Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 113, NWS Des Moines, IA

August 19, 1993Clarke County, Lucas County, Union County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 19, 1993, 1:24 AM CDT for Clarke County, Lucas County, Union County, Iowa. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 19, 1993, 1:24 AM CDT (06:24 UTC)
Expired
Aug 19, 1993, 5:30 AM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Clarke County, IA, Lucas County, IA, Union County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 6.4 hours before the alert went out and 219 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 1993-08-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 63 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, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 1993-08-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 149 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
63 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-362 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1510 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
149 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
293 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 190624
FFWDSM
IAC039-117-175-191030-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
124 AM CDT THU AUG 19 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION(S)S...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...CLARKE COUNTY...LUCAS COUNTY...UNION COUNTY
 
AT 115 AM...DES MOINES RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS
OCCURRING OVER SOUTHERN IOWA...EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF CRESTON TO
NEAR CHARITON. THE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE OVER
THE SAME LOCATION PRODUCING ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL.
 
SOME OF THE RIVERS THAT WILL BE AFFECTED FROM UNION COUNTY INCLUDE...
THE THOMPSON RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES...AND FROM CLARKE AND LUCAS
COUNTIES...THE OTTER AND WHITEBREAST CREEKS.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODIN^G IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
SMITH/JOHNSON

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, Aug 18, 9:15 PM CDT, 4 hours 9 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-190400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
915 PM CDT WED AUG 18 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA...

AT 910 PM RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUING ACROSS THOSE
AREAS OF NORTHEAST IOWA TO THE EAST OF HIGHWAY 150.  THROUGH 11 PM
CDT...THESE SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY TAPER OFF.  HOWEVER...SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST IOWA THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS THROUGH THE NIGHT.

DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...THE
FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL
IOWA THROUGH THE REST OF TONIGHT.  THE PUBLIC SHOULD STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTS FOR ADDITIONAL
WEATHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE EYE TO
THE WEATHER AND SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND SHOULD
HEAVY RAINS OCCUR OR WATER LEVELS BEGIN RISING.

TRS
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 9:18 PM CDT, 4 hours 6 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-190400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
915 PM CDT WED AUG 18 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA...

AT 910 PM RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUING ACROSS THOSE
AREAS OF NORTHEAST IOWA TO THE EAST OF HIGHWAY 150.  THROUGH 11 PM
CDT...THESE SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY TAPER OFF.  HOWEVER...SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST IOWA THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS THROUGH THE NIGHT.

DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS...THE
FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL
IOWA THROUGH THE REST OF TONIGHT.  THE PUBLIC SHOULD STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTS FOR ADDITIONAL
WEATHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE EYE TO
THE WEATHER AND SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND SHOULD
HEAVY RAINS OCCUR OR WATER LEVELS BEGIN RISING.

TRS
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 9:20 PM CDT, 4 hours 4 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-190400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION FOR TEXT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
915 PM CDT WED AUG 18 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL IOWA...

AT 910 PM RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS CONTINUING ACROSS THOSE
AREAS OF NORTHEAST IOWA TO THE EAST OF HIGHWAY 150.  THROUGH 11 PM
CDT...THESE SHOWERS WILL SLOWLY TAPER OFF.  HOWEVER...SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST IOWA THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS
COULD PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS THROUGH THE NIGHT.

DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAINS THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME HOURS...THE
FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST AND NORTH CENTRAL
IOWA THROUGH THE REST OF TONIGHT.  THE PUBLIC SHOULD STAY TUNED TO NOAA
WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTS FOR ADDITIONAL
WEATHER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAR FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD KEEP A CLOSE EYE TO
THE WEATHER AND SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND SHOULD
HEAVY RAINS OCCUR OR WATER LEVELS BEGIN RISING.

TRS
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 10:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before
IAZALL-190445-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1043 PM CDT WED AUG 18 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN QUARTER OF IOWA
   TONIGHT...

AT 1030 PM CDT...ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING HEAVY RAIN HAD
REDEVELOPED OVER CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE LOCATED 25 MILES SOUTH
OF DES MOINES NEAR NEW VIRGINIA AND 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES
BETWEEN MELCHER AND KNOXVILLE.  ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS IN SOUTHEAST
IOWA...10 MILES NORTHEAST OF OTTUMWA.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OCCURRING
SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM AFTON...WHICH IS 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES
MOINES...TO CEDAR RAPIDS.  MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WAS EAST
AT 30 TO 35 MILES AN HOUR.

ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WAS ENTERING SOUTHWEST IOWA...40
MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS NEAR SIDNEY AND SHENANDOAH.  THESE
STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST AT 20 TO 25 MILES AN HOUR.

KALLMAN
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 11:43 PM CDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before
IAZALL-190545-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1143 PM CDT WED AUG 18 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN QUARTER OF IOWA
   TONIGHT...

AT 1130 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN
CONTINUED TO DEVELOP ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. THE STORMS
WERE OCCURRING IN A BAND 15 MILES WIDE AND EXTENDING FROM 30 MILES NORTH
OF OTTUMWA NEAR MONTEZUMA TO 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES NEAR
CRESTON.

THESE STRONG STORMS WERE LOCATED IN A 40 MILE WIDE AREA OF SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED OVER THE SOUTH THIRD OF IOWA...AND CENTERED FROM
60 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES NEAR CORNING...TO 20 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF DAVENPORT NEAR MUSCATINE.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.

KALLMAN
Special weather statement, Aug 19, 12:35 AM CDT, 49 minutes before
IAZALL-190645-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1235 AM CDT THU AUG 19 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN QUARTER OF IOWA
   THIS MORNING...

AT 1226 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...
FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL CONTINUED OVER
SOUTHWEST INTO EAST CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE IN A 30 MILE WIDE
AREA CENTERED FROM 50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...NEAR CRESTON TO 25
MILES SOUTHEAST OF CEDAR RAPIDS.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE NEAR
EDDYVILLE AND CHARITON IN SOUTHEAST IOWA AND AFTON IN SOUTH CENTRAL
IOWA.

ALSO...SHOWERS AND STORMS HAD MOVED INTO FAR WESTERN IOWA.  THE STORMS
WERE WEST OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM MISSOURI VALLEY TO HAMBURG.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.

FILLBACH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 19, 5:30 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXClarke, Lucas3 hr
Aug 19, 5:30 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXUnion3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 1993Every flash flood warning in 1993

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.