Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1992

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Des Moines, IA

September 14, 1992Clarke County, Union County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Sep 14, 1992, 11:07 PM CDT for Clarke County, Union County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 14, 1992, 11:07 PM CDT (04:07 UTC)
Expired
Sep 15, 1992, 2:15 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Clarke County, IA, Union County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOVN), launched 00:00Z, 4.1 hours before the alert went out and 200 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 00:00Z on 1992-09-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2201 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 00:00Z on 1992-09-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 234 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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 150428 COR
FFWDSM
IAC039-175-150715-

BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING...CORECTION...SPELLING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1125 PM CDT MON SEP 14 1992

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  215 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...

IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA

   ...CLARKE COUNTY...UNION COUNTY

HEAVY RAINS OF BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES FELL IN THESE COUNTIES BETWEEN 6
PM AND 1100 PM THIS EVENING. THESE HEAVY RAINS HAVE CAUSED FLASH
FLOODING IN MUCH OF UNION AND CLARKE COUNTIES OR ABOUT 30 TO 40 MILES TO
THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.  LORIMOR IN NORTHERN UNION COUNTY
HAD 5.8 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE 7AM.
/
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR IS OCCURRING. TAKE
NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IMMEDIATELY.

AT 1055 PM COUNTY ROAD P33 JUST TO THE NORTHEAST OF CRESTON HAD WATER
OVER THE ROAD AND WAS IMPASSABLE.  IN AFTON...SIGNIFICANT STREET
FLOODING WAS OCCURRING.

HIGHWAY 69 WAS BLOCKED DUE TO WATER OVER THE ROAD 2 MILES TO THE SOUTH
OF OSCEOLA IN CLARK COUNTY.  IN OSCEOLA...UNDERPASSES WERE FLOODED.
OTHER STREETS IN OSCEOLA WERE BECOMING FLOODED.

AT 1105 PM RADAR INDICATED THAT PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINS WILL
CONTINUE ACROSS UNION AND CLARKE COUNTIES UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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.

CEW

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 14, 7:45 PM CDT, 3 hours 22 minutes before
IAZALL-150145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
745 PM CDT MON SEP 14 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF
   IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH
   CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 730 PM CDT...ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTHWEST
IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE OCCURRING 35 MILES EAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS
NEAR ATLANTIC...AND 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS BETWEEN
CUMBERLAND AND CORNING.  ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED 25 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES NEAR MELCHER.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...NEARLY CONTINUOUS
LIGHTNING...AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL.  THE VERY HEAVY RAIN MAY ALSO
CAUSE FLOODING OF SOME STREAMS...AS WELL AS STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS OCCURRING OVER
THE SOUTHERN THItRD OF IOWA.  THE RAIN WAS GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE
FROM OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS...TO 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF DES MOINES NEAR
GUTHRIE CENTER...TO THE QUAD CITIES.

THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

JAK
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 8:44 PM CDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
IAZALL-150245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
840 PM CDT MON SEP 14 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF
   IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH
   CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 830 PM CDT...SCATTERED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED
FROM CUMBERLAND TO CRESTON...OR FROM 45 MILES EAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO
45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES.  OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR
ALBIA...45 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...NEARLY CONTINUOUS
LIGHTNING...AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL.  THE VERY HEAVY RAIN MAY ALSO
CAUSE FLOODING OF SOME STREAMS...AS WELL AS STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS.
/
THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS OCCURRING OVER
THE SOUTHE&RN THIRD OF IOWA.  THE RAIN WAS GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE
FROM OMAHA/COUNCIL BLUFFS...TO 20 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES NEAR
MADRID...TO THE QUAD CITIES.

THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

MILLER
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 9:14 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
IAZALL-150315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT RANGE FORECAST FOR IOWA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
915 PM CDT MON SEP 14 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF
   IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH
   CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 904 PM CDT...ISOLATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AND SCATTERED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL...AND SOUTHEAST
IOWA.  THE STRONGEST OF THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED 10 MILES EAST OF
ATLANTIC...OR 50 MILES EAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS...NEAR AFTON OR 40 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...AND 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF OTTUMWA.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...NEARLY CONTINUOUS
LIGHTNING...AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND POSSIBLY DAMAGING WIND.
THE VERY HEAVY RAINS COULD ALSO CAUSE FLOODING OF SOME STREAMS...AS WELL
AS URBAN STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS.
/
THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

THE OUTLOOK OVER THE NEXT ONE TO TWO HOURS IS FOR CONTINUED STRONG
STORMS AND SHOWERS TO COVER THE SOUTH THIRD OF IOWA.

MILLER
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 9:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
IAZALL-150345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
945 PM CDT MON SEP 14 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF
   IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH
   CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 930 PM...ISOLATED VERY STRONG THUNDERTORMS AND SCATTERED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL...AND SOUTHEAST
IOWA.  THE STRONGEST OF THESE STORMS WAS LOCATED NEAR ANITA...50 MILES
WEST OF DES MOINES...BETWEEN CRESTON AND CUMBERLAND OR 50 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...AND 40 MILES SOUTH OF DES MOINES BETWEEN
AFTON AND OSCEOLA.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...NEARLY CONTINUOUS
LIGHTNING...AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING
WIND.  THE HEAVY RAIN COUILD ALSO CAUSE FLOODING OF SOME STREAMS...AS
WELL AS STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS OCCURRING OVER
THE SOUTHERN THIRD TO ONE HALF OF IOWA.  THE RAIN WAS SOUTH OF A LINE
FROM DENISON TO CEDAR RAPIDS TO DAVENPORT.  DENISON IS 50 MILES
NORTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS.

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

MILLER
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 10:42 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
IAZALL-150445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1041 PM CDT MON SEP 14 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF
   IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH
   CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 1030 PM...SCATTERED STRONG AND VERY STRONG THUNDERTORMS WERE OVER
WEST CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST...AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STRONGEST OF
THESE STORMS WAS LOCATED 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES NEAR AFTON...
AND FROM 35 TO 50 MILES SOUTH OF DES MOINES...OR FROM OSCEOLA TO NEAR
LEON.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...NEARLY CONTINUOUS
LIGHTNING...AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING
WIND.  THE HEAVY RAIN COUILD ALSO CAUSE FLOODING OF SOME STREAMS...AS
WELL AS STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS.
/
THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS OCCURRING OVER
THE SOUTH HAL~F OF IOWA.  THE RAIN WAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM NEAR
SIOUX CITY TO CEDAR RAPIDS TO DAVENORT.

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

MILLER/KALLMAN
Special weather statement, Sep 14, 10:48 PM CDT, 19 minutes before
IAZALL-150445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTED SPELLING...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1041 PM CDT MON SEP 14 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN THIRD OF
   IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH
   CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 1030 PM...SCATTERED STRONG AND VERY STRONG THUNDERTORMS WERE OVER
WEST CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST...AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STRONGEST OF
THESE STORMS WAS LOCATED 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES NEAR AFTON...
AND FROM 35 TO 50 MILES SOUTH OF DES MOINES...OR FROM OSCEOLA TO NEAR
LEON.

THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...NEARLY CONTINUOUS
LIGHTNING...AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...AND COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING
WIND.  THE HEAVY RAIN COULD ALSO CAUSE FLOODING OF SOME STREAMS...AS
WELL AS STREETS AND LOW-LYING AREAS.
/
THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS OCCURRING OVER
THE SOUTH HALF OF IOWA.  THE RAIN WAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM NEAR
SIOUX CITY TO CEDAR RAPIDS TO DAVENPORT.

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

MILLER/KALLMAN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 14, 7:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams45 min
Sep 14, 8:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXUnion45 min
Sep 15, 2:01 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXDecatur, Lucas, Wayne4 hr
Sep 15, 2:26 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXClarke, Union4 hr
Sep 15, 5:53 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXClarke, Decatur, Lucas, Wayne3 hr
Sep 15, 5:53 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXUnion3 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.