Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 86, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 27, 1993Benton County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 27, 1993, 9:50 PM CDT for Benton County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 27, 1993, 9:50 PM CDT (02:50 UTC)
Expired
Jul 28, 1993, 1:00 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Benton County, IA

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 2.8 hours before the alert went out and 332 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 1993-07-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 175 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 1993-07-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 20 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
175 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1555 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
20 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
35 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 280253 RRA
FFWDSM
IAC011-280600-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
950 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 100 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION(S)...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA
 
   ...SOUTHERN BENTON COUNTY
 
AT 955 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST WEST OF BELLE PLAINE SOME 35
MILES WEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS WAS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS IN SOUTHERN BENTON
COUNTY.
 
AT 945 PM CDT REPORTS OF STREET FLOODING...BASEMENT FLOODING AND
COMMERICAL FLOODING WAS REPORTED IN BELLE PLAINE.
 
HEAVY RAINS WILL CONTINUE OVER THE AREA OF SOUTHERN BENTON COUNTY UNTIL
1015 PM CDT.
 
PRAIRIE CREEK...AND TRIBUTARIES OF THE IOWA RIVER  WILL BE AFFECTED.
 
 
 
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.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT.  IT'S
IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR
CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS.  CAMPERS SHOULD
AVOID CAMPING ALONG STREAMS OR CREEKS DURING THREATENING RAINS.
 
 
FORSTER/LEWIS

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 27, 6:47 PM CDT, 3 hours 3 minutes before
IAZALL-280040-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
642 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS OF IOWA
   UNTIL 10PM...

AT 633 PM CDT...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PERSISTED OVER CENTRAL IOWA.
THESE STORMS WERE CLUSTERED BETWEEN OGDEN...STORY CITY AND 10 MILES
EAST OF NEVADA...OR WITHIN A 25 MILE RADIUS OF AMES. THE STORMS IN
THIS AREA WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING
AND SOME PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL.

THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A 25 TO 45 MILE WIDE AREA OF SHOWERS AND
STORMS THAT EXTENDED FROM 45 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES NEAR ADAIR
NORTHEAST TO INDEPENDENCE. INDEPENDENCE IS 20 MILES EAST OF WATERLOO.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MASON CITY
AND BETWEEN CHARLES CITY AND CRESCO. CHARLES CITY IS 30 MILES EAST
OF WATERRLOO WHILE CRESCO IS 55 MILES NORTHEAST OF MASON CITY.

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

BARLOW/PRENTICE
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 7:51 PM CDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-280230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
750 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 1993

...THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT A GOOD PART OF NORTHEAST IOWA...

AT 740 PM THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO AFFECT AREAS EAST OF I-35 WITH
THE STRONGEST STORMS 10 MILES SOUTH OF WATERLOO NEAR HUDSON.
OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 25 MILES WEST OF DECORAH TO 5
MILES NORTH OF DECORAH. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH AND
ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.

PEOPLE IN THE CITIES OF HUDSON...LAPORTE CITY AND HESPER SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER OCCUR.

SINCE 715 PM THE STORMS HAVE WEAKENED AND THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
HAS DECREASED BUT STILL EXISTS. THE ONLY REPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
TONIGHT WAS A 90 MPH WIND GUST AT CONRAD IN GRUNDY COUNTY AT
710 PM.

REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM. SHOULD
SEVERE WEATHER APPROACH OR A WARNING BE ISSUED BE SURE TO SEEK
IMMEDIATE SHELTER AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TV
OR RADIO.

COLLAR
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 7:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 58 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-280230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
750 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 1993

...THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT A GOOD PART OF NORTHEAST IOWA...

AT 740 PM THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED TO AFFECT AREAS EAST OF I-35 WITH
THE STRONGEST STORMS 10 MILES SOUTH OF WATERLOO NEAR HUDSON.
OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE LOCATED FROM 25 MILES WEST OF DECORAH TO 5
MILES NORTH OF DECORAH. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH AND
ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...SMALL HAIL AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.

PEOPLE IN THE CITIES OF HUDSON...LAPORTE CITY AND HESPER SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER OCCUR.

SINCE 715 PM THE STORMS HAVE WEAKENED AND THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
HAS DECREASED BUT STILL EXISTS. THE ONLY REPORT OF SEVERE WEATHER
TONIGHT WAS A 90 MPH WIND GUST AT CONRAD IN GRUNDY COUNTY AT
710 PM.

REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM. SHOULD
SEVERE WEATHER APPROACH OR A WARNING BE ISSUED BE SURE TO SEEK
IMMEDIATE SHELTER AND MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL TV
OR RADIO.

