Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004
Flash Flood Warning 44, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Aug 3, 2004, 11:30 PM CDT for Decatur County, Wayne 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 outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Aug 3, 2004, 11:30 PM CDT (04:30 UTC)
- Expired
- Aug 4, 2004, 3:30 AM CDT
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
Counties Decatur County, IA, Wayne County, IA
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 109 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:30 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.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The nearest sounding before it
Davenport, (KDVN), launched 00:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 266 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
- 2771 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -73 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1163 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 54 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 163 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.6
- Supercell composite
- 16.5
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 WGUS53 KDMX 040438 FFWDMX IAC053-185-040830- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED FLASH FLOOD WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1130 PM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A * FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR... DECATUR COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WAYNE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA * UNTIL 330 AM CDT * AT 1126 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH FLASH FLOOD PRODUCING RAINS IN THE WARNING AREA. * THUNDERSTORMS ARE CONTINUOUSLY REDEVELOPING...RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. RAINFALL RATES HAVE AVERAGED 1 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR. THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE SITES FOR FLASH FLOODING WOULD BE WELDON RIVER...JONATHAN CREEK...AND LONG CREEK IN DECATUR COUNTY...AND STEEL CREEK...DICK CREEK...AND NINEMILE CREEK IN WAYNE COUNTY. ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE AS INTENSE AS RECENT RAINS... ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE REDEVELOPING ACROSS SOUTHWEST IOWA AND MAY IMPACT THE WARNING AREA DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. TOTAL EVENT RAINS MAY REACH THREE OR FOUR INCHES OVERNIGHT. OTHER WARNING LOCATIONS INCLUDE... ALLERTON...CLIO...CORYDON...DAVIS CITY...DECATUR CITY...GARDEN GROVE...GRAND RIVER...HUMESTON...LAMONI...LAMONI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT... LE ROY...LEON...MILLERTON...PROMISE CITY...SEYMOUR...VAN WERT AND WELDON 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 4089 9311 4060 9313 4059 9403 4089 9401 $$ SMALL
4 follow-up statements
000 WGUS73 KDMX 040533 FFSDMX IAC053-185-040830- FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1226 AM CDT WED AUG 4 2004 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR DECATUR AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 330 AM CDT... AT 1226 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS WITH FLASH FLOOD PRODUCING RAINS ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHERN DECATUR COUNTY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD EAST INTO WAYNE COUNTY THROUGH 1:30 AM. OTHER WARNING LOCATIONS INCLUDE ALLERTON...CLIO...CORYDON...DAVIS CITY...DECATUR CITY...GRAND RIVER...HUMESTON...LAMONI...LAMONI MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...LE ROY...LEON...MILLERTON...PROMISE CITY... SEYMOUR...VAN WERT AND WELDON. THUNDERSTORMS ARE CONTINUOUSLY REDEVELOPING OVER THE WARNING AREA...RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. A SPOTTER IN CAMBRIA IN NORTHERN WAYNE COUNTY REPORTED 3.6 INCHES OF RAIN FROM 10 PM TO MIDNIGHT. RAINFALL RATES WILL AVERAGE 1 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR THROUGH AT LEAST 2 AM. THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE SITES FOR FLASH FLOODING WOULD BE WELDON RIVER...JONATHAN CREEK...AND LONG CREEK IN DECATUR COUNTY...AND STEEL CREEK...DICK CREEK...AND NINE MILE CREEK IN WAYNE COUNTY. TOTAL EVENT RAINS MAY REACH 3 TO 5 INCHES OVERNIGHT ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. FLASH FLOODS OCCUR QUICKLY...