Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 10, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 17, 1990Crawford County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jun 17, 1990, 3:14 AM CDT for Crawford County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 17, 1990, 3:14 AM CDT (08:14 UTC)
Expired
Jun 17, 1990, 6:15 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Crawford 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

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 338 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.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1990-06-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3235 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1990-06-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 54 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
3235 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1012 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
260 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.2
Supercell composite
14.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 170814
FFWDSM
IAC047-171115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
314 AM CDT SUN JUN 17 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  615 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA
          ...CRAWFORD
 
FLASH FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED IN CRAWFORD COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL
IOWA. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS OF 3 TO 4 INCHES FELL SATURDAY EVENING
AND EARLY THIS MORNING.
 
PERSONS IN THE CITY OF DENISON ARE BEING EVACUATED IN SOME AREAS DUE
TO HIGH WATER.
 
SOME ROADS AND HIGHWAYS IN CRAWFORD COUNTY ALSO HAVE WATER OVER THEM
SO TRAVELERS SHOULD BE ALERT AND AVOID DRIVING THROUGH AREAS OF HIGH
WATER.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVEH TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
ADAMS

What 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, Jun 17, 1:44 AM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
IAZALL-170730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
140 AM CDT SUN JUN 17 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA UNTIL
4 AM...

AT 128 AM...ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER CENTRAL AND
SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA...10 TO 25 MILES SOUTH OF DES MOINES NEAR INDIANOLA
AND OSCEOLA.

EXTREME RAINS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS OF 50 TO 60 MILES AN HOUR ARE
OCCURRING WITH THESE INTENSE STORMS.

ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IS LIKELY...AND SINCE MOST OF IOWA IS ALREADY
WATERLOGGED....A VERY SERIOUS FLOOD PROBLEM CONTINUES.

AND...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STORMS COVERED MUCH OF THE NORTH-
WEST TWO THIRDS OF IOWA.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

KS
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 2:09 AM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
IAZALL-170800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
210 AM CDT SUN JUN 17 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA UNTIL
4 AM...

AT 205 AM...ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM EAST CENTRAL
INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE BETWEEN CEDAR RAPIDS AND
LAMONI NEAR BROOKLYN...NEW SHARON...PELLA AND CHARITON.

EXCESSIVE RAINS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MILES AN HOUR ARE OCCURRING
WITH THESE INTENSE STORMS.

ONE TO TWO INCHES OF RAIN IS LIKELY...AND SINCE MOST OF IOWA IS ALREADY
SATURATED...A VERY SERIOUS FLOOD PROBLEM CONTINUES.

ALSO...A LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STORMS...125 MILES WIDE...
STRETCHED FROM SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL INTO NORTHEAST IOWA.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

KS
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 2:14 AM CDT, 1 hour before
IAZ002-003-006-007-010-011-013-014-015-170745-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
215 AM CDT SUN JUN 17 1990

THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE BEEN CLEARED FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
WATCH NUMBER 481.  THUNDERSTORMS WILL STILL BE IN THESE AREAS...
BUT THEY ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE SEVERE.

...NORTH CENTRAL...
BUTLER          CERRO GORDO     FLOYD           FRANKLIN
HANCOCK         HUMBOLDT        MITCHELL        WINNEBAGO
WORTH           WRIGHT

...NORTHEAST...
ALLAMAKEE       BLACK HAWK      BREMER          BUCHANAN
CHICKASAW       FAYETTE         HOWARD          WINNESHIEK

...CENTRAL...
BOONE           DALLAS          GRUNDY          HAMILTON
HARDIN          JASPER          MARSHALL        POLK
STORY           WEBSTER

...SOUTH CENTRAL...
MADISON         MARION          WARREN

SOME CITIES CLEARED INCLUDE...

