They were prime conditions for flash flooding.
More than 7 inches of rain fell on Wauwatosa over a 24 period starting around 6 p.m. Aug. 9, with most of the accumulation during a narrower period overnight.
The rainfall totals for Wauwatosa and neighboring municipalities, as well various locations in Milwaukee, were reported online by Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District. Wauwatosa wasn't the hardest-hit community when measured by total rainfall, according to MMSD data, though the rain that collected in the Menomonee River caused serious flooding of the river in and around Tosa Village.
Tosa recorded a total of 7.18 inches of rain from 6 p.m. Aug. 9 to 6 p.m. Aug. 10, including 5.47 inches from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Additional showers struck again around 6:15 a.m. and noon Aug. 10 without dropping nearly as much rain.
The several MMSD rain gauges across Milwaukee showed accumulations ranging from 4.15 to 14.55 inches (in the 8100 block of West Florist Street).
Here are the 24-hour rainfall totals for other communities:
- Cedarburg, 7.18
- Franklin, 4.16
- Hales Corners, 8.59
- Menomonee Falls, 7.9
- Muskego, 5.88
- River Hills, 11.51
- Shorewood, 8.15
Get additional Tosa Forward News coverage of the 2025 flood here.
