Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2008

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS La Crosse, WI

May 25, 2008Clayton County, Fayette County, Iowa

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this flash flood warning at May 25, 2008, 8:21 PM CDT for Clayton County, Fayette County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr. 5 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 25, 2008, 8:21 PM CDT (01:21 UTC)
Expired: May 25, 2008, 11:15 PM CDT
In force: 3 hr
Issued by: NWS La Crosse, WI
Area: Storm-based polygon
Flood severity: None

Counties Clayton County, IA, Fayette County, IA

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
May 25, 8:47 PM CDT	FLOOD	3 Sw Strawberry Point, IA	STANDING WATER REPORTED IN EXTREME SOUTHWEST PART OF COUNTY...NEAR OTHER COUNTY LINES...ALONG 400TH STREET.
May 25, 9:02 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Edgewood, IA	WATER OVER ROADS
May 25, 9:17 PM CDT	FLOOD	6 Ese Strawberry Point, IA	WATER GOING OVER SECTIONS OF HIGHWAYS 410 AND 3 IN SOUTHERN END OF COUNTY...INCLUDING AROUND EDGEWOOD.
May 25, 9:55 PM CDT	FLASH FLOOD	Edgewood, IA	HIGHWAY 3 CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER COVERING ROAD.
May 25, 10:24 PM CDT	FLOOD	6 Ese Strawberry Point, IA	STILL REPORTS OF WATER OVER LOWER SITTING ROADS IN FAR SOUTH END OF COUNTY.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 148 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: 1867 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -68 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1008 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 47 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 148 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 204 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.2
Supercell composite: 6.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS53 KARX 260128
FFWARX
IAC043-065-260415-
/O.NEW.KARX.FF.W.0004.080526T0121Z-080526T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
828 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN CLAYTON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...GUTTENBERG...ELKADER...
  SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN NORTHEAST IOWA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF OELWEIN...

* UNTIL 1115 PM CDT

* AT 816 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED 3.5
  INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN SINCE 6 PM AT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN
  OELWEIN.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO VOLGA...
  GARNAVILLO AND FAYETTE. STREAMS AND CREEKS WHICH COULD BE AFFECTED
  INCLUDE OTTER CREEK...BRUSH CREEK...SPRING CREEK AND BEAR CREEK.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE.
REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4286 9209 4287 9115 4281 9108 4274 9106
      4266 9089 4264 9090 4263 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 0121Z 180DEG 0KT 4278 9161

$$

THOMPSON

5 follow-up statements

000 
WGUS73 KARX 260156
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
855 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

IAC043-065-260415-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080526T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FAYETTE IA-CLAYTON IA-
855 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHERN CLAYTON AND SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 845 PM CDT...CLAYTON COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS STANDING 
WATER ON ROADS IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY. FAYETTE COUNTY 
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORTED FIELDS FILLING WITH WATER AND 
ENCROACHING UPON SOME ROADS. 

DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY 
RAIN OCCURRING OVER THE WARNED AREA. IN FACT...RADAR ESTIMATED 2 TO 
4 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN SINCE 6 PM. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY 
RAIN ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE WARNED AREA THROUGH 11 PM THIS 
EVENING.  

LOCATIONS WITH THE GREATEST RISK OF FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE 
OELWEIN...GUTTENBERG...ELKADER...FAIRBANK...VOLGA...STRAWBERRY 
POINT...MAYNARD AND GARNAVILLO. STREAMS AND CREEKS WHICH COULD BE 
AFFECTED INCLUDE OTTER CREEK...BRUSH CREEK...SPRING CREEK AND BEAR 
CREEK.

IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE.
REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4286 9209 4287 9115 4281 9108 4274 9106
      4266 9089 4264 9090 4263 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 0148Z 180DEG 0KT 4278 9161

$$

THOMPSON

000 
WGUS73 KARX 260228
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
928 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

IAC043-065-260415-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080526T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FAYETTE IA-CLAYTON IA-
928 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHERN CLAYTON AND SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 918 PM CDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN CLAYTON COUNTY REPORTED 
WATER COVERING PARTS OF HIGHWAY 410 AND HIGHWAY 3 IN THE SOUTHWEST 
PART OF THE COUNTY.

DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY 
RAIN OCCURRING OVER THE WARNED AREA...GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A 
LINE FROM OELWEIN...TO ARLINGTON...TO ELKADER...TO GARBER. 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE WARNED 
AREA THROUGH 11 PM THIS EVENING. 

LOCATIONS WITH THE GREATEST RISK OF FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE 
OELWEIN...ELKADER...FAIRBANK...VOLGA...STRAWBERRY POINT...MAYNARD 
AND GARNAVILLO. STREAMS AND CREEKS WHICH COULD BE AFFECTED INCLUDE 
OTTER CREEK...BRUSH CREEK...SPRING CREEK AND BEAR CREEK.

IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE.
REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4286 9209 4287 9115 4281 9108 4274 9106
      4266 9089 4264 9090 4263 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 0218Z 180DEG 0KT 4278 9161

$$

THOMPSON

000 
WGUS73 KARX 260243
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
943 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

IAC043-065-260415-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080526T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FAYETTE IA-CLAYTON IA-
943 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHERN CLAYTON AND SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 935 PM CDT...STORM SPOTTERS IN CLAYTON COUNTY REPORTED 3.0 INCHES 
OF RAIN HAD FALLEN IN EDGEWOOD. SOME ROADS WERE REPORTED CLOSED IN 
THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY DUE TO HIGH WATER.

AT 940 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE THUNDERSTORMS 
WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN OCCURRING OVER THE WARNED AREA. THESE STORMS 
WERE GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM OELWEIN...TO 
ARLINGTON...TO ELKADER...TO GARBER. THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN 
SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE WARNED AREA SHORTLY AFTER 11 PM. 

LOCATIONS WITH THE GREATEST RISK OF FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE 
OELWEIN...ELKADER...FAIRBANK...VOLGA...STRAWBERRY POINT...MAYNARD 
AND GARNAVILLO. STREAMS AND CREEKS WHICH COULD BE AFFECTED INCLUDE 
OTTER CREEK...BRUSH CREEK...SPRING CREEK AND BEAR CREEK.

IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY. DO
NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE.
REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4286 9209 4287 9115 4281 9108 4274 9106
      4266 9089 4264 9090 4263 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 0218Z 180DEG 0KT 4278 9161

$$

THOMPSON

000 
WGUS73 KARX 260340
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1029 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

IAC043-065-260415-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080526T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FAYETTE IA-CLAYTON IA-
1039 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHERN CLAYTON AND SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTIES...

AT 1039 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THAT 
THE RAIN HAS ENDED ACROSS SOUTHERN FAYETTE AND CLAYTON COUNTIES IN 
NORTHEAST IOWA. SPOTTERS INDICATED THAT 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN FELL 
ACROSS THIS AREA THIS EVENING.

IN CLAYTON COUNTY...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO REPORT 
WATER COVERING PARTS OF HIGHWAY 410 AND HIGHWAY 3 IN THE SOUTHWEST 
PART OF THE COUNTY.

IN FAYETTE COUNTY...LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED WATER OVER HIGHWAY 150 
SOUTH OF MAYNARD...AND WATER UP TO THE ROAD ON HIGHWAY 3. 

LOCATIONS WITH THE GREATEST RISK OF FLASH FLOODING INCLUDE 
OELWEIN...ELKADER...FAIRBANK...VOLGA...STRAWBERRY POINT...MAYNARD 
AND GARNAVILLO. STREAMS AND CREEKS WHICH COULD BE AFFECTED INCLUDE 
OTTER CREEK...BRUSH CREEK...SPRING CREEK AND BEAR CREEK.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR AT NIGHT. IF
FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4286 9209 4287 9115 4281 9108 4274 9106
      4266 9089 4264 9090 4263 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 0329Z 180DEG 0KT 4278 9161

$$

BOYNE

000 
WGUS73 KARX 260417
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1116 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

IAC043-065-260421-
/O.EXP.KARX.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-080526T0415Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
FAYETTE IA-CLAYTON IA-
1116 PM CDT SUN MAY 25 2008

...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS EXPIRED FOR SOUTHERN CLAYTON AND 
SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTIES...

THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING HAS DIMINISHED ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. 
THEREFORE...THE FLASH FLOOD WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

HOWEVER...THERE ARE STILL REPORTS OF FLOODING OF SOME ROADS IN 
SOUTHERN CLAYTON AND SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTIES.

IN CLAYTON COUNTY...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO REPORT 
WATER COVERING PARTS OF HIGHWAY 410 AND HIGHWAY 3 IN THE SOUTHWEST 
PART OF THE COUNTY.

IN FAYETTE COUNTY...LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED WATER OVER HIGHWAY 150 
SOUTH OF MAYNARD...AND WATER UP TO THE ROAD ON HIGHWAY 3. 

THERE WILL ALSO BE LIKELY SOME RISES ALONG THE TURKEY RIVER 
OVERNIGHT...BUT AT THIS TIME...FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE
DANGERS OF FLOODS. MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR AT NIGHT. IF
FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4286 9209 4287 9115 4281 9108 4274 9106
      4266 9089 4264 9090 4263 9209
TIME...MOT...LOC 0411Z 180DEG 0KT 4278 9161

$$

BOYNE

The office that day

Everything else NWS La Crosse, WI issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 25, 7:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	ARX	Fayette	43 min
May 25, 7:58 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	ARX	Clayton, Fayette	3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2008 Every flash flood warning in 2008

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.