Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993
Flash Flood Warning 97, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 11, 1993, 6:53 PM CDT for Madison County, Iowa. It was in force for 2 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 11, 1993, 6:53 PM CDT (23:53 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 11, 1993, 9:00 PM CDT
- In force
- 2 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Whole counties
County Madison County, IA
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 197 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 847 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -8 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 602 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 14 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -2 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 28 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KDSM 112354 FFWDSM IAC121-120200- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 653 PM CDT WED AUG 11 1993 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION(S)... IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA ...MADISON COUNTY AT 647 PM...DES MOINES CONTINUED TO SHOW INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS MADISON COUNTY. AT 640 PM...A HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED IN EXCESS OF 3 INCHES IN JUST UNDER ONE HOUR ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF WINTERSET...OR ABOUT 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER MADISON COUNTY FOR THE NEXT 2 HOURS PRODUCING ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING. 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 OCCURRING OR IS IMMINENT. MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS 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. TO ESCAPE RISING WATER MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND. SMITH
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 11, 5:49 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
IAZALL-112340- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 549 PM CDT WED AUG 11 1993 AT 530 PM CDT...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL IOWA. THE STORMS WERE IN 45 MILE WIDE BAND EXTENDING FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS TO 25 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES...NEAR REDFIELD. THE HEAVIEST STORMS IN THIS BAND WERE LOCATED 45 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES NEAR ADAIR AND NEAR REDFIELD. THESE STORMS WERE CABABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. THESE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH COVERED MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA SOUTH AND WEST OF A LINE WHICH EXTENDED FROM 45 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SIOUX CITY...NEAR ONAWA TO AMES TO OTTUMWA. MOVEMENT OF ALL PRECIPITATION WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. PETERSEN
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 5:50 PM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
IAZALL-120130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 550 PM CDT WED AUG 11 1993 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL BE MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA THIS EVENING... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WILL BE TRACKING ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA...INCLUDING THE DES MOINES METRO AREA BETWEEN 6 AND 8 PM THIS WEDNESDAY EVENING. AS THE STORMS MOVED ACROSS GUTHRIE COUNTY IS WEST CENTRAL IOWA...NEARLY A FOOT OF WATER WAS OVER HIGHWAY 295 NEAR THE TOWN OF MENLOW...OR ABOUT 40 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES. IN ADDITION...NEARLY 3 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF IN THE TOWN OF ANITA IN CASS COUNTY ...OR 60 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING TO THE WEST OF THIS AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY EXCEED 3 INCHES IN ISOLATED AREAS OF CENTRAL IOWA AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. IF YOU SEE WATER OVER A ROADWAY...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH IT. IF YOU LIVE NEAR A FLOOD PRONE CREEK OR STREAM...BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. SMITH
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 5:55 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
IAZALL-120130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SPELLING CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 555 PM CDT WED AUG 11 1993 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL BE MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA THIS EVENING... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WILL BE TRACKING ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA...INCLUDING THE DES MOINES METRO AREA BETWEEN 6 AND 8 PM THIS WEDNESDAY EVENING. AS THE STORMS MOVED ACROSS GUTHRIE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA...NEARLY A FOOT OF WATER WAS OVER HIGHWAY 295 NEAR THE TOWN OF MENLOW...OR ABOUT 40 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES. IN ADDITION...NEARLY 3 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF IN THE TOWN OF ANITA IN CASS COUNTY ...OR 60 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING TO THE WEST OF THIS AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY EXCEED 3 INCHES IN ISOLATED AREAS OF CENTRAL IOWA AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA THIS EVENING. IF YOU SEE WATER OVER A ROADWAY...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH IT. IF YOU LIVE NEAR A FLOOD PRONE CREEK OR STREAM...BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. SMITH
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 5:55 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
IAZALL-120130- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...SPELLING CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 555 PM CDT WED AUG 11 1993 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL BE MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA THIS EVENING... STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WILL BE TRACKING ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA...INCLUDING THE DES MOINES METRO AREA BETWEEN 6 AND 8 PM THIS WEDNESDAY EVENING. AS THE STORMS MOVED ACROSS GUTHRIE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA...NEARLY A FOOT OF WATER WAS OVER HIGHWAY 295 NEAR THE TOWN OF MENLOW...OR ABOUT 40 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES. IN ADDITION...NEARLY 3 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN A LITTLE OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF IN THE TOWN OF ANITA IN CASS COUNTY ...OR 60 MILES WEST OF DES MOINES. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR WITH ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING TO THE WEST OF THIS AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY EXCEED 3 INCHES IN ISOLATED AREAS OF CENTRAL IOWA AS THE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA THIS EVENING. IF YOU SEE WATER OVER A ROADWAY...DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH IT. IF YOU LIVE NEAR A FLOOD PRONE CREEK OR STREAM...BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. SMITH
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 6:27 PM CDT, 26 minutes before
IAC123-C125-150000- SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 627 PM CDT WED AUG 11 1993 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MAHASKA COUNTY UNTIL 645 PM... ...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR MARION COUNTY EXPIRED AT 630 PM... AT 625 PM...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR OSKALOOSA IN CENTRAL MAHASKA COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND IT WILL MOVE THROUGH OSKALOOSA AND FREEMONT BY 645 PM. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE EAST OF MARION COUNTY AND THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG AND DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS...MOVE TO SAFE INDOOR SHELTER. JOHNSON
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 6:50 PM CDT, 3 minutes before
IAZALL-120045- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 650 PM CDT WED AUG 11 1993 AT 635 PM CDT...INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA. THE STORMS WERE OCCURRING FROM 35 MILES NORTHWEST TO 45 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DES MOINES...IN A 20 MILE WIDE BAND CENTERED FROM PERRY TO JUST SOUTH OF GREENFIELD. THESE STORMS WERE PRODUCING EXTREMELY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLY GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. THE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM COUNCIL BLUFFS...TO FORT DODGE...TO BURLINGTON. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS AND SHOWERS WAS NORTHEAST AT AROUND 25 MILES AN HOUR. KALLMAN
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 11, 4:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adair, Guthrie | 41 min |
| Aug 11, 5:45 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Adair, Dallas, Guthrie, Madison | 3 hr |
| Aug 11, 6:38 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Cass | 2 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.