Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 21, 20047 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at May 21, 2004, 6:09 PM CDT for 7 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 120 days. 10 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 21, 2004, 6:09 PM CDT (23:09 UTC)
Expired
Sep 18, 2004, 9:15 AM CDT
In force
120 days
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Adams County, IA, Cerro Gordo County, IA, Franklin County, IA, Hancock County, IA, Humboldt County, IA, Kossuth County, IA, Wright County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 145 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:12 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 21, 6:15 PM CDTFLOODAlgona, IAROADS UNDERWATER THROUGHOUT SOUTHERN KOSSUTH COUNTY. 3 FEET OF WATER OVER SEVERAL ROADS. CARS STALLED ALONG HIGHWAY 18 IN ALGONA.
May 21, 7:26 PM CDTFLOOD6 Sw Mason City, IAWATER COVERING ROADS. VISIBLE FROM INTERSTATE 35.
May 21, 7:33 PM CDTFLOODGoodell, IAWATER COVERING ROADS AND FIELDS.
May 21, 8:01 PM CDTFLOODGoodell, IAWATER OVER 130TH STREET AT HIGHWAY 69.
May 21, 8:03 PM CDTFLOODS Mason City, IAWATER OVER ROADS OVER SOUTHERN PART OF CERRO GORDO COUNTY. ALONG HIGHWAY 65, 2 TO 3 INCHES DEEP AND CLIMBING BETWEEN THE AVENUE OF THE SAINTS AND ROCKWELL.
May 21, 8:03 PM CDTHEAVY RAIN 2.5N Rockwell, IAIN LESS THAN ONE HOUR.
May 21, 11:20 PM CDTFLASH FLOODRockwell, IANUMEROUS ROADS FLOODED WITH AFFECTED AREA EXPANDING INTO SOUTHWEST PORTION OF COUNTY. SOME GRAVEL ROADS WASHED OUT IN PAST HOUR.
May 21, 11:35 PM CDTFLASH FLOODMason City, IAEVACUATIONS OCCURRING DUE TO RAPID FLOODING. DETAILS UNKNOWN.
Jun 11, 6:08 PM CDTFLASH FLOODBurt, IAWATER HAS REACHED CENTER LINE OF HIGHWAY 169.
Jun 16, 4:38 PM CDTFLASH FLOODMason City, IAFIFTEEN ROADS WERE REPORTED FLOODED. WILLOW CREEK IS OUT OF ITS BANKS AND FLOODING EAST PARK.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 11.2 hours before the alert went out and 202 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 12:00Z on 2004-05-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2004-05-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 216 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
732 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
216 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
321 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS53 KDMX 212313
FFWDMX
IAC033-069-081-091-109-197-220515-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
609 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  CERRO GORDO COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF MASON CITY
  NORTHERN FRANKLIN COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
  HANCOCK COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
  HUMBOLDT COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
  SOUTHERN KOSSUTH COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
  NORTHERN WRIGHT COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 1215 AM SATURDAY MORNING

* AT 607 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
THUNDERSTORMS WITH FLASH FLOOD PRODUCING RAINS IN OR MOVING INTO THE 
WARNING AREA.

* THE GROUND IS ALREADY SATURATED BY RAINFALL...AND ADDITIONAL RAIN 
WILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF.   THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO 
PRODUCE RAINFALL RATES OF 2 TO 3 INCHES PER HOUR. THIS WILL PRODUCE 
FLASH FLOODING ALONG LOW LYING GRAVEL ROADS...AND FLOOD PRONE SMALL 
STREAMS AND CREEKS.

OTHER WARNING LOCATIONS INCLUDE...
ALEXANDER...ALGONA...BELMOND...BODE...BRADGATE...BRITT.. 
.BURT...CLARION...CLEAR LAKE...CORWITH...COULTER...CRYSTAL 
LAKE...FENTON...GARNER...GOLDFIELD...GOODELL...HAMPTON...HUMBOLDT 
...KANAWHA...KLEMME...LATIMER...LIVERMORE. ..LONE 
ROCK...MESERVEY...OTTOSEN...PLYMOUTH...RENWICK...ROCK 
FALLS...ROCKWELL...ROWAN...RUTLAND...SHEFFIELD...SWALEDALE...THORNTON
...TITONKA...VENTURA...WESLEY...WHITTEMORE AND WODEN

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 4324 9304 4273 9306 4271 9443 4324 9443

$$

KULA
1 follow-up statement
000 
WGUS53 KDMX 180815
FFWDMX
IAC003-181415-
/X.NEW.KDMX.FF.W.0007.040918T0811Z-040918T1415Z/
/0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
311 AM CDT SAT SEP 18 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  ADAMS COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST IOWA.

* UNTIL 915 AM CDT.

* AT 307 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA.     
  DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED THREE TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN    
  ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY. 

* SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IN THE
  WARNED AREA. RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH
  FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING
  INCLUDE...CORNING...CARBON...CORNING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...NODAWAY
  AND PRESCOTT.

PERSONS THAT LIVE ALONG THE BROWN BRANCH...THE MOUNT ZION BRANCH AND 
KEMP CREEK SHOULD MONITOR THE POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT RISES ALONG 
THESE STREAMS.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE 
DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. MOVE 
UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS 
SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.

TO REPORT FLOODING...HAVE THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELAY
YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN DES
MOINES.

LAT...LON 4115 9451 4092 9450 4092 9491 4115 9492

$$

DONAVON

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 2:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCrawford42 min
May 21, 2:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXSac53 min
May 21, 4:32 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin28 min
May 21, 5:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBremer37 min
May 21, 10:59 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPalo Alto61 min
May 21, 11:08 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHancock67 min
May 21, 11:40 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Worth50 min
May 21, 12:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXButler40 min
May 21, 12:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Worth16 min
May 21, 12:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHamilton40 min
May 21, 1:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWebster58 min
May 21, 1:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCalhoun35 min
May 21, 1:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHardin48 min
May 21, 1:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXGrundy35 min
May 21, 2:02 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXGrundy43 min
May 21, 2:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin, Wright25 min
May 21, 2:06 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXHamilton39 min
May 21, 2:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHardin55 min
May 21, 2:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin, Wright47 min
May 21, 2:39 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXHardin51 min
May 21, 2:43 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBlack Hawk57 min
May 21, 2:45 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXGrundy45 min
May 21, 3:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXButler39 min
May 21, 3:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXTama23 min
May 21, 3:27 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXGrundy48 min
May 21, 3:35 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBlack Hawk40 min
May 21, 3:38 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXBlack Hawk, Palo Alto, Pocahontas119 days
May 21, 3:44 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMarshall, Tama31 min
May 21, 4:16 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXTama29 min
May 21, 5:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWright44 min
May 21, 5:27 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXPalo Alto, Pocahontas, Taylor120 days
May 21, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Hancock48 min
May 21, 5:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPalo Alto45 min
May 21, 5:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin43 min
May 21, 5:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXGrundy, Hardin53 min
May 21, 5:54 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXPalo Alto, Pocahontas51 min
May 21, 6:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo45 min
May 21, 6:15 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXHumboldt, Kossuth45 min
May 21, 6:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXButler53 min
May 21, 6:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPocahontas24 min
May 21, 6:41 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXHumboldt34 min
May 21, 6:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBremer36 min
May 21, 6:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWright51 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.