Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989
Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Sep 8, 1989, 3:38 AM CDT for Audubon County, Iowa. It was in force for 4 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Sep 8, 1989, 3:38 AM CDT (08:38 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 8, 1989, 7:45 AM CDT
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Audubon County, IA
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 128 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 3627 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 30 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 95 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 221 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KDSM 080842
FFWDSM
IAC009-081245-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
338 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 745 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY
IN THE WEST CENTRAL PART OF IOWA
AUDUBON
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR IS OCCURRING.
TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IMMEDIATELY.
HEAVY RAINS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT ARE
BEGINNING TO FLOOD SOME AREAS IN AUBUDON COUNTY.
AT 335 AM...AUDUBON COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED THAT
NUMEROUS CREEKS AND STREAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY WERE BEGINNING
TO RISE RAPIDLY.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATES MORE RAIN WILL BE
MOVING THROUGH THE COUNTY UNTIL 5 OR 6 AM...ADDING ADDITIONAL
WATER TO THE ALREADY SATURATED GROUND AND HIGH WATER LEVELS.
FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG BLUE GRASS CREEK...WHICH RUNS
THROUGH AUDUBON...AND ALSO ALONG THE NISHNABOTNA RIVER.
PEOPLE IN FLOOD PRONE OR LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER
GROUND AT ONCE. ACT QUICKLY...AS FLOOD WATERS OFTEN RISE RAPIDLY.
IF YOU ARE DRIVING...DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE TYHROUGH FLOOD WATERS OF
UNKNOWN DEPTH. IF YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY
AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND.
TRUETT/HAHNWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 12:58 AM CDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED TO ADD MOVEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1247 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989 ...A FLASH WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 7AM... AT 1235 AM...NUMEROUS INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS WERE LOCATED FROM WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST THROUGH CENTRAL INTO NORTHEAST IOWA. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN AN AREA ABOUT 110 MILES WIDE AND WERE LOCATED 55 MILES EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS...OR JUST EAST OF MISSOURI VALLEY NORTHEAST THROUGH WATERLOO TO DYERSVILLE OR ABOUT 20 MILES WEST OF DUBUQUE. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED IN A NARROW BAND FROM 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS NEAR MALVERN NORTHEAST TO ATLANTIC... 60 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES. TORRENTIAL RAINS ALONG WITH SMALL HAIL AND CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. OVER 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS BEEN REPORTED BETWEEN 9PM AND MIDNIGHT IN THE HARLAN AREA...IN CENTRAL SHELBY COUNTY. RAPID RISES IN AREAS RIVERS AND STREAMS IS LIKELY AS ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED IN THIS AREA THROUGHOUT THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AS THE ENTIRE AREA OF STORMS WAS SAGGING SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR. BARLOW
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 1:23 AM CDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA ISSUED BY DES MOINES 120 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHEAST IOWA... AT 120 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF DUBUQUE TO JUST EAST OF WATERLOO. THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...ALONG WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES...AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL. MANCHESTER...IN DELAWARE COUNTY...REPORTED 1.9 INCHES OF RAIN BETWEEN 12 MIDNIGHT AND 1 AM. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL BE PASSING THROUGH DUBUQUE...DELAWARE...AND BUCHANAN COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF DUBUQUE...MANCHESTER...AND INDEPENDENCE...BETWEEN 120 AND 230 AM THIS MORNING. SOME FLOODING OF ROADWAYS...UNDERPASSES...LOW LYING AREAS...AND SMALL STREAMS CAN BE EXPECTED. MOTORISTS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR WATER ON ROADWAYS...AND USE CAUTION. IN ADDITION...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL ALSO OCCUR. TRUETT
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 1:33 AM CDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 130 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH EAST CENTRAL IOWA... AT 130 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS TO 40 MILES WEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES...AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING PUSHING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR... AND WILL BE PASSING THROUGH THE CEDAR RAPIDS...IOWA CITY...VINTON... AND THE TAMA/TOLEDO AREAS...AND THE AMANA COLONIES...BETWEEN 130 AND 3 AM THIS MORNING. SOME FLOODING OF STREETS...LOW LYING...AND SMALL STREAMS IS POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR STANDING WATER ON ROADWAYS. IN ADDITION...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL ALSO OCCUR. TRUETT
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 1:38 AM CDT, 2 hours before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 130 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH EAST CENTRAL IOWA... AT 130 AM...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS TO 40 MILES WEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME...FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES...AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING PUSHING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR... AND WILL BE PASSING THROUGH THE CEDAR RAPIDS...IOWA CITY...VINTON... AND THE TAMA/TOLEDO AREAS...AS WELL AS THE AMANA COLONIES...BETWEEN 130 AND 3 AM THIS MORNING. SOME FLOODING OF STREETS...LOW LYING AREAS...AND SMALL STREAMS IS POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR STANDING WATER ON ROADWAYS. IN ADDITION...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES WILL ALSO OCCUR. TRUETT
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 1:56 AM CDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 152 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989 ...A FLASH WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 7AM... AT 140 AM...NUMEROUS INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS WERE LOCATED IN THREE LARGE AREAS. THE FIRST AREA WAS 30 MILES WIDE AND IT EXTENDED FROM SIOUX CITY SOUTHEAST TO JEFFERSON...45 MILES NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES. THE SECOND AREA WAS A CLUSTER OF STORMS OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA FROM 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS NEAR RED OAK EAST TO CRESTON...45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES. THE THIRD AREA WAS 25 MILES WIDE AND WAS LOCATED BETWEEN WATERLOO AND CEDAR RAPIDS. ANY OF THE STORMS IN THESE AREAS WERE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL AND CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING. SEVERAL REPORTS RECEIVED FROM THESE AREAS HAVE INDICATED ONE TO TWO INCH RAINS IN AN HOUR OR LESS. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AS THE ENTIRE AREA OF STORMS WAS SAGGING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. BARLOW
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 2:48 AM CDT, 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 243 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989 ...A FLASH WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA UNTIL 7AM... AT 235 AM...NUMEROUS INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS WERE LOCATED OVER THE SOUTHWEST THIRD OF IOWA...AS WELL AS OVER PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL IOWA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE SCATTERED IN BASICALLY TWO AREAS. THE FIRST WAS A SWATH OF STORMS ABOUT 35 MILES WIDE THAT EXTENDED FROM STORM LAKE...30 MILES SOUTH OF SPENCER SOUTH TO LENOX... 55 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES. THE SECOND AREA EXTENDED FROM 25 MILES EAST OF DES MOINES...NEAR MONROE EAST TO CEDAR RAPIDS. ANY OF THE STORMS IN THESE AREAS WERE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL AND CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING. THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS THAT WAS LOCATED OVER THE CENTRAL TWO THIRD OF THE STATE. THE ONLY AREAS THAT WERE RAIN (FREE WERE THE FAR NORTHWEST...FAR NORTH CENTRAL AND ABOUT THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF IOWAS COUNTIES. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AS THE ENTIRE AREA OF STORMS WAS SAGGING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. BARLOW
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 7, 8:27 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Crawford | 33 min |
| Sep 7, 10:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Audubon | 50 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 1989Every flash flood warning in 1989
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.