AMES            BOONE           CHARLES CITY    DECORAH
DES MOINES      FORT DODGE      I
NDEPENDENCE    INDIANOLA
IOWA FALLS      KNOXVILLE       MARSHALLTOWN    MASON CITY
NEWTON          OELWEIN         PERRY           WATERLOO
WAVERLY         WEBSTER CITY

SCHUMACHER
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 2:28 AM CDT, 46 minutes before
IA002-003-007-170600

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR NORTHEAST IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
215 AM CDT SUN JUN 17 1990

AT 210 AM CDT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTHEAST
IOWA WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS OCCURRING IN DUBUQUE COUNTY. THESE
STORMS HAVE PRODUCED HEAVY RAINS...WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING. OTHER STORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER BREMER AND
FLOYD COUNTIES WITH HEAVY RAINS AND LIGHTNING BEING THE MAIN THREAT.
THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. TEMPERATURES
WERE IN THE MIDDLE 60S AND THE WINDS WERE FROM THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST AT
5 TO 10 MPH.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE PUSHED OUT OF NORTHEAST IOWA
BY 300 AM CDT WHILE OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE
THROUGHOUT THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL HOLD IN THE MIDDLE 60S WHILE
THE WINDS CONTINUE FROM THE SOUTH AT 5 TO 10 MPH.

COLLAR
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 2:43 AM CDT, 31 minutes before
IAZALL-170830-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
240 AM CDT SUN JUN 17 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN AND EASTERN IOWA
UNTIL 4 AM...

AT 228 AM...ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM EAST CENTRAL
INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE BETWEEN CEDAR RAPIDS AND
LAMONI NEAR NEW SHARON...OSKALOOSA...MELCHER/DALLAS...CHARITON AND
CORYDON.  EXCESSIVE RAINS...UP TO AN INCH IN AN HOURS TIME...AND STRONG
WINDS TO 50 MILES AN HOUR ARE OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.

ALSO...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STORMS COVERED THE SOUTHEAST TWO-
THIRDS OF IOWA.

THE SHOWERS A*ND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
/
WHILE MOST OF IOWA IS ALREADY WATER SATURATED...A SERIOS FLOOD
PROBLEM CONTINUES.

KS
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 3:08 AM CDT, 6 minutes before
IAZALL-170900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
305 AM CDT SUN JUN 17 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF IOWA TONIGHT...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN AND EASTERN IOWA
UNTIL 4 AM...

AT 300 AM...ISOLATED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER EAST CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE 10 TO 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF OTTUMWA
NEAR SIGOURNEY...WHAT CHEER AND KEOTA.  EXCESSIVE RAINS...UP TO AN INCH
IN AN HOURS TIME...WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MILES AN HOUR AND SMALL HAIL
WERE OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.

IN ADDITION...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STORMS COVERED THE SOUTH-
EAST HALF OF THE STATE.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EASDT AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
/
WHILE MOST OF IOWA IS ALREADY WATER SATURATED...A SERIOUS FLOOD
PROBLEM CONTINUES.

KS

The office that day

Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 16, 7:17 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXLucas18 min
Jun 16, 7:33 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMonroe27 min
Jun 16, 9:03 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAppanoose27 min
Jun 16, 9:29 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBuena Vista31 min
Jun 16, 9:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClay, Palo Alto, Pocahontas42 min
Jun 16, 9:45 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAppanoose30 min
Jun 16, 9:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHumboldt, Kossuth40 min
Jun 16, 9:57 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXVan Buren33 min
Jun 16, 9:57 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMonroe33 min
Jun 16, 10:16 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAppanoose, Davis, Monroe, Wapello29 min
Jun 16, 10:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXEmmet28 min
Jun 16, 10:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWebster, Wright45 min
Jun 16, 10:53 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXJones37 min
Jun 16, 10:53 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXJefferson, Van Buren37 min
Jun 16, 11:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHamilton49 min
Jun 16, 11:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJefferson, Van Buren26 min
Jun 16, 11:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon28 min
Jun 17, 4:09 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXWashington3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990

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.