COLLAR
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 9:40 PM CDT, 10 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-280330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
940 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 1993

...LOOK FOR THE STORMS TO GRADUALLY TAPER OFF...

AT 935 PM THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MAINLY EAST OF HIGHWAY 63. THE STORM
PRODUCING THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS LOCATED 10 MILES EAST OF WATERLOO
BETWEEN RAYMOND AND JESUP. THE STROMS WERE MOVING EAST AT NEAR 40 MPH
AND WILL AFFECT JESUP AND INDEPENDENCE THROUGH 1015 PM. OTHER SHOWERS
AND STORMS ARE GOING TO BECOME CONFINED TO AREAS EAST OF HIGHWAY 150
BY 1030 PM.

THE REST OF NORTHEAST IOWA CAN EXPECT SLOWLY CLEARING SKIES INTO
MIDNIGHT.

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED AS THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
HAS DIMINISHED.

COLLAR
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 9:42 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
IAZ006-007-008-009-010-011-016-017-018-019-026-027-028-029-038-
039-040-280330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WATERLOO IA
940 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 1993

...LOOK FOR THE STORMS TO GRADUALLY TAPER OFF...

AT 935 PM THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MAINLY EAST OF HIGHWAY 63. THE STORM
PRODUCING THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS LOCATED 10 MILES EAST OF WATERLOO
BETWEEN RAYMOND AND JESUP. THE STROMS WERE MOVING EAST AT NEAR 40 MPH
AND WILL AFFECT JESUP AND INDEPENDENCE THROUGH 1015 PM. OTHER SHOWERS
AND STORMS ARE GOING TO BECOME CONFINED TO AREAS EAST OF HIGHWAY 150
BY 1030 PM.

THE REST OF NORTHEAST IOWA CAN EXPECT SLOWLY CLEARING SKIES INTO
MIDNIGHT.

THE TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED AS. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER
HAS DIMINISHED.

COLLAR
Special weather statement, Jul 27, 9:47 PM CDT, 3 minutes before
IAZALL-280340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
947 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES FOR THE EASTERN ONE-THIRD OF IOWA UNTIL
   10 PM...

AT 932 PM CDT...A CLUSTER OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED
ACROSS EAST CENTRAL IOWA. THIS STORM AREA WAS 20 MILES IN DIAMETER AND
WAS CENTERED 30 MILES WEST OF CEDAR RAPIDS OR 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BELLE
PLAINE. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY STRONG WINDS AND
POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL. MOVEMENT WAS RAPIDLY EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
THESE STORMS SHOULD ARRIVE IN THE CEDAR RAPIDS AND IOWA CITY AREAS
SHORTLY AFTER 10 PM.

THESE STORMS WERE EMBEDDED WITHIN AN AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WHICH CONTINUED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL...EAST
CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST IOWA.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

R A PRENTICE

}LhH.tU*&Z)
.M+jk&N"kJAZ078-088-089-099-280330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOLINE IL
950 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 199

...TORNADO WATCH WAS CANCELED.  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN
EFFECT UNTIL 400 AM FOR THE ENTIRE TWO STATE REGION...

THE LEADING EDGE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM NORTHWESTERN
JONES COUNTY IOWA...60 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE QUAD CITIES...TO
100 MILES WEST OF THE QUAD CITIES IN NORTHEASTERN MAHASKA COUNTY IOWA.
THE PREVIOUS THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY FORECAST TO HIT CEDAR
COUNTY BETWEEN 915 AND 930 PM MOVED NORTH OF THE COUNTY.  HOWEVER...
INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHERN IOWA AND SOUTHERN BENTON IOWA WILL
MOVE EAST INTO WESTERN CEDAR COUNTY IOWA BETWEEN 1030 AND 1040 PM.

ALL THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.  STRONG WINDS
AND HEAVY RAIN CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.  HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE
WITH A FEW OF THESE STORMS.  PLEASE KEEP ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS.  STREAMS AND CREEKS MAY ALSO RISE RAPIDLY WITH THESE
HEAVY DOWNPOURS.  ALWAYS REMEMBER...LIGHTING IS ASSOCIATED WITH ALL
OF THESE STORMS AND IT IS A KNOWN KILLER.

GOEHRING

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 27, 7:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXGrundy17 min
Jul 27, 7:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMarshall21 min
Jul 27, 7:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXTama31 min
Jul 27, 7:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBenton31 min
Jul 27, 8:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXLinn37 min
Jul 27, 8:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBuchanan35 min
Jul 27, 9:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBenton, Iowa27 min
Jul 27, 9:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXLinn46 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.