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. AVOID WATER COVERED ROADS...THE ROAD MAY BE WASHED OUT. LESS THAN ONE FOOT OF FAST FLOWING WATER CAN SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE OFF THE ROAD. LAT...LON 4089 9401 4058 9401 4059 9312 4090 9311 $$ KINNEY
000 WGUS73 KDMX 040638 FFSDMX IAC053-185-040830- FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 130 AM CDT WED AUG 4 2004 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR DECATUR AND WAYNE COUNTIES UNTIL 330 AM CDT... AT 130 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHERN DECATUR COUNTY...WITH LIGHT SHOWERS ACROSS MUCH OF WAYNE COUNTY. SOUTHWEST DECATUR COUNTY HAS RECEIVED THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL...WITH 3 TO 4 INCH STORM TOTALS THROUGH 1:30 AM. MORE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE OVER THAT AREA THROUGH 2:30 AM...WITH ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS OF ONE HALF TO ONE INCH POSSIBLE. BE PREPARED FOR RAPID RISES ON CREEKS AND STREAMS THAT COULD PRODUCE WATER RUNNING OVER ROADS. FLOODING COULD ALSO OCCUR IN LOW LYING AREAS AND UNDERPASSES. WAYNE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A CREEK WAS OUT OF ITS BANKS AND NEARLY OVER A GRAVEL ROAD NORTHWEST OF CORYDON AROUND MIDNIGHT...AS WELL AS PONDING WATER EARLIER ON HIGHWAY 65 NEAR HUMESTON. THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING HAS DIMINISHED ACROSS WAYNE COUNTY...BUT LOCALIZED FLOODING COULD STILL BE OCCURRING. 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 4089 9401 4058 9401 4059 9312 4090 9311 $$ KINNEY
000 WGUS73 KDMX 040728 FFSDMX IAC053-185-040830- FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 225 AM CDT WED AUG 4 2004 ...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR DECATUR COUNTY UNTIL 330 AM CDT... ...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR WAYNE COUNTY HAS BEEN CANCELLED... AT 220 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER FAR SOUTHERN DECATUR COUNTY...WITH LIGHT SHOWERS ELSEWHERE ACROSS DECATUR COUNTY AND PARTS OF WAYNE COUNTY. SOUTHWEST DECATUR COUNTY HAS RECEIVED THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL TONIGHT...WITH 3 TO 4 INCH STORM TOTALS THROUGH 2:20 AM...AND LOCALLY UP TO 5 INCHES. ONLY LIGHT ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL OCCUR THROUGH 3:30 AM...BUT THE THREAT FOR LOCALIZED FLOODING CONTINUES IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST. BE PREPARED FOR WATER RUNNING OVER ROADS FROM CREEKS AND STREAMS AND WATER FILLED DITCHES. FLOODING COULD ALSO PERSIST IN LOW LYING AREAS...UNDERPASSES...AND OTHER FLOOD PRONE AREAS. WAYNE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS NO RECENT FLOODING PROBLEMS...AND THE FLASH FLOODING THREAT THERE HAS ENDED. FLASH FLOODS OCCUR QUICKLY...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. AVOID WATER COVERED ROADS...THE ROAD MAY BE WASHED OUT. LESS THAN ONE FOOT OF FAST FLOWING WATER CAN SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE OFF THE ROAD. LAT...LON 4089 9401 4058 9401 4059 9312 4090 9311 $$ KINNEY
000 WGUS73 KDMX 040827 FFSDMX IAC053-040845- FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 327 AM CDT WED AUG 4 2004 ...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING WHICH WAS IN EFFECT FOR DECATUR COUNTY UNTIL 330 AM CDT WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE... THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED OUT OF DECATUR COUNTY...AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IS REPORTING NO FLOODING PROBLEMS ACROSS THE COUNTY. LAT...LON 4087 9389 4067 9399 4062 9362 4084 9360 $$ KINNEY
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.
