Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1992

Flash Flood Warning 2, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 16, 1992Cerro Gordo County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at May 16, 1992, 6:26 PM CDT for Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 16, 1992, 6:26 PM CDT (23:26 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 1992, 10:30 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Cerro Gordo County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 12:00Z, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 198 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1992-05-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1992-05-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 285 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
657 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
285 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
250 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KALO 162331
FFWALO
IAC033-170330-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
626 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WATERLOO HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1030 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...CERRO GORDO COUNTY
 
AT 615 PM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN CERRO GORDO COUNTY REPORTED
THE WINNEBAGO RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES HAVE RISEN RAPIDLY TO
BANKFUL.
 
PEOPLE ALONG AND NEAR THE WINNEBAGO RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES
CAN EXPECT FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE COUNTY FROM 615 PM UNTIL
1030 PM CDT.  MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE TO THE WEST OF
CERRO GORDO COUNTY AND WILL PRODUCE MORE RAIN IN THE AREA.
 
TOWNS AFFECTED BY THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING ARE FERTILE...
MASON CITY...PORTLAND...WINNEBAGO HEIGHTS...EMERY AND
FREEMAN.
 
 
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH RISING FLOOD WATERS.  IF YOU ARE
CAUGHT IN YOUR VEHICLE IN RISING FLOOD WATERS...ABANDON IT
IMMEDIATELY AND MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
RR/PC/MH

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 16, 3:51 PM CDT, 2 hours 35 minutes before
IAZALL-162140-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...COR FOR TORNADO WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
350 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 1992

.....A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
IOWA UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 3 30 PM CDT...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED OVER NORTH CENTRAL
IOWA 15 TO 20 MILES WEST OF MASON CITY.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
PRODUCING HAIL...DAMAGING WIND UP TO 50 MILES AN HOUR...AND VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL.  AT 3 20 PM A REPORT WAS RECEIVED OF 1 INCH HAIL 5 MILES WEST
OF NORTHWOOD.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE URGED TO MONITOR WEATHER REPORTS
AND SEEK SHELTER IF A STORM APPROACHES.

THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NOURTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR...
HOWEVER THE STORMS SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPING TO THE SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL
AND NORTHWEST IOWA.
/
MILLER
Special weather statement, May 16, 4:16 PM CDT, 2 hours 10 minutes before
IAZALL-162215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
415 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 1992

AT 405 PM...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER NORTH CENTRAL
IOWA.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED IN A 10 MILE WIDE LINE THAT EXTENDED
FROM NEAR BODE...25 MILES NORTH OF FORT DODGE...TO THE MINNESOTA BORDER
20 MILES NORTH OF MASON CITY.  WIND GUSTS OF 80 MILES AN HOUR WERE
RECORDED AT MASON CITY AT 345 PM.  HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN ALSO
BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS ARE URGED TO EXCERCISE CAUTION...
MONITOR WEATHER REPORTS...AND SEEK SHELTER IF NECESSARY.

THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 TO4 40 MILES AN HOUR...
HOWEVER THE STORM SYSTEM WAS DEVELOPINT TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST.

THE OUTLOOK THROUGH 5 PM...CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT OF INTENSE THUNDER-
STORMS INTO CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST IOWA...AND MOVING INTO NORTHEAST IOWA.
/
MILLER
Special weather statement, May 16, 4:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
IAZALL-162240-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
440 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 1992

.....A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
IOWA UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 4 25 PM CDT...VERY STRONG AND INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL...AND NORTHEAST IOWA.  THE 10 TO 15 MILE WIDE
LINE OF STORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR LAKE CITY...65 MILE NORTHWEST OF DES
MOINES...TO THE MASON CITY AREA...TO THE MINNESOTA BORDER 30 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF MASON CITY.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 20 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF MASON CITY IN SOUTHEAST HANCOCK COUNTY AND NEAR LUVERNE
...45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MASON CITY.  THESE STORMS CONTAIN VERY HEAVY
RAINFALL AND DEADLY LIGHTNING AND COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE
HAIL.

ALSO...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE DETECTED OVER NORTHWEST IOWA NEAR
CORRECTIONVILLE AND HOLSTEIN...30 TO 40 MILES EAST OF SIOUX CITY.
/
THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR...HOWEVER THE
SYSTEM OF STORMS WAS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST.

MILLER
Special weather statement, May 16, 5:17 PM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
IAZ002-003-007-170000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR NORTHEAST IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
515 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 1992

...A TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
IOWA...

AT 515 PM CDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SOME SEVERE WERE IN NORTH
CENTRAL IOWA FORM THE MINNESOTA BORDER NORTHEAST OF MASON CITY...
SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE FORT DODGE AREA. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
WAS DRIFTING SLOWLY EAST WITH THE INDIVIDUAL STORMS MOVING NORTHEAST
AROUND 30 MILES AN HOUR.  OTHERWISE ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA SKIES WERE
MOSTLY SUNNY WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS 20 GUSTING AT TIMES TO 45
MILES AN HOUR.  THE TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE 80S..EXCEPT IN STORM
AREAS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA WILL SLOWLY SPREAD TO THE EAST
THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. PEOPLE SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THESE
STORMS AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES.
Special weather statement, May 16, 5:17 PM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
IAZALL-162340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND WEATHER UPDATE FOR IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
515 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 1992

.....A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
IOWA UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 5 05 PM CDT...VERY STRONG AND INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL...AND NORTHEAST IOWA.  A 10 TO 15 MILE WIDE
LINE OF STORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR ROCKWELL CITY...65 MILES NORTHWEST OF
DES MOINES...TO MASON CITY...TO THE MINNESOTA BORDER 40 MILES NORTHEAST
OF MASON CITY.  ALSO...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER NORTH-
WEST IOWA NORTH OF A SIOUX CITY TO DENISON LINE.  DENISON IS 50 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF SIOUX CITY.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND
SOME HAIL.  DAMAGING WIND WAS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
/
PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR...HOWEVER THE
LINE OF STORMS OVER NORTH CENTRAL IOWA WAS MOVING VERY LITTLE AND THE
STORMS OVER NORTHWEST IOWA WERE MOVNG SLOWLY EAST.

THE OUTLOOK THROUGH 6 PM...CONTINUED VERY STRONG AND INTENSE THUNDER-
STORMS OVER THE NORT%HWEST HALF OF IOWA.  SOME SHOWERS MAY DEVELOP OVER
FAR SOUTHEAST IOWA AS WELL.

MILLER
Special weather statement, May 16, 5:46 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
IAZALL-162340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
545 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 1992

.....A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND CENTRAL
IOWA UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 5 25 PM CDT...VERY STRONG AND INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
MUCH OF THE NORTHWEST THIRD OF IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE NORTH OF A LINE
THAT EXTENDED FROM 35 MILES NORTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO WEBSTER CITY...
50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MASON CITY...TO THE MINNESOTA BORDER 50 MILES
NORTHEAST OF MASON CITY.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...STRONG WIND GUSTING
TO 50 MILES AN HOUR...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND COULD PRODUCE SOME HAIL.
SOME OF THESE STORMS WERE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60
MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR...HOWEVER THE AREA
OF STORMS WAS MOVING SLOWLY EAST.

MILLER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 16, 3:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWorth39 min
May 16, 3:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Hancock40 min
May 16, 4:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Hancock50 min
May 16, 5:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMitchell37 min
May 16, 5:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Floyd40 min
May 16, 6:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCalhoun, Sac25 min
May 16, 6:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPocahontas37 min

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.