Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 11, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 22, 200410 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at May 22, 2004, 8:21 PM CDT for 10 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 16 hr. 16 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: May 22, 2004, 8:21 PM CDT (01:21 UTC)
Expired: May 23, 2004, 12:15 PM CDT
In force: 16 hr
Issued by: NWS Des Moines, IA
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Audubon County, IA, Boone County, IA, Carroll County, IA, Dallas County, IA, Greene County, IA, Guthrie County, IA, Jasper County, IA, Marshall County, IA, Polk County, IA, Story County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 48 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:21 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 22, 8:36 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	5 Sw Adel, IA	5 MI SW OF ADEL, PANTHER CREEK OUT OF BANKS AROUND REDFIELD.
May 22, 8:39 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Elkhart, IA	CREEKS OUT OF BANKS IN ELKHART AREA
May 22, 8:47 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	2 E Maxwell, IA	WATER OVER HIGHWAY 210
May 22, 9:23 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Ames, IA	6 IN. OF WATER OVER THE AIRPORT ROAD AT AMES.
May 22, 9:30 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Marshalltown, IA	MOST OF TOWN OF MARSHALLTOWN IS FLOODED.
May 22, 9:36 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Madrid, IA	WATER 1 FOOT DEEP ON HIGHWAY 17 SOUTH OF MADRID, ALSO PARTS OF HIGHWAY 17 IN DALLAS, POLK, AND BOONE COUNTIES.
May 22, 9:47 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	7 S Perry, IA	MAJOR ROADS FLOODED OVER MUCH OF NORTHERN DALLAS COUNTY. CAR IN DITCH, DIVE TEAM HAS BEEN DISPATCHED TO RESCUE.
May 22, 9:50 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	8 W Audubon, IA	FLOODING 7-8 MI WEST OF AUDUBON AROUND FISCUS.
May 22, 9:53 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Huxley, IA	WATER UP TO THE DORRS OF A CLINIC, PARKS AND ROADS FLOODED.
May 22, 9:54 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Polk City, IA	3 FOOT OF WATER OVER THE ROAD IN POLK CITY.
May 22, 9:58 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	5 W Woodward, IA	VAN TRIED TO GO THROUGH WATER OVER STATE HIGHWAY 141 AND GOT SWEPT OFF THE ROAD INTO THE DITCH. DRIVER WAS RESCUED
May 22, 10:30 PM CDT	HEAVY RAIN 4	9 E Perry, IA	4 INCHES OF RAIN MEASURED 9 MI EAST OF PERRY. WATER OVER HIGHWAYS 210 AND 141. RAINFALL AMOUNTS 3 TO 4 INCHES OVER MUCH OF THE AREA AND STILL RAINING.
May 22, 11:00 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	8 Se Ames, IA	NUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED IN SOUTHERN STORY COUNTY DUE TO FLOODING.
May 22, 11:12 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	W Ankeny, IA	ROCK CREEK IS OUT OF BANKS.
May 22, 11:15 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Maxwell, IA	ROCK CREEK OUT OF BANKS. INDIAN CREEK AND SKUNK RIVER AT BANK FULL.
May 23, 12:54 AM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Perry, IA	5 INCHES OF RAIN MEASURED AND ROADS ARE COVERED WITH WATER.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 189 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: 2882 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1091 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 64 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 51 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 260 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 4.2
Supercell composite: 16.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS53 KDMX 230122
FFWDMX
IAC009-015-027-049-073-077-099-127-153-169-230515-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
821 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  BOONE COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA
  DALLAS COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA
  JASPER COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA
  MARSHALL COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA
  POLK COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF DES MOINES
  STORY COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA
  AUDUBON COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA
  CARROLL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA
  GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA
  GUTHRIE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 1215 AM

* AT 816 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH FLASH FLOOD PRODUCING RAINS IN THE WARNING AREA.

* STREET FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED IN PERRY AND REDFIELD AND OVER   
  SOUTHERN STORY COUNTY. TRAINING OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE   
  SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AMOUNTS ALONG THE HIGHWAY 30 AND INTERSTATE 
  80 CORRIDORS...AFFECTING MANY URBAN AREAS. 

* THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED BY RAINFALL...AND ADDITIONAL RAIN 
  WILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF INTO SWOLLEN WATERWAYS. 
  THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 2     
  INCHES PER HOUR. 

FLASH FLOODS OCCUR QUICKLY...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. AVOID WATER
COVERED ROADS...THE ROAD MAY BE WASHED OUT. LESS THAN ONE FOOT OF
FAST FLOWING WATER CAN SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE OFF THE ROAD.

LAT...LON 4203 9509 4149 9510 4157 9280 4219 9277
          4222 9463

$$

GRAMS

3 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS73 KDMX 230216
FFSDMX
IAC009-015-027-049-073-077-099-127-153-169-230515-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
916 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR CARROLL...GREENE...BOONE...
MARSHALL...STORY...JASPER...POLK...GUTHRIE...AUDUBON AND DALLAS
COUNTIES UNTIL 1215 AM...

AMATEUR RADIO AND LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE REPORTED FLASH FLOODING ALONG 
PANTHER CREEK IN SOUTHERN DALLAS COUNTY...OVER HIGHWAYS 69 AND 210 
IN STORY COUNTY...AND CREEKS IN NORTHERN POLK COUNTY. 

THUNDERSTORMS ARE CONTINUOUSLY REPEATING OVER THE SAME AREA. VERY 
HEAVY RAINFALL RATES OF 1 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR HAVE BEEN REPORTED. 
SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE EVENING. THE 
HEAVIEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL FALL OVER MARSHALL AND AUDUBON 
COUNTIES THROUGH 1015 PM.

THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED BY RAINFALL IN THE WARNING AREA...AND
ADDITIONAL RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF INTO 
SWOLLEN WATERWAYS. 

FLASH FLOODS OCCUR QUICKLY...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. AVOID WATER
COVERED ROADS...THE ROAD MAY BE WASHED OUT. LESS THAN ONE FOOT OF
FAST FLOWING WATER CAN SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE OFF THE ROAD.

LAT...LON 4203 9509 4149 9510 4157 9280 4219 9277
          4222 9463

$$

GRAMS

000 
WGUS73 KDMX 230313
FFSDMX
IAC009-015-027-049-073-077-099-127-153-169-171-230515-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1013 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR TAMA...CARROLL...GREENE...
BOONE...MARSHALL...STORY...JASPER...POLK...GUTHRIE...AUDUBON AND 
DALLAS COUNTIES UNTIL 1215 AM CDT SUNDAY...

AT 1007 PM...AMATEUR RADIO AND LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE REPORTED FLASH 
FLOODING IN NORTHERN POLK...NORTHERN DALLAS...STORY...MARSHALL
...SOUTHERN BOONE AND AUDUBON COUNTIES SINCE 9 PM. 

THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUOUSLY MOVING OVER THE SAME AREA. THE 
GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED BY RAINFALL IN THE WARNING AREA...AND 
ADDITIONAL RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF INTO 
SWOLLEN WATERWAYS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL 
RATES OF 1 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR. SEVERAL AREAS HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED 
2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL THIS EVENING...INCLUDING MARSHALLTOWN AND 
AMES.

FLASH FLOODS OCCUR QUICKLY...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. AVOID WATER
COVERED ROADS...THE ROAD MAY BE WASHED OUT. LESS THAN ONE FOOT OF
FAST FLOWING WATER CAN SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE OFF THE ROAD.

LAT...LON 4226 9231 4196 9239 4188 9278 4153 9307
          4150 9511 4213 9510 4222 9285 4227 9250

$$

GRAMS

000 
WGUS73 KDMX 230419
FFSDMX
IAC009-013-015-027-049-073-077-099-127-153-169-171-230515-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1118 PM CDT SAT MAY 22 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR TAMA...CARROLL...
GREENE...BOONE...MARSHALL...STORY...JASPER ...POLK...GUTHRIE... 
AUDUBON AND DALLAS COUNTIES UNTIL 1215 AM...AND FOR BLACK HAWK 
COUNTY UNTIL 215 AM.

AT 1109 PM...AMATEUR RADIO AND LAW ENFORCEMENT HAVE REPORTED FLASH 
FLOODING IN STORY...BLACK HAWK...DALLAS...AND AUDUBON COUNTIES SINCE 
10 PM. NUMEROUS ROADS HAVE BEEN CLOSED IN THESE AREAS AND TRAVEL IS 
NOT RECOMMEND IN DALLAS COUNTY. CREEKS IN SOUTHERN STORY COUNTY HAVE 
RISEN TO BANK FULL.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE CONTINUOUSLY REDEVELOPING OVER THE WARNING 
AREA...RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. RAINFALL RATES WILL AVERAGE 
A HALF INCH TO ONE AND A HALF INCHES PER HOUR. THIS WILL PRODUCE 
FLASH FLOODING IN AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY SEEN 2 TO 5 INCHES OF 
RAINFALL TONIGHT.

FLASH FLOODS OCCUR QUICKLY...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. AVOID WATER
COVERED ROADS...THE ROAD MAY BE WASHED OUT. LESS THAN ONE FOOT OF
FAST FLOWING WATER CAN SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE OFF THE ROAD.

LAT...LON 4267 9205 4188 9232 4186 9281 4154 9287
          4151 9507 4220 9509 4222 9278 4230 9252
          4263 9252

$$

GRAMS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 22, 7:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Adair	30 min
May 22, 7:01 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Adair	29 min
May 22, 7:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Audubon	26 min
May 22, 7:06 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Polk, Story	54 min
May 22, 7:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Dallas, Guthrie	50 min
May 22, 7:13 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Boone, Story	92 min
May 22, 7:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Audubon	31 min
May 22, 7:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Greene, Guthrie	46 min
May 22, 7:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Madison	37 min
May 22, 7:31 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Guthrie	44 min
May 22, 7:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Jasper, Marshall	56 min
May 22, 7:51 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Dallas	39 min
May 22, 7:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Story	33 min
May 22, 8:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Polk	57 min
May 22, 8:29 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Dallas	16 min
May 22, 8:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Dallas, Guthrie	44 min
May 22, 8:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Tama	49 min
May 22, 8:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Marshall	47 min
May 22, 9:09 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Polk, Story	36 min
May 22, 9:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Dallas	31 min
May 22, 9:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Audubon	44 min
May 22, 9:27 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Marshall, Tama	63 min
May 22, 9:31 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Tama	15 hr
May 22, 10:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Cass	45 min
May 22, 10:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Black Hawk	46 min
May 22, 10:22 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	DMX	Black Hawk	16 hr
May 22, 10:23 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Polk, Story	52 min
May 22, 10:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adair	36 min
May 22, 10:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Cass	29 min
May 22, 10:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adams, Taylor	57 min
May 22, 10:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Guthrie	50 min
May 22, 10:57 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Adair	48 min
May 22, 11:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Madison, Ringgold, Union	51 min
May 22, 11:20 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Dallas	55 min
May 22, 11:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Clarke, Decatur	44 min
May 22, 11:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Polk, Warren	54 min
May 22, 11:54 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Warren	36 min
May 23, 12:07 AM CDT	Tornado Warning	DMX	Jasper, Marion	53 min
May 23, 12:22 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Lucas	23 min
May 23, 12:35 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	DMX	Mahaska, Poweshiek	55 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2004 Every flash flood warning in 2004

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.