Thunderstorms brought heavy rain to northwest Wisconsin early Monday, July 11th which helped to saturate the soil. During the day a strong low level jet pumped very moist air into the region. The jet and a west to east stationary front were the triggers for thunderstorms that developed later in the day. Rounds of thunderstorms brought some damaging winds to parts of northwest Wisconsin late Monday afternoon and evening. These storms were followed by evening storms that began training as the night wore on. The training storms resulted in very heavy rain over the region. Historic flooding followed the extremely high average rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches. There was a wide corridor of about 8 to 10 inches of rain from northern Iron County to northern Burnett County, including Saxon Harbor on Lake Superior, and the towns  of Marengo, Cable, Hayward, Wascott, Minong, and Danbury.  The initial squall line of storms brought down many trees. The effects of the wind and a raging, flooded Oronto Creek caused enormous damage at Saxon Harbor. At Saxon Harbor, where 70 vessels were moored, 6 boats sank and the rest were set afloat. Most vessels were recovered. One man drowned in these floodwaters. The Bad River, which flows north through Ashland County into Lake Superior, set a new record, with the river level at Odanah reaching around 27.3 feet Tuesday morning, shattering the previous record of 22.2 feet set on June 24th, 1946. The Bad River Tribe of the Lake Superior Chippewa was totally cut off by the floodwater for days.
Total damage to roads and public infrastructure across northern Wisconsin was $35 million. In Ashland County, road washouts and bridge repair costs were estimated at $2 to $4 million.  Washburn County damage was about $2.5 million. The Bad River Band of Ojibway had $2.3 million damage to roads. Forty-three miles of roads were damaged and closed on tribal land.
The Wisconsin governor declared states of emergency for the following counties: Iron, Ashland, Bayfield, Douglas, Burnett, Washburn, Sawyer, and Price. The President later declared disasters for all of the same counties, except for Price. The USDA secretary declared the following counties agricultural disaster areas due to destroyed crops or sharply reduced yields: Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron, Washburn, Sawyer and Price.

Thunderstorm Wind in DOUGLAS, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 16:45:00 to 11-JUL-16 16:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: WINNEBOUJOU
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Reported by: Public

A couple dozen trees were down along Highway 27 about 2 or 3 miles south of the intersection with County Road B.

Flood in BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN
From 12-JUL-16 10:00:00 to 12-JUL-16 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: CABLE UNION ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

An 84-year-old Illinois man died when his car became partially submerged into floodwaters along a ditch along County Highway M, about 3 miles east of Cable. The man and his 84-year-old wife were attempting to turn around after encountering a washed out section of the Highway near the Namekagon River, but accidentally backed up into the flooded ditch. The man drowned, but a firefighter saved the wife.

Flash Flood in ASHLAND, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 18:30:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: ASHLAND
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

The Sheriff office in Ashland County reported nearly every street in the city of Ashland was under water.

Flood in ASHLAND, WISCONSIN
From 14-JUL-16 09:00:00 to 14-JUL-16 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: MARENGO
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

An 82-year-old man from Marengo was found dead in his pickup truck in the flooded waters along the Marengo River near the Riemer Road Bridge west of Marengo. The exact circumstances of how, when, and where he died are not known, only that he was found a few days after the heavy rains some time early Thursday.

Tornado in IRON, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 22:41:00 to 11-JUL-16 22:44:00 (CST-6)
Location: VAN BUSKIRK
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Reported by: Newspaper

There was enough evidence to indicate a quasi-linear convective tornado developed over rural east-central Iron County, south of Van Buskirk, during the late evening.  It heavily damaged a barn structure and a car, and it also damaged some homes and mangled some trees.

Flash Flood in IRON, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 21:00:00 to 12-JUL-16 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: CEDAR
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Flash flooding along the Oronto and Parker Creeks damaged the infrastructure of Saxon Harbor and parts of the Saxon Harbor Campground.  One man died from the flooding.

Flash Flood in BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 18:50:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: WASHBURN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

There was flash flooding in Washburn with backups from storm drains in town. There were several inches of water on roadways.

Flash Flood in ASHLAND, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 18:30:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: ASHLAND
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

The Ashland County Sheriff Office reported nearly all roads across the city of Ashland were under water.

Flash Flood in BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 19:00:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRANDVIEW
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Highway 61 was washed out due to flash flooding along Twentymile Creek.

Flash Flood in ASHLAND, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 18:30:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: ODANAH
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Flash flooding along the Denomie Creek washed out a portion of Highway 2.

Flash Flood in BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 19:00:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRANDVIEW
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Highway 61 was washed out due to flash flooding along Eighteenmile Creek.

Flash Flood in BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 18:00:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: ASHLAND JCT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flash flooding along South Fish Creek flooded the nearby stretch of Highway 137.

Flash Flood in ASHLAND, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 18:30:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: SANBORN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

Flash flooding along Trout Brook washed out the nearby stretch of Highway 13.

Flash Flood in ASHLAND, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 18:30:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: CLAM LAKE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Flash flooding along Frog Creek washed out the nearby stretch of Highway 77.

Thunderstorm Wind in SAWYER, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 17:44:00 to 11-JUL-16 17:44:00 (CST-6)
Location: ROUND LAKE
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several trees were blown down. The largest was 14 to 18 in diameter.

Thunderstorm Wind in BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 17:52:00 to 11-JUL-16 17:52:00 (CST-6)
Location: WASHBURN
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Reported by: Public

A large tree was blown down. Report forwarded by the media.

Thunderstorm Wind in BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 17:32:00 to 11-JUL-16 17:32:00 (CST-6)
Location: CABLE
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A few trees were blown down.

Flash Flood in BAYFIELD, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 23:57:00 to 12-JUL-16 04:09:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRANDVIEW
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A sheriff deputy was rescued from Twentymile Creek near Mason, WI after he mistakenly drove his vehicle into a washed-out section of road caused by heavy rainfall across the region. The deputy clung to a tree using an emergency tourniquet to keep from being swept away. It took emergency personnel close to 4 hours to rescue the deputy. The deputy was rushed to the hospital where he was hospitalized for kidney failure and other life-threatening problems associated with clinging to the tree in the flood waters. The deputy has since made a full recovery and returned to duty later that month.

Flash Flood in DOUGLAS, WISCONSIN
From 11-JUL-16 18:30:00 to 11-JUL-16 21:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: PATZAU
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Water covered County Road B about 6 miles west of Pattison State Park.