins of pedestrians, and traffic on the east side and in Shorewood is at a standstill.
As much as 5.1 inches of rain fell on Milwaukee's north side by 6 p.m. Thursday, according to Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District gauges.
As of 6:13 p.m., the National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning for southeastern Dane County, southern Jefferson County, northern Rock County, northwestern Walworth County, and southwestern Waukesha County through 7:00 p.m. Radar indicated a thunderstorm that could produce a tornado near Whitewater moving east.
In Jefferson County, where numerous funnel clouds were sighted in the southern part of the county, the sheriff's department said a tornado touched down near Highway 26 and the Jefferson-Rock county line about 6:30 p.m. Sgt. Brian Olson said there were no reports of damage or injuries.
Another tornado warning has been issued for central Iowa County until 6:45 p.m. Radar indicates that a storm capable of producing a tornado will be near Blue Mound State Park around 6:30 p.m.
A tornado watch for much of southern Wisconsin is in effect through 9 p.m.
About 3,000 We Energies customers have lost power because of the storms, a company spokesman said.
About 2,000 of those power failures are in the northern half of Milwaukee County, spokesman Brian Manthey said. The rest are in Jefferson, Washington and Waukesha counties, he said.
Flooding on roads and highways is slowing the response of utility crews, he said.
Area emergency dispatchers are reporting that manhole covers are being blown off throughout Milwaukee.
Much of Milwaukee's northwest side has been pounded by this afternoon's storms. Fond du lac Ave. from North Ave. to 107th St. is flooded, and the ramps at I-43 and Capitol Drive have been closed.
Aaron Lipski, 5th Battalion chief for the Milwaukee Fire Department on the northwest side, said, "We have just about every unit in the city out" pulling people out of their cars at various locations.
He just heard on the radio that a car had been swept under water with people in it at Sherman Blvd. and Hope, and a dive team is assembling to go in and find it. At the moment, it can't be seen in the water.
Many streets are under water, "Every underpass is blocked off with water. Numerous spots on the northwest side are simply impassable."
At one location on N. 68th St., water is blowing five feet out of a manhole.
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