Extremely heavy rainfall caused widespread flash flooding across the Milwaukee metropolitan area and parts of southeastern Wisconsin on the night of August 9 into the morning of August 10, 2025, inundating roads, homes, businesses and parks and triggering numerous water rescues.
The National Weather Service in Milwaukee/Sullivan later determined that the most heavily affected parts of northern and western Milwaukee County and eastern Waukesha County received roughly 10 to 13 inches of rain within several hours. One gauge in northwest Milwaukee ultimately measured 14.55 inches in less than 24 hours, an amount later certified as a new Wisconsin statewide 24-hour precipitation record.
The storms overwhelmed drainage systems and sent several rivers rapidly toward or above flood stage. Milwaukee County declared a state of emergency on August 10 as emergency crews responded to flooded buildings, stranded motorists, power outages and blocked roads.
Flash Flooding Hits Milwaukee and Wauwatosa
In Wauwatosa, west of Milwaukee, floodwater covered parts of downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Residents were rescued from flooded vehicles and basements as the Menomonee River and nearby waterways rose rapidly.
Thomas Hipke, who had finished a shift at Leff's Lucky Town tavern around 1 a.m., recalled that the rainfall appeared to be easing before he went to sleep. By morning, extensive flooding had transformed the surrounding area.
Hipke said his 82-year-old grandmother became trapped in rising water while making her usual morning trip to McDonald's. Rescue personnel reached her minivan by raft and moved her to safety.
Hart Park, a major recreation complex along the Menomonee River in Wauwatosa, was submerged. Police closed the park and nearby riverfront areas as floodwaters spread across fields, trails and other facilities.
Local resident Fran McLaughlin described trying to take her usual morning walk and finding conditions that resembled rapids. She said she had seen swollen rivers and heavy rain in the area before but considered this flooding unusually severe.
Record Rainfall Overwhelms the Region
According to a National Weather Service summary of the August 9-10 event, repeated thunderstorms developed along a stalled frontal boundary in an exceptionally moist air mass. Storms repeatedly moved over many of the same communities, producing intense rainfall faster than local drainage systems could handle.
The NWS said the heaviest rain was concentrated over eastern Waukesha County and northern and western Milwaukee County. Significant flash flooding affected Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, West Allis, Menomonee Falls, Elm Grove, New Berlin and surrounding communities.
The Milwaukee, Menomonee, Root and other rivers rose rapidly, with record levels observed at some locations. Roads became impassable, vehicles were submerged and water entered residences and businesses.
Milwaukee County officials said severe flooding, power outages and road blockages affected communities throughout the county. The county's emergency-management operation initially cautioned that it had not yet completed a full accounting of service calls or property damage because response operations were still underway.
Wisconsin State Fair Forced to Close
The flooding also disrupted the Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis. Organizers canceled a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert scheduled for Saturday night and closed the fairgrounds earlier than planned as severe weather moved through the area.
Footage shared by local news outlets showed vehicles partially submerged near the fairgrounds.
The fair's final day, Sunday, August 10, was subsequently canceled because of the flooding and continuing public-safety concerns. The Wisconsin governor's office later confirmed that the severe weather forced the 2025 fair to end early.
Rescues and Dangerous Roads
Emergency agencies received reports overnight of stranded motorists, flooded homes and people needing rescue as creeks and rivers overflowed onto streets.
In Milwaukee, Jorge Davila said he and a friend were riding home in an Uber when floodwater overtook part of the Menomonee River Parkway. He recalled feeling the vehicle begin to sway in the current before it became stuck.
As water entered the vehicle, Davila said he and his friend got out into roughly knee-deep water and attempted to move the car. He later acknowledged that entering moving floodwater was dangerous.
Such situations are especially hazardous because the depth and speed of floodwater can be difficult to judge, road surfaces may be damaged or missing, and vehicles can be swept away. Authorities routinely advise drivers to avoid flooded roads rather than attempting to cross them.
Emergency Declarations and Recovery
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley declared a countywide state of emergency on August 10. In an August 11 update, county officials said crews were moving into the recovery and damage-assessment phase while residents were being asked to report flooded basements, structural damage and other storm impacts.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers declared a statewide state of emergency on August 11, allowing state agencies and emergency-management partners to provide additional assistance to affected communities.
Later assessments showed how much heavier the rainfall had been than preliminary reports suggested. The National Weather Service confirmed that a Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District gauge at James Madison High School recorded 14.55 inches between the evening of August 9 and early afternoon on August 10, with most of that rain falling during the overnight hours. The measurement surpassed Wisconsin's previous 24-hour precipitation record of 11.72 inches, set near Mellen in 1946.
Officials also documented extensive damage to homes, businesses, transportation infrastructure and public facilities across southeastern Wisconsin. On September 11, 2025, a federal major-disaster declaration designated Milwaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties for FEMA Individual Assistance related to the severe storms and flooding.
The later findings underscore the extraordinary nature of the event: what initially appeared to be a severe overnight flash flood was ultimately confirmed as a historic rainfall disaster for southeastern Wisconsin and a new statewide precipitation record.
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