UPDATE: Flood Watch Issued Tuesday Afternoon; Winter Weather Comes Wednesday

(This was updated to reflect the new advisory from the National Weather Service)

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch from 3 p.m. until later Tuesday night for Waukesha, Milwaukee, Rock, Walworth, Racine and Kenosha counties.

Communities in southeastern Wisconsin saw 1/2- to 1-inch of rain fall overnight into Tuesday, with some areas seeing higher rain totals. Additional rain is expected this afternoon and ice jams could cause flooding.

While the possible two inches of rain that could fall today isn't a ton of water, rapid runoff is expected because the ground is frozen and saturated. Some larger rivers can handle this rainfall, but small to medium rivers and streams will likely flood.

This could cause flooding on some roads. 

Progressive Insurance has some safety tips for driving in flooded conditions:

• Don't drive through standing water. Cars can be swept off the road in 12 inches of moving water.
• Drive slowly and steadily through the water.
• If your vehicle stalls in water and you can't restart it (and restarting could cause irreperable damage to your engine), abandon it for higher ground.

If you don't like the rain, oh fan of winter, don't worry. The storm system causing the flooding will also bring a fair dose of snow to the area. Shortly after the flood advisory expires, a Winter Weather Advisory begins Wednesday morning at 6 a.m.

Northern portions of our area will see the highest snow totals, with totals decreasing the further south and east. Total accumulations during the advisory, which ends on Wednesday at 9 p.m., should fall between 3 and 6 inches.

As the day goes on Wednesday winds will also increase 15 to 25 mph creating blowing and drifting and driving wind chills down again to dangerous levels into Thursday.