Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 9, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 21, 2004Kossuth County, Winnebago County, Worth County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at May 21, 2004, 10:00 PM CDT for Kossuth County, Winnebago County, Worth County, Iowa. It was in force for 18 hr. 2 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, 10:00 PM CDT (03:00 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 2004, 4:00 PM CDT
In force
18 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Kossuth County, IA, Winnebago County, IA, Worth County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 170 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:02 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 22, 12:20 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD2 E Hanlontown, IAWATER FLOWING OVER COUNTY ROADS ADJACENT TO I-35 IN SOUTHERN 10 MILES OF COUNTY.
May 22, 12:20 AM CDTFLASH FLOODJoice, IAMAIN STREET FLOODED.

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 00:00Z, 3.0 hours before the alert went out and 177 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 2004-05-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 2004-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 215 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
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
512 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
215 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
257 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS53 KDMX 220303
FFWDMX
IAC109-189-195-220900-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1000 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  KOSSUTH COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
  WINNEBAGO COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA
  WORTH COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA

* UNTIL 400 AM

* AT 1000 PM...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 WILL AVERAGE 1 TO 2 INCHES PER   
  HOUR. THIS WILL PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING OVER ROADS IN LOW LYING AREAS
  OR LOCATIONS THAT NORMALLY COLLECT WATER DURING HEAVY RAINS.

OTHER WARNING LOCATIONS INCLUDE...
ALGONA...ALGONA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...BANCROFT...BUFFALO CENTER...
BURT...FENTON...FERTILE...GRAFTON...HANLONTOWN...JOICE...KENSETT...
LAKE MILLS...LAKE MILLS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...LAKOTA...LEDYARD...
LELAND...LONE ROCK...MANLY...NORTHWOOD...NORTHWOOD MUNICIPAL
AIRPORT...RAKE...SCARVILLE...SWEA CITY...THOMPSON...TITONKA AND
WHITTEMORE

FLASH FLOODS OCCUR QUICKLY. DO NOT DRIVE INTO WATER COVERED ROADS.
LESS THAN ONE FOOT OF FAST FLOWING WATER CAN SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE OFF
THE ROAD.

LAT...LON 4349 9305 4325 9308 4325 9401 4293 9402
      4295 9445 4349 9444

$$

KULA
4 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 220349
FFSDMX
IAC109-189-195-220900-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1047 PM CDT FRI MAY 21 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR WINNEBAGO...WORTH AND NORTHERN
KOSSUTH COUNTIES UNTIL 400 AM...

AT 1047 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED 
ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WITH FLASH FLOOD PRODUCING RAINS OVER 
BANCROFT...OR ABOUT 50 MILES EAST OF SPENCER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 
35 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL BE...

  NEAR BUFFALO CENTER AROUND 1100 PM...
  6 MILES NORTHWEST OF THOMPSON AROUND 1110 PM AND
  4 MILES NORTHWEST OF SCARVILLE AROUND 1120 PM.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE CONTINUOUSLY REDEVELOPING OVER THE WARNING 
AREA...RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. RAINFALL RATES WILL AVERAGE 
1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING.

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 4349 9445 4327 9444 4327 9305 4350 9307

$$

KULA
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 220704 CCA
FFSDMX
IAC109-189-195-220900-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT...CORRECTED HEADER TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
145 AM CDT SAT MAY 22 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR WINNEBAGO...WORTH AND NORTHERN
KOSSUTH COUNTIES UNTIL 400 AM...

AT 140 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED NUMEROUS 
SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS OVER FAR NORTHERN IOWA. THIS 
RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AT ABOUT 40 MPH. RAINFALL RATES 
WILL AVERAGE AROUND A QUARTER OF AN INCH PER HOUR. THE RAINFALL WILL 
DIMINISH OVER FAR NORTHERN IOWA BY AROUND 330 AM. 

