Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 1998

Flash Flood Warning 17, NWS Des Moines, IA

June 23, 1998Sac County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jun 23, 1998, 10:41 PM CDT for Sac County, Iowa. It was in force for 4 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 23, 1998, 10:41 PM CDT (03:41 UTC)
Expired
Jun 24, 1998, 2:40 AM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Whole counties

County Sac County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 135 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:40 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 3.7 hours before the alert went out and 300 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 1998-06-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 901 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 1998-06-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 212 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
901 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-26 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1105 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
212 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
335 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.4
Supercell composite
8.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDSM 240341
FFWDSM
IAC109-161-240740-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1041 PM CDT TUE JUN 23 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN KOSSUTH COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
  SAC COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 240 AM CDT

* AT 1033 PM... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DROPPING VERY HEAVY RAIN
  FROM ALGONA TO SAC CITY TO SIOUX CITY.  VERY HEAVY RAIN OF 2
  TO 3 INCHES HAS FALLEN IN THE WARNING AREAS.

* AN ADDITIONAL 2 TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THESE COUNTIES
  SINCE THE STORMS ARE CONTINUING TO TRACK OVER THE SAME AREAS THAT
  HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN TONIGHT.

SOME STREAMS AFFECTED INCLUDE...
  EAST FORK OF THE DES MOINES IN SOUTHERN KOSSUTH COUNTY
  FOURMILE CREEK IN KOSSUTH COUNTY
  NORTH RACCOON RIVER IN SAC COUNTY
  BOYER RIVER IN SAC COUNTY

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGER OF FLOODING.

SEARCY

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, Jun 23, 5:25 PM CDT, 5 hours 16 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-240300-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
525 PM CDT TUE JUN 23 1998

HAZARD--SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND EXCESSIVE RAINFALL RATES.  ISOLATED SUPERCELLS
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A FEW TORNADOES ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.

AREA OF CONCERN AND TIMING DETAILS--NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 AND WEST
OF INTERSTATE 35 BETWEEN 700 PM AND 1100 PM.  NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80
AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 AFTER 900 PM.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--PARTIAL SUNSHINE ACROSS IOWA THIS AFTERNOON
HAS LED TO AN INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS THE STATE.
ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE HAS BEEN STREAMING NORTHWARD INTO IOWA
AND SURROUNDING STATES ON SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH IN KANSAS
AND MISSOURI.  MEANWHILE...TWO WARM FRONTS WILL HELP TO PROVIDE ZONES
OF CONVERGENCE AND LIFT FOR THUNDERSTORM INITIATION THIS EVENING AS
AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES INTO THE AREA FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA.
THE FIRST WARM FRONT...EXTENDING FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA INTO
WISCONSIN WILL PROBABLY BE WHERE MOST THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN.
MEANWHILE...A SECOND WARM FRONT EXTENDING FROM SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA
INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN IOWA WILL SERVE AS THE SOUTHERN EXTENT OF
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY SINCE THE AIR ABOVE AND SOUTH OF THIS FRONT IS
TOO WARM TO ALLOW CONVECTION TO SUSTAIN ITSELF.  SO...THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER THIS EVENING IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND
SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA...AND MOVE NEARLY DUE EAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH.
SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE AND CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY
RAIN OVER REPEATED AREAS LATER THIS EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS.

PRECAUTIONS--SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS EVENING
INTO THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.  NOT ONLY IS SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS...BUT HEAVY...FLOODING RAINFALL COULD ALSO OCCUR DUE TO
THEIR RELATIVELY SLOW AND REPEATED MOVEMENT OVER THE SAME AREA.
ADDITIONALLY...RECENT RAINS HAVE KEPT THE SOIL NEARLY SATURATED AND
RIVERS RUNNING ABOVE NORMAL.  A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR
MUCH OF NORTHERN AND NORTHEAST IOWA TONIGHT. KEEP ABREAST OF THE
LATEST FORECASTS AND OTHER STATEMENTS THIS EVENING.

SEARCY
Special weather statement, Jun 23, 5:25 PM CDT, 5 hours 16 minutes before
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-
092>097-240300-

CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
525 PM CDT TUE JUN 23 1998

HAZARD--SCATTERED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND EXCESSIVE RAINFALL RATES.  ISOLATED SUPERCELLS
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A FEW TORNADOES ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.

AREA OF CONCERN AND TIMING DETAILS--NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 AND WEST
OF INTERSTATE 35 BETWEEN 700 PM AND 1100 PM.  NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80
AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 35 AFTER 900 PM.

METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--PARTIAL SUNSHINE ACROSS IOWA THIS AFTERNOON
HAS LED TO AN INCREASINGLY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS THE STATE.
ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE HAS BEEN STREAMING NORTHWARD INTO IOWA
AND SURROUNDING STATES ON SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH IN KANSAS
AND MISSOURI.  MEANWHILE...TWO WARM FRONTS WILL HELP TO PROVIDE ZONES
OF CONVERGENCE AND LIFT FOR THUNDERSTORM INITIATION THIS EVENING AS
AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES INTO THE AREA FROM WESTERN NEBRASKA.
THE FIRST WARM FRONT...EXTENDING FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA INTO
WISCONSIN WILL PROBABLY BE WHERE MOST THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN.
MEANWHILE...A SECOND WARM FRONT EXTENDING FROM SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA
INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN IOWA WILL SERVE AS THE SOUTHERN EXTENT OF
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY SINCE THE AIR ABOVE AND SOUTH OF THIS FRONT IS
TOO WARM TO ALLOW CONVECTION TO SUSTAIN ITSELF.  SO...THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER THIS EVENING IN NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND
SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA...AND MOVE NEARLY DUE EAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH.
SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE AND CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY
RAIN OVER REPEATED AREAS LATER THIS EVENING AND INTO THE OVERNIGHT
HOURS.

PRECAUTIONS--SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS EVENING
INTO THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.  NOT ONLY IS SEVERE WEATHER POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS...BUT HEAVY...FLOODING RAINFALL COULD ALSO OCCUR DUE TO
THEIR RELATIVELY SLOW AND REPEATED MOVEMENT OVER THE SAME AREA.
ADDITIONALLY...RECENT RAINS HAVE KEPT THE SOIL NEARLY SATURATED AND
RIVERS RUNNING ABOVE NORMAL.  A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR
MUCH OF NORTHERN AND NORTHEAST IOWA TONIGHT. KEEP ABREAST OF THE
LATEST FORECASTS AND OTHER STATEMENTS THIS EVENING.

SEARCY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 23, 8:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXSac46 min
Jun 23, 9:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford30 min
Jun 23, 9:47 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXSac33 min
Jun 23, 9:52 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCalhoun33 min
Jun 23, 10:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCalhoun, Carroll47 min
Jun 23, 10:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWebster33 min
Jun 23, 10:19 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXPalo Alto3 hr
Jun 23, 10:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHumboldt32 min
Jun 23, 10:41 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXKossuth4 hr
Jun 23, 10:54 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXPocahontas4 hr
Jun 23, 11:20 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCrawford4 hr
Jun 23, 11:31 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXWinnebago4 hr
Jun 23, 11:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Franklin, Worth31 min
Jun 23, 11:53 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCalhoun4 hr
Jun 23, 11:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXButler34 min
Jun 24, 12:34 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXHamilton, Webster4 hr
Jun 24, 2:35 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXSac4 hr
Jun 24, 2:50 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCrawford4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 1998Every flash flood warning in 1998

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.