Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 55, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 8, 1993Black Hawk County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 8, 1993, 10:47 PM CDT for Black Hawk County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 8, 1993, 10:47 PM CDT (03:47 UTC)
Expired
Jul 9, 1993, 1:45 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Black Hawk County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 3.8 hours before the alert went out and 284 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 00:00Z on 1993-07-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 71 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1993-07-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 19 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
71 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-123 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1318 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
133 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KALO 090347
FFWALO
IAC013-090645-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
1047 PM CDT THU JUL 8 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WATERLOO HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  145 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST IOWA
 
   ...BLACK HAWK COUNTY
 
AT 1045 PM RADAR CONTINUED TO SHOW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL FROM GRUNDY CENTER...20 MILES WEST OF WATERLOO TO NEAR
OELWEIN...20 MILES EAST OF WATERLOO. THESE STORMS HAVE DROPPED RAIN IN
EXCESS OF 2 INCHES IN LESS THAN ONE HOUR.
 
DRY RUN CREEK IS OUT OF ITS BANKS PLUS WATER HAS BEEN RUNNING OVER ROADS
IN THE WATERLOO AREA MAKING SEVERAL ROADS IMPASSABLE.
 
THE POTENTIAL FOR MORE FLOODING IS HIGH AND PEOPLE LIVING IN THE
WATERLOO...HUDSON AND LAPORTE CITY AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND
QUICKLY AS FLASH FLOODING OCCURS.
 
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATERn COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED
QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
COLLAR/PABST
 
&

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 8, 9:43 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
IAZALL-090345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
943 PM CDT THU JUL 8 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN IOWA UNTIL
   4 AM FRIDAY...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF THE NORTH
   HALF OF IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 930 PM CDT...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM WEST
CENTRAL INTO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE IN A 20 MILE WIDE BAND
EXTENDING FROM 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS NEAR AUDUBON...TO
45 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES NEAR JEWELL.  OTHER VERY STRONG STORMS WERE
OCCURRING FROM 25 MILES SOUTHWEST TO 25 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO...OR
FROM NEAR GRUNDY CENTER TO NASHUA.  THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF STORMS AND SHOWERS LOCATED GENERALLY
NORTH OF A LINE FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS TO DUBUQUE.
/
THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST AT AROUND 35 MILES AN HOUR.

KALLMAN
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 9:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
IAZALL-090345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
943 PM CDT THU JUL 8 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN IOWA UNTIL
   4 AM FRIDAY...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF THE NORTH
   HALF OF IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 930 PM CDT...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM WEST
CENTRAL INTO NORTH CENTRAL IOWA.  THE STORMS WERE IN A 20 MILE WIDE BAND
EXTENDING FROM 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF COUNCIL BLUFFS NEAR AUDUBON...TO
45 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES NEAR JEWELL.  OTHER VERY STRONG STORMS WERE
OCCURRING FROM 25 MILES SOUTHWEST TO 25 MILES NORTH OF WATERLOO...OR
FROM NEAR GRUNDY CENTER TO NASHUA.  THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF STORMS AND SHOWERS LOCATED GENERALLY
NORTH OF A LINE FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS TO DUBUQUE.
/
THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST AT AROUN*D 35 MILES AN HOUR.

KALLMAN
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 10:10 PM CDT, 37 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-090415-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
1010 PM CDT THU JUL 8 1993

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE ALONG THE HIGHWAY 20 AREA...

AT 10 PM STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM NEAR DECORAH TO THE
WATERLOO/CEDAR FALLS AREA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH AND
ARE GOING TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO NEAR
50 MPH. THE POTENTIAL FOR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS QUITE HIGH
WITH THESE STORMS AS A LARGE AMOUNT OF RAIN OCCURS IN A SMALL PERIOD
OF TIME.

PEOPLE LIVING NEAR SMALL STREAMS OR CREEKS ALONG HIGHWAY 20 FROM
WATERLOO TO INDEPENDENCE SHOULD SEEK SAFE SHELTER FROM THESE STORMS AND
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUNDS SHOULD WATER LEVELS RISE.

PEOPLE IN THE TOWNS OF WATERLOO...JESUP...DENVER...OELWEIN AND
INDEPENDENCE ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS AND SHOULD BE AFFECTED
BY THESE STORMS THROUGH 11 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND TV FOR LATER WEATHER STATEMENTS AS
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR MUCH
OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 63.

RR/PC
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 10:12 PM CDT, 35 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-090415-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
1010 PM CDT THU JUL 8 1993

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE ALONG THE HIGHWAY 20 AREA...

