Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1992
Flash Flood Warning 11, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Sep 15, 1992, 5:53 AM CDT for Union County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Sep 15, 1992, 5:53 AM CDT (10:53 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 15, 1992, 9:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Union County, IA
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOVN), launched 00:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 181 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
- 2201 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -55 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 588 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 44 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 234 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 213 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 2.9
- Supercell composite
- 15.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KDSM 151055 FFWDSM IAC039-053-117-175-185-151400- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 553 AM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA ...CLARKE COUNTY...DECATUR COUNTY...LUCAS COUNTY...UNION COUNTY ...WAYNE COUNTY THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR THESE COUNTIES HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL 9 AM THIS MORNING. INTENSE RAINFALL CONTINUES TO AFFECT PORTIONS...OR IN SOME INSTANCES ENTIRE COUNTIES. RAINFALL OF 4 TO 9 INCHES HAVE BEEN ESTIMATED BY DES MOINES WEATHER RADAR IN THE WARNING AREA. SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES NEW DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHWEST IOWA WHICH IS HELPING TO REALIGN THE INTENSE THUNDERSTORM CLUSTER IN A MORE EAST-WEST DIRECTION...PRACTICALLY INSURING MORE INTENSE RAINFALL IN THE SOUTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES FROM ADAMS AND TAYLOR EASTWARD. VERY FEW REPORTS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT MANY ROADWAYS AND BRIDGES HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OR COMPLETELY WASHED OUT. IF OUT DRIVING EARLY THIS MORNING...BE PREPARED TO STOP IF FLOODING IS SEEN. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH WATER OF UNKNOWN DEPTH. REPORT THE FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT 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. MYERS
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, Sep 15, 1:47 AM CDT, 4 hours 6 minutes before
IAZALL-150740- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 143 AM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992 ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT... AT 129 AM...AN AREA OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TWO-THIRD OF IOWA. THIS AREA WAS 125 MILES WIDE AND CENTERED FROM 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 35 MILES EAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. SOME OF THE HEAVIEST RAINS WERE FALLING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA INCLUDING UNION...CLARKE...LUCAS...MONROE...APPANOOSE...WAYNE AND DECATUR COUNTIES. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS FLOODING OF STREAMS...STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS IS LIKELY. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO EXCERCISE CAUTION AND AVOID CROSSING LOW-LYING AREAS. / MOVEMENT OF THE INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS WAS SLOWLY EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR...WHILE THE ENTIRE AREA WAS MOV(ING SLOWLY SOUTHWEST AT 10 MILES AN HOUR. R A PRENTICE
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 2:42 AM CDT, 3 hours 11 minutes before
IAZALL-150840- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 240 AM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR DECATUR...LUCAS AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 6 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CLARKE AND UNION COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT... AT 230 AM...AN AREA OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MANY WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF IOWA. THIS AREA WAS 125 MILES WIDE AND CENTERED FROM 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 40 MILES EAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. SOME OF THE HEAVIEST RAINS WERE FALLING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA INCLUDING UNION...CLARKE...LUCAS...MONROE...APPANOOSE...WAYNE AND DECATUR COUNTIES. HEAVY RAINS WERE ALSO FALLING ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUrR. R A PRENTICE
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 2:47 AM CDT, 3 hours 6 minutes before
IAZALL-150840- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 240 AM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR DECATUR...LUCAS AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 6 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CLARKE AND UNION COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT... AT 230 AM...AN AREA OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MANY WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF IOWA. THIS AREA WAS 125 MILES WIDE AND CENTERED FROM 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 40 MILES EAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. SOME OF THE HEAVIEST RAINS WERE FALLING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA INCLUDING UNION...CLARKE...LUCAS...MONROE...APPANOOSE...WAYNE AND DECATUR COUNTIES. HEAVY RAINS WERE ALSO FALLING ACROSS PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA. MOVEMENT WAS SLOWLY EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT AND WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THESE STORMS FLOODING OF STREETS...STREAMS AND LOW-LYING AREAS IS LIKELY. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO EXCERCISE CAUTION AND AVOID CROSSING LOW-LYING AREAS. R A PRENTICE
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 3:43 AM CDT, 2 hours 10 minutes before
IAZALL-150940- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 340 AM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR DECATUR...LUCAS AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 6 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CLARKE AND UNION COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE NIGHT... AT 329 AM...AN AREA OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MANY WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF IOWA. THIS AREA WAS 110 MILES WIDE AND CENTERED FROM 5 MILES EAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. SOME OF THE HEAVIEST RAINS WERE FALLING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA INCLUDING DECATUR...WAYNE AND APPANOOSE COUNTIES. HEAVY RAINS WERE ALSO FALLING ACROSS PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL IOWA. MOVEMENT WAS SLOWLY EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT AND WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THESE STORMS FLOODING OF STREETS...STREAMS AND LOW-LYING AREAS IS LIKELY. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO EXCERCISE CAUTION AND AVOID CROSSING LOW-LYING AREAS. ALSO...FLOODING OF GRAVEL AND SECONDARY ROADS HAS BEEN REPORTED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF MADISON COUNTY. R A PRENTICE
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 4:47 AM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
IAZALL-151040- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 440 AM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR DECATUR...LUCAS AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 6 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CLARKE AND UNION COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ADAIR AND SOUTHERN MADISON COUNTIES UNTIL 7 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF IOWA TODAY... AT 432 AM...AN AREA OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MANY WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF IOWA. THIS AREA WAS 110 MILES WIDE AND CENTERED FROM 20 MILES SOUTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 30 MILES EAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THE HEAVIEST RAINS WERE FALLING ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST AND FAR SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. MOVEMENT WAS SLOWLY EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT AND WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THESE STORMS FLOODING OF STREETS...STREAMS AND LOW-LYING AREAS IS LIKELY. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO EXCERCISE CAUTION AND AVOID CROSSING LOW-LYING AREAS. ALSO...FLOODING OF GRAVEL AND SECONDARY ROADS HAS BEEN REPORTED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF MADISON COUNTY. R A PRENTICE&
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 5:41 AM CDT, 12 minutes before
IAZALL-151140- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 540 AM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR DECATUR...LUCAS AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 6 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR CLARKE AND UNION COUNTIES UNTIL 630 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ADAIR AND SOUTHERN MADISON COUNTIES UNTIL 7 AM... ...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTH HALF OF IOWA TODAY... AT 530 AM...AN AREA OF NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MANY WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN THREE-FIFTHS OF IOWA. THIS AREA WAS 100 MILES WIDE AND CENTERED FROM 10 MILES SOUTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS. THE HEAVIEST RAINS WERE FALLING ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST AND FAR SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. MOVEMENT WAS SLOWLY EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT AND WIDESPREAD NATURE OF THESE STORMS FLOODING OF STREETS...STREAMS AND LOW-LYING AREAS IS LIKELY. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO EXCERCISE CAUTION AND AVOID CROSSING LOW-LYING AREAS. ALSO...FLOODING OF GRAVEL AND SECONDARY ROADS HAS BEEN REPORTED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF MADISON COUNTY. R A PRzENTICE
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 14, 7:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams | 45 min |
| Sep 14, 8:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Union | 45 min |
| Sep 14, 11:07 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Clarke, Union | 3 hr |
| Sep 15, 2:01 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Decatur, Lucas, Wayne | 4 hr |
| Sep 15, 2:26 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Clarke, Union | 4 hr |
| Sep 15, 5:53 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Wayne | 3 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 1992Every flash flood warning in 1992
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.