GREEN BAY (NBC26) — While just a month ago, much of Northeast Wisconsin was experiencing drought conditions, this week has brought heavy rain, causing flash floods around Green Bay.
“It’s crazy to think that just a few weeks ago, a month ago or so, much of the area was under drought conditions so we certainly have done a weather 180 as far as that is concerned," said NBC26 Chief Meteorologist Cameron Mooreland.
Over the weekend, several areas around the city experienced three to five inches of rain in just a few hours. The heavy rainfall caused several road closures around the city and some areas like Bay Beach were hit especially hard with flooding. Bay Beach Amusement Park had to use alternative parking Sunday morning because their main parking lot was flooded.
While it may have felt like just a few weeks ago we were begging for rain, this year Northeast Wisconsin has actually experienced more rain than usual.
"We’ve picked up over thirteen inches of rain since the first part of June here in the Fox Valley and that now puts us slightly above normal for the year, about a half-inch above normal for all of 2021,” Mooreland said.
It may come as a surprise, but flooding is one of the deadliest weather conditions.
"Flooding is the number one weather-related killer with thunderstorms each and every year," Mooreland said. "We always get excited about tornadoes and damaging winds and lightning and hail but flooding is number one.”
The reason flooding is so deadly is because of the drownings that can occur when people try to enter floodwater.
According to the City of Green Bay, 6 inches of moving water can knock you off your feet. 12 inches of water can float a car or small SUV and 18 inches of water can carry away large vehicles.
"The rain falls and it goes into areas that can quickly flood. Often people try to drive their cars through an area that is flooded and the car gets picked up and turned upside down,” Mooreland said. “The number one safety tip out there for flash flooding is turn around, don’t drown.”
