Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 46, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 5, 19935 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 5, 1993, 12:54 AM CDT for 5 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 5 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 5, 1993, 12:54 AM CDT (05:54 UTC)
Expired
Jul 5, 1993, 6:00 AM CDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

Counties Clarke County, IA, Decatur County, IA, Lucas County, IA, Ringgold County, IA, Union County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 5.9 hours before the alert went out and 214 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 1993-07-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 98 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 1993-07-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 34 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
98 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-55 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1738 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
69 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 050555
FFWDSM
IAC039-053-117-123-125-159-175-051100-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1254 AM CDT MON JUL 5 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION(S)S...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...CLARKE COUNTY...DECATUR COUNTY...LUCAS COUNTY
   ...MAHASKA COUNTY...MARION COUNTY...RINGGOLD COUNTY...UNION COUNTY
 
HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUES OVER SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.
ESTIMATES SHOW THAT 1 1/2 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL HAS FALLEN OVER THESE
AREA SINCE EARLY SUNDAY EVENING...WITH SOME AREAS RECEIVING AS MUCH AS 4
INCHES. SINCE SOILS ARE ALREADY SATURATED FROM PREVIOUS RAINFALL...FLASH
FLOODING IS LIKELY. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINFALL IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE
FOR THE NEXT 2 TO 3 HOURS.
 
REPORTS RECEIVED THUS FAR INDICATE THAT WATER WAS ALREADY OVERTOPPING
ROADS IN THE TRACY AREA...ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES...IN
MARION COUNTY.  IN DECATUR COUNTY...THE GRAND RIVER STAGE AT DAVIS CITY
WAS 9.6 FEET BEFORE MIDNIGHT.  AT 9.5 FEET THE RIVER CAUSES FLOODING
SOUTH OF THE CITY OF GRAND RIVER AND EAST OF HIGHWAY 294.  PARTS OF THE
GRAVEL ROAD FROM SHEWMAKER PARK TO OAKHILL CEMETARY ARE WATER COVERED.
ALSO SOME FLOODING OCCURS AT DAVIS CITY PARK.  THE RIVER WAS RISING
RAPIDLY AND RAINS CONTINUED OVER THE BASIN.
 
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.
 
 
 
&

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, Jul 4, 10:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before
IAZALL-050440-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1040 PM CDT SUN JUL 4 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
   SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM MONDAY...

AT 1028 PM CDT...A NARROW BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE BAND WAS 20 MILES WIDE AND
EXTENDED FROM 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS...NEAR VILLISCA TO
35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES...NEAR CHARITON.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WHICH WAS
SOUTH OF A LINE THAT EXTENDED FROM NEAR COUNCIL BLUFFS TO DES MOINES TO
NEAR DUBUQUE.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MILES AN HOUR.

FILLBACH
Special weather statement, Jul 4, 11:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
IAZALL-050540-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1139 PM CDT SUN JUL 4 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
   SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM MONDAY...

AT 1126 PM CDT...A NARROW BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE BAND WAS 20 MILES WIDE AND
EXTENDED FROM 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS...AT THE MISSOURI
BORDER TO 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES...NEAR KNOXVILLE.  HEAVY
RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WHICH WAS
OVER ABOUT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE SOUTH OF A LINE
THAT EXTENDED FROM 30 MILES NORTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 30 MILES NORTH
OF DES MOINES TO 30 MILES WEST OF DUBUQUE.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT AROUND 30 MILES AN HOUR.

FILLBACH
Special weather statement, Jul 4, 11:41 PM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
IAZALL-050540-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1139 PM CDT SUN JUL 4 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
   SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM MONDAY...

AT 1126 PM CDT...A NARROW BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
SOUTHWEST INTO SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE BAND WAS 20 MILES WIDE AND
EXTENDED FROM 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS...AT THE MISSOURI
BORDER TO 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DES MOINES...NEAR KNOXVILLE.  HEAVY
RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WHICH WAS
OVER ABOUT THE SOUTHERN HALF OF IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE SOUTH OF A LINE
THAT EXTENDED FROM 30 MILES NORTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 30 MILES NORTH
OF DES MOINES TO 30 MILES WEST OF DUBUQUE.

THE SHOWERS AND STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT AROUND 30 MILES AN HOUR.

FILLB<ACH
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 12:45 AM CDT, 9 minutes before
IAZALL-050645-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...INCLUDING MOVEMENT...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1245 AM CDT MON JUL 5 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
   SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM MONDAY...