AT 10 PM STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM NEAR DECORAH TO THE
WATERLOO/CEDAR FALLS AREA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH AND
ARE GOING TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG WITH WIND GUSTS TO NEAR
50 MPH. THE POTENTIAL FOR URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING IS QUITE HIGH
WITH THESE STORMS AS A LARGE AMOUNT OF RAIN OCCURS IN A SMALL PERIOD
OF TIME.

PEOPLE LIVING NEAR SMALL STREAMS OR CREEKS ALONG HIGHWAY 20 FROM
WATERLOO TO INDEPENDENCE SHOULD SEEK SAFE SHELTER FROM THESE STORMS AND
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUNDS SHOULD WATER LEVELS RISE.

PEOPLE IN THE TOWNS OF WATERLOO...JESUP...DENVER...OELWEIN AND
INDEPENDENCE ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS AND SHOULD BE AFFECTED
BY THESE STORMS THROUGH 11 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND TV FOR LATER WEATHER STATEMENTS AS
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR MUCH
OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA ALONG AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 63.

RR/PC
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 10:40 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
IAZALL-090440-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1040 PM CDT THU JUL 8 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN IOWA UNTIL
   4 AM FRIDAY...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF THE NORTH
   HALF OF IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 1026 PM CDT...ISOLATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER
WEST CENTRAL...CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA.  ONE AREA OF STORMS WAS
LOCATED FROM 20 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES NEAR REDFIELD TO 15 MILES
NORTH OF DES MOINES.  OTHER STORMS WERE 45 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SIOUX CITY
OR 10 MILES NORTH OF DENISON...AND 10 TO 30 MILES EAST OF WATERLOO.
THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 45
MILES AN HOUR AND POSSIBLY HAIL.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF STORMS AND SHOWERS LOCATED NORTH OF
A LINE FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS...TO DES MOINES...TO DUBUQUE.
/
THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR.

KALLMAN
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 10:41 PM CDT, 6 minutes before
IAZALL-090440-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1040 PM CDT THU JUL 8 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF SOUTHERN IOWA UNTIL
   4 AM FRIDAY...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PART OF THE NORTH
   HALF OF IOWA UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 1026 PM CDT...ISOLATED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER
WEST CENTRAL...CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA.  ONE AREA OF STORMS WAS
LOCATED FROM 20 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES NEAR REDFIELD TO 15 MILES
NORTH OF DES MOINES.  OTHER STORMS WERE 45 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SIOUX CITY
OR 10 MILES NORTH OF DENISON...AND 10 TO 30 MILES EAST OF WATERLOO.
THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 45
MILES AN HOUR AND POSSIBLY HAIL.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF STORMS AND SHOWERS LOCATED NORTH OF
A LINE FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS...TO DES MOINES...TO DUBUQUE.
/
THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 TO 40p MILES AN HOUR.

KALLMAN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 8, 7:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford43 min
Jul 8, 7:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCarroll48 min
Jul 8, 8:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCarroll, Greene, Guthrie55 min
Jul 8, 8:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCarroll, Crawford, Greene4 hr
Jul 8, 8:57 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCarroll, Crawford19 min
Jul 8, 9:09 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBoone36 min
Jul 8, 9:29 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXBoone, Story4 hr
Jul 8, 9:29 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXDallas, Guthrie4 hr
Jul 8, 9:31 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXChickasaw29 min
Jul 8, 9:52 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBoone, Dallas38 min
Jul 8, 10:03 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXDallas, Polk27 min
Jul 8, 10:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBuchanan20 min
Jul 8, 11:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXJasper, Polk5 hr
Jul 8, 11:25 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXMarshall5 hr
Jul 8, 11:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon, Carroll, Crawford35 min
Jul 8, 11:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams, Cass, Taylor35 min
Jul 8, 11:49 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXBuchanan3 hr
Jul 9, 12:02 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Ringgold, Union28 min
Jul 9, 12:02 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXGreene, Guthrie28 min
Jul 9, 12:22 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCarroll, Greene4 hr
Jul 9, 12:22 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXAudubon4 hr
Jul 9, 12:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXDallas, Madison, Polk, Warren27 min
Jul 9, 12:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Decatur27 min
Jul 9, 1:01 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXBlack Hawk119 min
Jul 9, 1:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Decatur, Lucas, Wayne25 min
Jul 9, 1:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Marion, Polk25 min
Jul 9, 1:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWarren25 min
Jul 9, 1:22 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBlack Hawk23 min
Jul 9, 1:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMahaska, Poweshiek54 min
Jul 9, 1:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAppanoose, Davis, Monroe, Wapello54 min
Jul 9, 1:36 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper49 min
Jul 9, 2:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJefferson, Keokuk, Van Buren, Washington49 min
Jul 9, 2:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXIowa, Johnson49 min
Jul 9, 10:21 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXStory6 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.