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 3, 10:35 AM CDT, 12 hours 55 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1035 AM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-058>062-072>075-084>086- 096-097-041100- APPANOOSE-BLACK HAWK-BOONE-BREMER-BUTLER-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CERRO GORDO- CRAWFORD-DALLAS-DAVIS-EMMET-FRANKLIN-GREENE-GRUNDY-GUTHRIE-HAMILTON- HANCOCK-HARDIN-HUMBOLDT-JASPER-KOSSUTH-LUCAS-MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION- MARSHALL-MONROE-PALO ALTO-POCAHONTAS-POLK-POWESHIEK-SAC-STORY-TAMA- WAPELLO-WARREN-WEBSTER-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-WRIGHT- 1035 AM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS NEAR SIOUX FALLS IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE SOUTHEASTWARD INTO IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS SHOULD APPROACH ESTHERVILLE TO POCAHONTAS BY 2 PM...FORT DODGE AND MASON CITY BY 4 PM...AND THE REST OF CENTRAL IOWA BETWEEN 4 PM AND 6 PM. AS THE ATMOSPHERE WARMS THIS AFTERNOON...THE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX COULD TURN INTO A SIGNIFICANT PRODUCER OF WIND DAMAGE. LARGE HAIL AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. ANOTHER ROUND OF STORMS IS FORECAST OVERNIGHT...WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRONG WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE LIKELY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. IAZ057-070-071-081>083-092>095-041100- ADAIR-ADAMS-AUDUBON-CASS-CLARKE-DECATUR-RINGGOLD-TAYLOR-UNION-WAYNE- 1035 AM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PART OF SOUTHWEST IOWA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT MOST STORMS SHOULD STAY NORTH OF AUDUBON...CRESTON AND CORYDON FOR THIS AFTERNOON...BUT AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM COULD OCCUR AFTER 5 PM. STORMS OVERNIGHT COULD PRODUCE ONE TO TWO INCH HAIL AND WINDS OVER 65 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT. JUNGBLUTH
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Aug 3, 8:19 PM CDT, 3 hours 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 819 PM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004 IAZ026>028-036>039-047>050-059>062-072>075-083>086-094>097-040300- ...TORNADO WATCH #698 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE COUNTIES OF... APPANOOSE BLACK HAWK BOONE BREMER BUTLER CLARKE DALLAS DAVIS DECATUR FRANKLIN GRUNDY HAMILTON HARDIN JASPER LUCAS MADISON MAHASKA MARION MARSHALL MONROE POLK POWESHIEK STORY TAMA WAPELLO WARREN WAYNE
Special weather statement, Aug 3, 8:23 PM CDT, 3 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 823 PM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004 IAZ044>046-057-058-070-071-081-082-092-093-040300- ...TORNADO WATCH #700 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE COUNTIES OF... ADAIR ADAMS AUDUBON CARROLL CASS CRAWFORD GREENE GUTHRIE RINGGOLD TAYLOR UNION
Local storm report, Aug 3, 9:27 PM CDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
927 PM CDT TUE AUG 03 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0924 PM TSTM WND DMG KNOXVILLE 41.32N 93.10W
08/03/2004 MARION IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
TWO AND ONE HALF FOOT DIAMETER TREE DOWN AND BLOCKING
ROADWAY.
&&
ROBLocal storm report, Aug 3, 9:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
958 PM CDT TUE AUG 03 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0940 PM TSTM WND GST WILLIAMSON 41.09N 93.26W
08/03/2004 65 MPH LUCAS IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
STLocal storm report, Aug 3, 10:21 PM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1021 PM CDT TUE AUG 03 2004
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 PM FLASH FLOOD 5 W WEST DES MOINES 41.57N 93.85W
08/03/2004 DALLAS IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
CREEK OUT OF ITS BANKS AND RUNNING OVER 60TH STREET WATER
OVER ROADS AND CARS STRANDED. 60TH STREET IS POLK AND
DALLAS COUNTY LINE.
&&
STSpecial weather statement, Aug 3, 10:59 PM CDT, 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1059 PM CDT TUE AUG 3 2004 IAZ081>086-092>097-040800- ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #703 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 300 AM CDT FOR THE COUNTIES OF... ADAMS APPANOOSE CLARKE DAVIS DECATUR LUCAS MONROE RINGGOLD TAYLOR UNION WAPELLO WAYNE
The office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 3, 7:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Boone, Dallas | 53 min |
| Aug 3, 7:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Franklin | 45 min |
| Aug 3, 7:31 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Audubon, Guthrie | 29 min |
| Aug 3, 7:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Polk | 49 min |
| Aug 3, 7:47 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | DMX | Madison | 43 min |
| Aug 3, 7:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Franklin | 26 min |
| Aug 3, 8:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Warren | 52 min |
| Aug 3, 8:36 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Dallas, Polk | 4 hr |
| Aug 3, 8:58 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Marion | 32 min |
| Aug 3, 9:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Lucas | 39 min |
| Aug 3, 9:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Lucas | 28 min |
| Aug 3, 9:53 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Adams, Taylor | 52 min |
| Aug 3, 10:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Wayne | 51 min |
| Aug 3, 10:45 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Decatur | 45 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2004Every 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.