Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 76, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 17, 1993Tama County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 17, 1993, 7:50 PM CDT for Tama County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Jul 17, 1993, 7:50 PM CDT (00:50 UTC)
Expired: Jul 17, 1993, 11:00 PM CDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS Des Moines, IA
Area: Whole counties

County Tama County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 320 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 456 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -19 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1065 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -8 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 KDSM 180052
FFWDSM
IAC171-180400-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
750 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1100 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION(S)...
 
IN CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...TAMA COUNTY
 
AT 740 PM CDT...TAMA COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT HEAVY RAINS HAD
CAUSED FLOODING OF SEVERAL STREETS IN TAMA AND TOLEDO...AS WELL AS
SENDING WATER OVER HIGHWAY 8 EAST OF TRAER IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE
COUNTY.
 
AT 730 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED VERY HEAVY RAIN
FALLING IN A 20 MILE WIDE BAND EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES NORTH OF CEDAR
RAPIDS TO 10 MILES NORTH OF NEWTON. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
EAST-NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH...SO VERY HEAVY RAIN WILL CONTINUE OVER TAMA
COUNTY FOR THE NEXT 1 TO 2 HOURS.
 
IF YOU ARE NEAR ANY OF THE SMALL CREEKS IN TAMA COUNTY...ESPECIALLY WOLF
CREEK AND ITS TRIBUTARIES...YOU SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY 
MOST DEATHS IN FLASH FLOODING OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A
SMALL ONE...ON FOOT.
 
SULLIVAN
&

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 17, 6:47 PM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before

IAZALL-180040-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
647 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN AND
   AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 10 PM THIS SATURDAY EVENING...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
   AND SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM THIS SATURDAY NIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE SOUTHEAST
   HALF OF IOWA...

AT 630 PM CDT...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS MUCH OF
IOWA EXCLUDING NORTHWEST...FAR NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA.
THIS STORM AREA WAS 130 MILES WIDE AND EXTENDED FROM THE NEBRASKA BORDER
30 MILES SOUTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 20 MILES WEST OF DUBUQUE.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT DEADLY
LIGHTING WERE LOCATED JUST SOUTHEAST OF BEDFORD...FROM 5 MILES EAST OF
WINTERSET TO 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF AFTON...JUST WEST AND NORTH OF NEWTON
...JUST NORTHEST AND SOUTHEST OF TAMA/TOLEDO AND 10 MILES NORTHEAST
OF IOWA CITY.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS SHOULD LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA TO STAY
ABREAST OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

R A PRENTICE

Special weather statement, Jul 17, 6:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before

IAZALL-180040-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
647 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN AND
   AND CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 10 PM THIS SATURDAY EVENING...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
   AND SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM THIS SATURDAY NIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE SOUTHEAST
   HALF OF IOWA...

AT 630 PM CDT...SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS MUCH OF
IOWA EXCLUDING NORTHWEST...FAR NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA.
THIS STORM AREA WAS 130 MILES WIDE AND EXTENDED FROM THE NEBRASKA BORDER
30 MILES SOUTH OF COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 20 MILES WEST OF DUBUQUE.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT DEADLY
LIGHTING WERE LOCATED JUST SOUTHEAST OF BEDFORD...FROM 5 MILES EAST OF
WINTERSET TO 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF AFTON...JUST WEST AND NORTH OF NEWTON
...JUST NORTHEST AND SOUTHEST OF TAMA/TOLEDO AND 10 MILES NORTHEAST
OF IOWA CITY.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS SHOULD LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA TO STAY
ABREAST OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

R A PRENTICE

Local storm report, Jul 17, 7:13 PM CDT, 37 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
715 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

    TIME                  EVENT              LOCATION -CITY AND COUNTY
  353 PM CDT    HEAVY RAIN REPORTED         OVER BENTON COUNTY

  345 PM CDT    1/2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL      NEAR DYSART /BENTON COUNTY/

  400 PM CDT    2 INCHES OF RAIN IN 12      RED OAK  /MONTGOMERY CO/
                MINUTES

  400 PM CDT    1/2 INCH IN 12 MINUTES      BENTON COUNTY

  417 PM CDT    2 FUNNEL CLOUDS             WEST OF CUMBERLAND/CASS CO/

  445 PM CDT    1.5 INCHES OF RAIN IN 25    EARLHAM /MADISON COUNTY/
                MINUTES.  STREETS FLOODED

  446 PM CDT    FUNNEL CLOUD                NEWHALL /BENTON COUNTY/

  500 PM CDT    30-40 MPH WINDS             WESTERN LINN COUNTY

  515 PM CDT    40-50 MPH WINDS             JUST WEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS
                                            /LINN COUNTY/