ALTHOUGH THE RAINFALL RATES HAVE DIMINISHED...RUNOFF FROM EARLIER 
HEAVIER RAIN WILL CONTINUE DUE TO THE SATURATED GROUND. EXPECT WATER 
LEVELS TO REMAIN HIGH WITH FLASH FLOODING LIKELY.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN DANGERS OF FLASH 
FLOODING ARE HARDER TO SEE. 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. IF YOU LIVE IN A FLASH FLOOD PRONE 
AREA...MONITOR WATER LEVELS CLOSELY.

LAT...LON 4349 9445 4327 9444 4327 9305 4350 9307

$$

JAW
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 220825
FFSDMX
IAC109-189-195-220900-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT...CORRECTED HEADER TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
310 AM CDT SAT MAY 22 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR WINNEBAGO...WORTH AND NORTHERN
KOSSUTH COUNTIES UNTIL 400 AM...

AT 310 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED LIGHT 
TO MODERATE RAIN CONTINUING OVER FAR NORTHERN IOWA. MODERATE RAIN 
PERSISTED OVER WORTH COUNTY. THE RAIN WAS LIGHT FURTHER WEST INTO 
WINNEBAGO AND NORTHERN KOSSUTH COUNTY. RAINFALL RATES WILL AVERAGE A 
QUARTER INCH PER HOUR OR LESS. THE RAIN WILL PERSIST THROUGH MUCH OF 
THE EARLY MORNING HOURS BUT NO ADDITION HEAVY RAINFALL RATES ARE 
EXPECTED.

SOME RUNOFF FROM EARLIER HEAVIER RAIN WILL CONTINUE DUE TO THE 
SATURATED GROUND. INCREASES IN WATER LEVELS WILL SLOW...ALTHOUGH 
MAJOR STREAMS...CREEKS...AND RIVERS WILL CONTINUE TO SEE WATER 
LEVELS RISE. 

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN DANGERS OF FLASH 
FLOODING ARE HARDER TO SEE. 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. IF YOU LIVE IN A FLASH FLOOD PRONE 
AREA...MONITOR WATER LEVELS CLOSELY.

LAT...LON 4349 9445 4327 9444 4327 9305 4350 9307

$$

JAW
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 220918
FFSDMX
IAC109-189-195-220945-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
415 AM CDT SAT MAY 22 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR WINNEBAGO...WORTH AND 
NORTHERN KOSSUTH COUNTIES...

AT 410 AM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AREAS 
OF LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CONTINUING OVER FAR NORTHERN IOWA. THE 
RAIN WILL DIMINISH BY 6 AM. NO ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL IS EXPECTED 
THROUGH THE MORNING. 

ALTHOUGH THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS EXPIRED...SOME WATER WILL 
REMAIN STANDING IN MAINLY AGRICULTURAL AREAS. RIVER AND CREEK LEVELS 
WILL REMAIN HIGH. 

IF ANY WATER REMAINS STANDING ON ROADS...MOTORISTS ARE REMINDED NOT 
TO DRIVE INTO IT. 

LAT...LON 4349 9445 4327 9444 4327 9305 4350 9307

$$

JAW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 7:16 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXWright29 min
May 21, 7:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBremer44 min
May 21, 7:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXFranklin54 min
May 21, 7:41 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXBremer, Butler17 hr
May 21, 7:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWright14 min
May 21, 8:12 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBremer48 min
May 21, 8:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPalo Alto31 min
May 21, 10:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPalo Alto, Pocahontas51 min
May 21, 11:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHumboldt, Kossuth50 min
May 21, 11:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXSac44 min
May 21, 11:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Hancock51 min
May 22, 12:07 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXHamilton38 min
May 22, 6:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXBoone51 min
May 22, 6:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair25 min
May 22, 6:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCarroll50 min
May 22, 6:41 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBoone34 min
May 22, 6:51 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCarroll39 min
May 22, 6:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXStory50 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.