Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2008

Flash Flood Warning 9, NWS La Crosse, WI

June 7, 2008Mitchell County, Iowa

NWS La Crosse, WI issued this flash flood warning at Jun 7, 2008, 6:03 PM CDT for Mitchell 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
Jun 7, 2008, 6:03 PM CDT (23:03 UTC)
Expired
Jun 8, 2008, 12:00 AM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS La Crosse, WI
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Mitchell County, IA

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 142 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:03 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

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 174 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 2008-06-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 131 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2008-06-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 318 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
131 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-253 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1341 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
318 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
357 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 KARX 072303
FFWARX
IAC131-080500-
/O.NEW.KARX.FF.W.0009.080607T2303Z-080608T0500Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
603 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LA CROSSE HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  MITCHELL COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF OSAGE...

* UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT

* AT 559 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED   
  FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA WITH       
  ESTIMATES OF 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN THUS FAR AND THE POTENTIAL FOR  
  ANOTHER 1 TO 2 INCHES. 

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO ST. ANSGAR
  AND STACYVILLE

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 4350 9303 4349 9256 4322 9257 4321 9303
TIME...MOT...LOC 2303Z 180DEG 0KT 4337 9285

$$

BINAU
3 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS73 KARX 080012
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
710 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

IAC131-080500-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080608T0500Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MITCHELL IA-
710 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR
MITCHELL COUNTY...

AT 709 PM CDT...A THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WERE 
REPORTED OVER THE WARNED AREA.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO STACYVILLE 
AND ST. ANSGAR.

MOST AFFECTED THUS FAR HAVE BEEN THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE 
COUNTY...WHERE 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN HAS OCCURRED PER DOPPLER RADAR 
ESTIMATES. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN...WITH A SOUTHWARD 
DRIFT INTO THE SOUTHERN HALF THE COUNTY IS EXPECTED THROUGH 830 PM.

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.

PLEASE REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICE
AND TELL THEM TO RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 4350 9303 4349 9256 4322 9257 4321 9303
TIME...MOT...LOC 0010Z 180DEG 0KT 4337 9285

$$

BINAU
000 
WGUS73 KARX 080130
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
827 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

IAC131-080500-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080608T0500Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MITCHELL IA-
827 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR
MITCHELL COUNTY...

AT 825 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST RAIN HAS MOVED SOUTH OF THE AREA. 
HOWEVER RUNOFF FROM THE PREVIOUS HEAVY RAIN WILL RESULT IN HIGH 
WATER ACROSS MUCH OF THE COUNTY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO 
ONE HALF INCH IS STILL POSSIBLE THE REMAINDER OF THE 
EVENING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE FAR SOUTHERN AREAS OF THE COUNTY. 

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO STACYVILLE
AND ST. ANSGAR

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 4350 9303 4349 9256 4322 9257 4321 9303
TIME...MOT...LOC 0127Z 180DEG 0KT 4337 9285

$$

RABERDING
000 
WGUS73 KARX 080346 RRA
FFSARX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1046 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

IAC131-080500-
/O.CON.KARX.FF.W.0009.000000T0000Z-080608T0500Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
MITCHELL IA-
1046 PM CDT SAT JUN 7 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR
MITCHELL COUNTY...

AT 1045 PM CDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS REPORT SEVERAL ROADS 
STILL UNDER WATER FROM STORMS EARLIER THIS EVENING. 

THE HARDEST HIT AREA APPEARS TO BE ALONG THE LITTLE CEDAR RIVER AND 
ITS TRIBUTARIES...AFFECTING THE COMMUNITIES OF STACYVILLE AND LITTLE 
CEDAR...AS WELL AS THE PIONEER STATE PARK AREA. RAIN AMOUNTS OF 
AROUND 5 INCHES HAVE BEEN REPORTED.  FLOODING WAS ALSO OCCURRING 
ALONG SOME OF THE TRIBUTARIES TO THE CEDAR RIVER IN THE NORTHWEST 
PART OF THE COUNTY...NEAR TOETERVILLE AND SAINT ANSGAR.  

USE EXTREME CAUTION IF DRIVING TONIGHT...AS SEVERAL ROADS ARE CLOSED 
AND THERE MAY BE SOME WASHOUTS. IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE 
DANGERS OF FLOODING AT NIGHT. 

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 4350 9303 4349 9256 4322 9257 4321 9303
TIME...MOT...LOC 0339Z 180DEG 0KT 4337 9285

$$

MW

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 7, 4:02 AM CDTFlash Flood WatchARXAllamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard and 2 more44 hr
Jun 7, 12:52 PM CDTTornado WarningARXClayton23 min
Jun 7, 1:17 PM CDTTornado WarningARXAllamakee, Clayton43 min
Jun 7, 2:49 PM CDTTornado WarningARXChickasaw26 min
Jun 7, 3:35 PM CDTTornado WarningARXChickasaw, Howard40 min
Jun 7, 3:41 PM CDTTornado WarningARXChickasaw, Floyd34 min
Jun 7, 4:35 PM CDTTornado WarningARXMitchell40 min
Jun 7, 5:22 PM CDTTornado WarningARXMitchell38 min
Jun 7, 6:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXMitchell30 min
Jun 7, 6:18 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningARXHoward6 hr
Jun 7, 6:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningARXHoward54 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2008Every 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.