Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2005

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 12, 2005Cass County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at May 12, 2005, 5:22 PM CDT for Cass County, Iowa. It was in force for 6 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
May 12, 2005, 5:22 PM CDT (22:22 UTC)
Expired
May 12, 2005, 11:15 PM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Cass County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 106 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:23 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

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 10.4 hours before the alert went out and 271 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2005-05-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 47 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 2005-05-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 418 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
47 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-239 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1153 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
418 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
395 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 122226
FFWDMX
IAC029-130415-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
522 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 1115 PM CDT.

* AT 518 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED   
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WESTERN PORTION OF 
CASS COUNTY. DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATED ONE AND ONE HALF TO TWO INCHES 
OF RAIN HAS FALLEN OVER THE PAST HOUR.

* 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...ATLANTIC...GRISWOLD...ANITA...ANITA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...
  ATLANTIC MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...CUMBERLAND...LEWIS...MARNE...MASSENA
  AND WIOTA.

PERSONS IN ATLANTIC AND THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY SHOULD BE 
AWARE OF SIGNIFICANT PONDING IN TOWN AND RAPID RISES ON LOCAL CREEKS 
AND STEAMS. ALSO HIGHWAY 48 NORTH OF GRISWALD IS IN DANGER OF 
BECOMING SUBMERGED. 

A FLASH FLOODING WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT OR
OCCURRING. IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNING AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND
IMMEDIATELY. RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE
IMMEDIATE PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS SWIFTLY FLOWING WATERS OR WATERS OF UNKNOWN DEPTH BY FOOT OR BY
AUTOMOBILE.

LAT...LON 4150 9472 4118 9473 4118 9517 4149 9516

$$

DONAVON
4 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 122344
FFSDMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
639 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

IAC029-130415-
CASS IA-
639 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR CASS COUNTY UNTIL 1115 PM CDT...

AT 636 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED AN AREA OF 
VERY HEAVY RAINFALL HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. DOPPLER RADAR 
ESTIMATED THAT OVER TWO INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE WESTERN 
HALF OF THE COUNTY

HEAVY RAIN HAS MOVED TO THE EAST OF THE WARNED 
AREA...HOWEVER...RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE 
FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING 
INCLUDE...ATLANTIC...GRISWOLD...ANITA...ANITA MUNICIPAL 
AIRPORT...ATLANTIC MUNICIPAL 
AIRPORT...CUMBERLAND...LEWIS...MARNE...MASSENA AND WIOTA.

THE CASS COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE REPORTED EXTENSIVE LOW LAND FLOODING 
ACROSS THE WESTERN ONE THIRD OF THE COUNTY. IN ADDITION...A DRAINAGE 
PIPE HAS BURST NORTH OF MARNE SPILL WATER OVER THE ROAD ALONG WITH 
ONE FOOT OF MUD.

$$

DONAVON
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 130046
FFSDMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
744 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

IAC029-130415-
CASS IA-
744 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR CASS COUNTY UNTIL 1115 PM CDT...

AT 740 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN 
AREA OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE WARNED 
AREA...ESPECIALLY THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY. DOPPLER RADAR 
ESTIMATED THAT 1.5 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN FELL EARLIER THIS EVENING.

LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CONTINUES TO FALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. 
RUNOFF FROM THE PREVIOUS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING TO 
OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING 
INCLUDE...ATLANTIC...GRISWOLD...ANITA...ANITA MUNICIPAL 
AIRPORT...ATLANTIC MUNICIPAL 
AIRPORT...CUMBERLAND...LEWIS...MARNE...MASSENA AND WIOTA.

DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FLOOD WATERS. ONLY A FEW INCHES OF 
RAPIDLY FLOWING WATER CAN QUICKLY CARRY AWAY YOUR VEHICLE.

REPORT FLOODING TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SO THAT THEY
MAY TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO CLOSE FLOODED ROADWAYS. THEY WILL
RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES.

$$

DONAVON
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 130156
FFSDMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
854 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

IAC029-130415-
CASS IA-
854 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES FOR CASS COUNTY UNTIL 1115 PM CDT...

AT 853 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT LOW 
FLOODING WAS OCCURRING ACROSS THE WESTERN ONE THIRD OF THE COUNTY. 
RAIN HAS BECOME LIGHT OVER THE AREA HOWEVER ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS 
HAVE BEGAN TO DEVELOP TO THE WEST AND MAY MOVE INTO THE COUNTY LATER 
THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.

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

$$

DONAVON
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 130308
FFSDMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1006 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

IAC029-130316-
CASS IA-
1006 PM CDT THU MAY 12 2005

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING THAT WAS IN EFFECT FOR CASS COUNTY HAS
BEEN CANCELLED...

EXCESS RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED OVER THE WARNED AREA. STREAMS
AND CREEKS IN THE WARNED AREA HAVE RECEDED OR WERE BEGINNING TO
RECEDE...ENDING THE FLOOD THREAT. IF FLOODING HAS BEEN OBSERVED...
PLEASE REPORT IT TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.

$$

COGIL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 12, 5:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXStory61 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2005Every flash flood warning in 2005

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.