Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1991

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 31, 1991Iowa County, Johnson County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at May 31, 1991, 2:51 PM CDT for Iowa County, Johnson County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 31, 1991, 2:51 PM CDT (19:51 UTC)
Expired
May 31, 1991, 6:00 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Iowa County, IA, Johnson County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOVN), launched 12:00Z, 7.9 hours before the alert went out and 380 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 1991-05-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2211 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, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 1991-05-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 339 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2211 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-140 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
739 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
339 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
312 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.2
Supercell composite
9.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 311952
FFWDSM
IAC157-095-103-312300-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
251 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...POWESHIEK COUNTY
 
IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...IOWA COUNTY...JOHNSON COUNTY
 
AT 250 PM...WEATHER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS IN AN
EAST-WEST LINE FROM ABOUT 30 MILES EAST OF DES MOINES...TO NEAR THE IOWA
CITY AREA.
 
THE STORMS IN THIS EAST-WEST LINE WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
THIS MOVEMENT IS CAUSING HEAVY RAINS TO PASS OVER THE SAME
AREA...PRODUCING A THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING.
 
IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 1 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN ARE LIKELY IN A VERY SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME...AND ISOLATED RAINS OF OVER 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.
 
MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
A{TTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A
SMALL ONE...ON FOOT.
 
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, May 31, 12:32 PM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before
IAZ002-003-007-311830-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND AREA WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
1230 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 1991

AT 1230 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A 50 MILE WIDE AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED FROM THE IOWA/MINNESOTA BORDER SOUTH OF LACROSS
WISCONSIN TO TAMA...35 MILES SOUTH OF WATERLOO.  THESE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WERE PRODUCING
SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES.

THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD MOVE OUT OF NORTHEAST IOWA THIS
AFTERNOON AROUND 2 PM CDT...HOWEVER CONDITIONS ARE SET UP FOR MORE
RAINFALL DEVELOPMENT LATER THIS AFTERNOON.  TEMPERATURES OVER NORTHEAST
IOWA SHOULD CLIMaB INTO THE 80S WITH VARIABLE WINDS DUE TO THE SHOWER
ACTIVITY OF 10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, May 31, 12:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
IAZALL-311845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1250 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR A SMALL PART OF EASTERN IOWA UNTIL
5 PM...

AT 1235 PM CDT...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 10 MILES
SOUTHWEST TO ABOUT 20 MILES NORTH NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES. THESE
STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...SOME HAIL AND FREQUENT
DEADLY LIGHTNING. PEOPLE LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS AROUND THE
DES MOINES METROPOLITAN AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR FAST
RISING WATERS...AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS LOW LYING AREAS THAT
HAVE STANDING WATER.

OTHER VERY STRONG STORMS WERE OCCURRING BETWEEN CEDAR RAPIDS AND
WATERLOO...AS WE|LL AS IN THE FORT DODGE AREA. THESE STORMS ARE ALSO
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZED
HAIL.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, May 31, 1:47 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
IAZALL-311945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
145 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR A SMALL PART OF EASTERN IOWA UNTIL
5 PM...

AT 132 PM CDT...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 25 MILES
SOUTHWEST TO ABOUT 25 MILES NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES. THESE
STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...SOME HAIL AND FREQUENT
DEADLY LIGHTNING. PEOPLE LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS AROUND THE
DES MOINES METROPOLITAN AREA SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR FAST
RISING WATERS...AND DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS LOW LYING AREAS THAT
HAVE STANDING WATER.

OTHER VERY STRONG STORMS WERE OCCURRING BETWEEN CEDAR RAPIDS AND
CENTRAL CITY...30 MILES NORTHEAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THESE STORMS ARE ALSO
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZED
HAIL.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF IOWA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW/RICHTER
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:19 PM CDT, 32 minutes before
IAZALL-312015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND IOWA WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
215 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 1991

AT 205 PM...THERE WAS A 15 TO 30 MILE WIDE BAND OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS
AND SCATTERED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM 20 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...NEAR WINTERSET NORTHEAST THROUGH CEDAR RAPIDS
TO THE IOWA/ILLINOIS BORDER 10 MILES SOUTH OF DUBUQUE.

SEVERAL OF THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS AREA HAVE BEEN PRODUCING EXTREMELY
HEAVY RAINS...ALONG WITH SPOTTY PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND FREQUENT
DEADLY LIGHTNING.

PEOPLE LIVING NEAR FLOOD PRONE AREAS NEAR THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...PARTICULARLY
ALONG >SMALL RIVERS AND STREAMS.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN
HOUR...HOWEVER THE ENTIRE AREA OF PRECIPITATION WAS SAGGING SOUTHEAST AT
10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:25 PM CDT, 26 minutes before
IAZ002-003-007-311830-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND AREA WEATHER UPDATE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
220 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 1991

AT 220 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A 50 MILE WIDE AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED TO THE WEST OF HIGHWAY 150 AND ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30
MILES AN HOUR AND WERE PRODUCING SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS.  THESE
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE OUT OF NORTHEAST IOWA IN THE NEXT
HOUR.

THE OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST IOWA FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON IS FOR
SKIES TO REMAIN CLOUDY WITH A CONTINUING CHANCE OF SCATTERED SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH POSSIBLE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.  THE WINDS WILL
BLOW OUT EOF THE SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 MILES AN HOUR WHILE THE TEMPERATURES
WILL HOVER NEAR 70 DEGREES.
Special weather statement, May 31, 2:45 PM CDT, 6 minutes before
IAZALL-312035-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
245 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 1991

AT 230 PM...THERE WAS A 10 TO 15 MILE WIDE BAND OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS
AND SCATTERED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM 15 MILES
SOUTH OF DES MOINES...NEAR INDIANOLA...NORTHEAST TO TOLEDO...OR 55
MILES NORTHEAST OF DES MOINES.  ANOTHER AREA OF VERY STRONG STORMS
WAS LOCATED 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE QUAD CITIES...AROUND TIPTON.
SEVERAL OF THE THUNDERSTORMS IN THSES AREAS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING EXTREMELY
HEAVY RAINS...ALONG WITH SPOTTY PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND FREQUENT
DEADLY LIGHTNING.

PEOPLE LIVING NEAR FLOOD PRONE AREAS NEAR THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SIGNIFICANT FLOODING...PARTICULARLY
ALONG SMALL RIVERS AND STREAMS.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN
HOUR...HOWEVER THE ENTIRE AREA OF PRECIPITATION WAS SAGGING SOUTHEAST AT
10 TO 15m MILES AN HOUR.

BARLOW/RICHTER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 31, 5:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHamilton, Hardin54 min
May 31, 5:34 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin56 min
May 31, 8:22 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBremer, Butler68 min
May 31, 9:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBuchanan67 min
May 31, 10:59 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMarshall31 min
May 31, 12:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPolk39 min
May 31, 12:50 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXBenton, Linn3 hr
May 31, 2:51 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXPoweshiek3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 1991Every flash flood warning in 1991

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.