Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990
Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jun 16, 1990, 6:41 AM CDT for Polk County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Jun 16, 1990, 6:41 AM CDT (11:41 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 16, 1990, 9:45 AM CDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Polk 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, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 236 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
- 3621 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 37 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 54 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 66 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 161144
FFWDSM
IAC153-161445-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
641 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 945 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN CENTRAL IOWA
...SOUTHERN POLK
EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING OVER SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF
POLK COUNTY SINCE 6 AM THIS MORNING. OVER 3 INCHES OF RAIN FELL OVER
NORTHERN PARTS OF THE WALNUT CREEK BASIN BETWEEN 6 AND 630 AM...AND THISWILL PRODUCE FLOODING ALONG THE WALNUT CREEK.
THESE HEAVY RAINS WILL ALSO PRODUCE A FLASH FLOODING THREAT ALONG THE
4 MILE CREEK BASIN AS WELL.
TRUETT 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 16, 2:25 AM CDT, 4 hours 16 minutes before
IA002-003-007-130820 SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 220 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO NORTHEAST IOWA... AT 215 AM CDT SHOWERS AND A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES WERE ENTERING PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA...WEST AND SOUTH OF A MASON CITY...GRUNDY CENTER...CEDAR RAPIDS LINE. THE STRONGEST STORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST RAINS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WERE LOCATED NEAR THE GRUNDY CENTER AND THE TAMA/TOLEDO AREAS. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD BE IN THE WATERLOO/CEDARFALLS AREA BY AROUND 245 AM CDT. PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMSg SHOULD BE ALERT TO THE CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE NECESSARY ACTION. JOHNSON
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 2:51 AM CDT, 3 hours 50 minutes before
IAZALL-160830- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 250 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF IOWA TONIGHT... AT 235 AM...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF IOWA...EXCEPT THE FAR NORTHWEST COUNTIES...AS WELL AS A SMALL PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR MONROE...25 MILES EAST OF DES MOINES AND 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS BETWEEN PLATSMOUTH AND MALVERN. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...NEARLY CONTINUOUS DEADLY LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL. OTHER STRONG STORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN WERE APPROACHING CEDAR RAPIDS...AS WELL AS 30 TO 40 MILES WEST OF WATERLOO...NEAR GRUNDY CENTER AND NEAR ELDORA. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR. BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 3:28 AM CDT, 3 hours 13 minutes before
IA002-003-007-130930 SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA 325 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHEAST IOWA... AT 320 AM CDT SHOWERS AND A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES WERE NOW IN PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA...WEST AND OF A CHARLES CITY....WATERLOO...CEDAR RAPIDS LINE. THE STRONGEST STORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST RAINS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WERE LOCATED NEAR WATERLOO...HUDSON AND LAPORTE CITY. THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD BE IN THE INDEPENDENCE AND OELWEIN AREAS BY 4000 AM CDT. PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ALERT TO THE CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE NECESSARY ACTION. JOHNSON
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 3:59 AM CDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
IAZALL-160930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 350 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF IOWA TONIGHT... AT 335 AM...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUED OVER THE NORTHERN THREE QUARTERS OF IOWA. MOST OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE LOCATED NORTH OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS AREA EAST TO 15 MILES NORTH OF BURLINGTON. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 25 MILES SOUTH OF WATERLOO...NEAR VINTON...35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...OR 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GREENFIELD AND 60 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES AT CUMBERLAND. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN AND NEARLY CONTINUOUS DEADLY LIGHTNING. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING BACK INTO THE WEST CENTRAL COUNTIES OF IOWA...BETWEEN SIOUX CITY AND OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS. VERY HEAVY RAINS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN IN THIS AREA SO ANY ADDITIONAL RAINS WILL RESULT IN RAPID RUNOFF INTO AREA RIVERS. OVERNIGHT IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAVIEST RAINS HAVE FALLEN OVER HARRISON... MONONA AND WOODBURY COUNTIES. PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS AREA SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST RIVER LEVELS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED. BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 4:04 AM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
IAZALL-160930- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED TO ADD MOVEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 350 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF IOWA TONIGHT... AT 335 AM...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER THE NORTHERN THREE QUARTERS OF IOWA. MOST OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE LOCATED NORTH OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS AREA EAST TO 15 MILES NORTH OF BURLINGTON. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 25 MILES SOUTH OF WATERLOO...NEAR VINTON...35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...OR 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GREENFIELD AND 60 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES AT CUMBERLAND. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN AND NEARLY CONTINUOUS DEADLY LIGHTNING. ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING BACK INTO THE WEST CENTRAL COUNTIES OF IOWA...BETWEEN SIOUX CITY AND OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS. VERY HEAVY RAINS HAVE ALREADY FALLEN IN THIS AREA SO ANY ADDITIONAL RAINS WILL RESULT IN RAPID RUNOFF INTO AREA RIVERS. OVERNIGHT IT APPEARS THAT THE HEAVIEST RAINS HAVE FALLEN OVER HARRISON... MONONA AND WOODBURY COUNTIES. PEOPLE LIVING IN THIS AREA SHOULD MONITOR THE LATEST RIVER LEVELS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR. BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 4:52 AM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before
IAZALL-161030- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 445 AM CDT SAT JUN 16 1990 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WESTERN TWO THIRDS OF IOWA TONIGHT... AT 435 AM...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER THE NORTHERN THREE QUARTERS OF IOWA. MOST OF THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE LOCATED NORTH OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF OMAHA/ COUNCIL BLUFFS SOUTHEAST TO 15 MILES NORTH OF BURLINGTON. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE NEAR HARLAN...ADAIR...GREENFIELD...JUST WEST OF DES MOINES AND JUST NORTH OF WASHINGTON. HARLAN IS 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS...ADAIR IS 45 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES... GREENFIELD IS 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...WHILE WASHINGTON IS ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTH OF CEDAR RAPIDS. VERY HEAVY RAINS AND NEARLY CONTINUOUS DEADLY LIGHTNING WILL OCCUR WITH THESE STORMS. HEAVY RAINS WERE MOVING BACK THROUGH THE NORTHWEST AND NORTHERN SUBURBS OF DES MOINES...STREET FLOODING AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS IS LIKELY. MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED NOT TO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH LOW LYING AREAS WHERE FLOODING IS OCCURRING. THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 6:13 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Dallas, Polk | 62 min |
| Jun 16, 6:17 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Polk | 43 min |
| Jun 16, 7:12 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Jasper | 33 min |
| Jun 16, 7:22 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Dallas | 4 hr |
| Jun 16, 9:16 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Marion, Warren | 3 hr |
| Jun 16, 9:48 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Johnson | 3 hr |
| Jun 16, 1:36 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Union | 114 min |
| Jun 16, 1:36 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Mahaska | 54 min |
| Jun 16, 1:36 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Keokuk, Wapello | 44 min |
| Jun 16, 2:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Davis, Jefferson, Van Buren | 44 min |
| Jun 16, 4:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adair | 39 min |
| Jun 16, 5:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Madison, Union | 30 min |
| Jun 16, 5:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Wapello | 26 min |
| Jun 16, 5:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Madison | 26 min |
| Jun 16, 6:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Clarke | 29 min |
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.