AT 1231 AM CDT...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTHWEST
...SOUTH CENTRAL...AND EAST CENTRAL IOWA...AND WERE SPREADING INTO
SOUTHEAST IOWA.  MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOUTH OF A CLARINDA/
DES MOINES/CENTRAL CITY LINE...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
HAD DEVELOPED NORTH OF THIS LINE.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE SYSTEM OF NUMEROUS RAINSHOWERS THAT
WAS SPREAD OVER THE SOUTH ONE HALF TO TWO THIRDS OF THE STATE.  MOST
OF THE RAIN WAS SOUTH OF A IDA GROVE/WEBSTER CITY/ELKADER LINE.  IDA
GROVE IS 45 MILES EAST OF SIOUX CITY...WEBSTER CITY IS 55 MILES NORTH
OF DES MOINES...AND ELKADER IS 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUBUQUE.
.
THE STORMS CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAINS AND WERE DEVELOPING AND MOVING
OVER THE SAME AREA FOR THE PAST 2 TO 3 HOURS.  EXPECT SOME STREAMS
TO OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS.

THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

MILLER
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 12:49 AM CDT, 5 minutes before
IAZALL-050645-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1245 AM CDT MON JUL 5 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
   SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM MONDAY...

AT 1231 AM CDT...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTHWEST
...SOUTH CENTRAL...AND EAST CENTRAL IOWA...AND WERE SPREADING INTO
SOUTHEAST IOWA.  MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOUTH OF A CLARINDA/
DES MOINES/CENTRAL CITY LINE...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
HAD DEVELOPED NORTH OF THIS LINE.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE SYSTEM OF NUMEROUS RAINSHOWERS THAT
WAS SPREAD OVER THE SOUTH ONE HALF TO TWO THIRDS OF THE STATE.  MOST
OF THE RAIN WAS SOUTH OF A IDA GROVE/WEBSTER CITY/ELKADER LINE.  IDA
GROVE IS 45 MILES EAST OF SIOUX CITY...WEBSTER CITY IS 55 MILES NORTH
OF DES MOINES...AND ELKADER IS 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUBUQUE.
.
THE STORMS CONTAIN VERY HEAVY pRAINS AND WERE DEVELOPING AND MOVING
OVER THE SAME AREA FOR THE PAST 2 TO 3 HOURS.  EXPECT SOME STREAMS
TO OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS.

MILLER
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 12:50 AM CDT, 4 minutes before
IAZALL-050645-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...INCLUDING MOVEMENT...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1245 AM CDT MON JUL 5 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF
   SOUTHWEST...SOUTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 5 AM MONDAY...

AT 1231 AM CDT...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTHWEST
...SOUTH CENTRAL...AND EAST CENTRAL IOWA...AND WERE SPREADING INTO
SOUTHEAST IOWA.  MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOUTH OF A CLARINDA/
DES MOINES/CENTRAL CITY LINE...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
HAD DEVELOPED NORTH OF THIS LINE.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGE SYSTEM OF NUMEROUS RAINSHOWERS THAT
WAS SPREAD OVER THE SOUTH ONE HALF TO TWO THIRDS OF THE STATE.  MOST
OF THE RAIN WAS SOUTH OF A IDA GROVE/WEBSTER CITY/ELKADER LINE.  IDA
GROVE IS 45 MILES EAST OF SIOUX CITY...WEBSTER CITY IS 55 MILES NORTH
OF DES MOINES...AND ELKADER IS 40 MILES NORTHWEST OF DUBUQUE.
.
THE STORMS CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAINS AND WERE DEVELOPING AND MOVING
OVER THE SAME AREA FOR THE PAST 2 TO 3 HOURS.  EXPECT SOME STREAMS
TO OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS.

THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES ArN HOUR.

MILLER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 4, 11:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXDecatur3 hr
Jul 5, 12:54 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXMahaska, Marion5 hr
Jul 5, 2:46 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXIowa, Keokuk, Poweshiek4 hr
Jul 5, 3:19 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXBenton, Johnson, Linn4 hr
Jul 5, 1:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams, Taylor26 min
Jul 5, 1:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams11 min
Jul 5, 2:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDecatur, Wayne36 min
Jul 5, 2:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAppanoose, Lucas, Wayne27 min
Jul 5, 2:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMonroe20 min

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.