  515 PM CDT    PEA SIZE HAIL               FAIRFAX  /LINN COUNTY/

  515 PM CDT    1 3/4 RAIN                  EASTERN LINN COUNTY

  530 PM CDT    2.3 INCHES STORM TOTAL      MADISON COUNTY
                RAINFALL

  645 PM CDT    3 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS    ALTOONA /POLK COUNTY/
L                THAN TWO HOURS

END/ MS

Local storm report, Jul 17, 7:15 PM CDT, 35 minutes before

LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
715 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

    TIME                  EVENT              LOCATION -CITY AND COUNTY
  353 PM CDT    HEAVY RAIN REPORTED         OVER BENTON COUNTY

  345 PM CDT    1/2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL      NEAR DYSART /BENTON COUNTY/

  400 PM CDT    2 INCHES OF RAIN IN 12      RED OAK  /MONTGOMERY CO/
                MINUTES

  400 PM CDT    1/2 INCH IN 12 MINUTES      BENTON COUNTY

  417 PM CDT    2 FUNNEL CLOUDS             WEST OF CUMBERLAND/CASS CO/

  445 PM CDT    1.5 INCHES OF RAIN IN 25    EARLHAM /MADISON COUNTY/
                MINUTES.  STREETS FLOODED

  446 PM CDT    FUNNEL CLOUD                NEWHALL /BENTON COUNTY/

  500 PM CDT    30-40 MPH WINDS             WESTERN LINN COUNTY

  515 PM CDT    40-50 MPH WINDS             JUST WEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS
                                            /LINN COUNTY/

  515 PM CDT    PEA SIZE HAIL               FAIRFAX  /LINN COUNTY/

  515 PM CDT    1 3/4 RAIN                  EASTERN LINN COUNTY

  530 PM CDT    2.3 INCHES STORM TOTAL      MADISON COUNTY
                RAINFALL

  645 PM CDT    3 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS    ALTOONA /POLK COUNTY/
                THAN TWO HOURS

END/ MS

Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:43 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

IAZALL-180140-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
743 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN AND
   CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 10 PM THIS SATURDAY EVENING...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
   AND SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM THIS SATURDAY NIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE SOUTHEAST
   HALF OF IOWA...

AT 725 PM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED
ACROSS MUCH OF IOWA EXCLUDING NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
IOWA. THIS STORM AREA WAS LOCATED SOUTH OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM SIOUX
CITY...TO WATERLOO...TO THE EXTREME NORTHEAST CORNER OF IOWA.

A 20 MILE WIDE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS
AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTING EXTENDED FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF CEDAR
RAPIDS TO 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF NEWTON. OTHER STRONG STORMS EXTENDED
FURTHER SOUTHWEST FROM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEWTON...TO OSCEOLA...
TO THE MISSOURI BORDER 10 MILES WEST OF LAMONI. ALSO...STRONG STORMS
WERE LOCATED NEAR TIPTON AND JUST EAST OF MONTICELLO.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS SHOULD LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA TO STAY
ABREAST OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

R A PRENTICE

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Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:45 PM CDT, 5 minutes before

IAZALL-180140-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
743 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN AND
   CENTRAL IOWA UNTIL 10 PM THIS SATURDAY EVENING...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
   AND SOUTHEAST IOWA UNTIL 11 PM THIS SATURDAY NIGHT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE SOUTHEAST
   HALF OF IOWA...

AT 725 PM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED
ACROSS MUCH OF IOWA EXCLUDING NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
IOWA. THIS STORM AREA WAS LOCATED SOUTH OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM SIOUX
CITY...TO WATERLOO...TO THE EXTREME NORTHEAST CORNER OF IOWA.

A 20 MILE WIDE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS
AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTING EXTENDED FROM 15 MILES NORTH OF CEDAR
RAPIDS TO 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF NEWTON. OTHER STRONG STORMS EXTENDED
FURTHER SOUTHWEST FROM 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEWTON...TO OSCEOLA...
TO THE MISSOURI BORDER 10 MILES WEST OF LAMONI. ALSO...STRONG STORMS
WERE LOCATED NEAR TIPTON AND JUST EAST OF MONTICELLO.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS SHOULD LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND LOCAL MEDIA TO STAY
ABREAST OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.

R A PRENTICE

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 17, 9:16 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Benton, Iowa, Johnson, Linn	4 hr
Jul 17, 9:16 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Jasper, Mahaska, Marion	4 hr
Jul 17, 10:22 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Tama	3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 1993 Every 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.