Weather Service Issues Flood Warning Near Stretch Of Wolf River

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Wolf River in and around small northeastern Wisconsin community of Keshena.

An ice jam on the river is causing waters to rise on the Menominee Indian Reservation, leaving residents filling sandbags to prevent damage from a rare December flood.

Roy Eckberg, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Green Bay, said that it’s unusual for an ice jam to occur now since they’re normally a springtime phenomenon. He said that a cold November and high waters caused this particular jam.

The situation could worsen with mild temperatures this weekend.

“The combination of the ice jam and melting snow this weekend could cause waters to rise even more … in Keshena,” he said. “However, there’s the chance the ice jam could break.”

Weather service staff are on the scene to assess the situation. Eckberg said flooding will be a concern for several days all along the Wolf River.