Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2008

Flash Flood Warning 13, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 30, 20087 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at May 30, 2008, 12:27 AM CDT for 7 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 6 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 30, 2008, 12:27 AM CDT (05:27 UTC)
Expired
May 30, 2008, 6:30 AM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Boone County, IA, Calhoun County, IA, Greene County, IA, Hamilton County, IA, Hardin County, IA, Story County, IA, Webster County, IA

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 30, 12:55 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD5 Nnw Jefferson, IATWO FEET OF WATER OVER HIGHWAY 4 NORTH OF FARLIN.
May 30, 1:11 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD3 Nw Maxwell, IAWATER OVER GRAVEL ROAD FROM DRAINAGE OFF FARM FIELDS.
May 30, 1:25 AM CDTFLASH FLOOD5 N Ames, IAWATER OVER ROAD AT INTERSECTION OF 180TH AND US HWY 69.
May 30, 2:23 AM CDTFLASH FLOODJefferson, IANUMEROUS LOCATIONS HAVE WATER ACROSS THE ROAD THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. LOCATIONS INCLUDE HIGHWAY 25 SOUTH OF SCRANTON...OLD HIGHWAY 30 EAST AND WEST OF JEFFERSON...HIGHWAY 4 NORTH OF JEFFERSON. CAR ALSO WENT INTO THE DITCH AFTER LOOSING CONTROL DRIVING THROUGH W
May 30, 5:11 AM CDTFLASH FLOODAmes, IANUMEROUS ROADS UNDER WATER AROUND THE COUNTY...ESPECAILLY ACROSS THE NORTH. LINCOLN HIGHWAY AND E-18 WERE UNDER WATER IN PLACES.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 220 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, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 2008-05-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3876 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, Omaha, NE at 00:00Z on 2008-05-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 236 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
3876 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
824 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
236 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
285 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
6.4
Supercell composite
26.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS53 KDMX 300528
FFWDMX
IAC015-025-073-079-083-169-187-301130-
/O.NEW.KDMX.FF.W.0013.080530T0527Z-080530T1130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1227 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  BOONE COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  HAMILTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  WESTERN HARDIN COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  STORY COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  WEBSTER COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF FORT DODGE...
  EASTERN CALHOUN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA...
  EASTERN GREENE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA...

* UNTIL 630 AM CDT

* AT 1224 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  FLASH FLOODING FROM A THUNDERSTORM OVER THE WARNED AREA.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WEBSTER
  CITY...JEWELL...IOWA FALLS AND GOWRIE

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN THE 
WARNED AREA AS NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE 
HIGHWAY 20 TO HIGHWAY 30 CORRIDOR.

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.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4186 9441 4256 9446 4255 9324 4186 9324
TIME...MOT...LOC 0527Z 180DEG 0KT 4225 9412

$$

DONAVON
4 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 300719
FFSDMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
218 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

IAC015-025-073-079-083-169-187-301130-
/O.CON.KDMX.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-080530T1130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WEBSTER IA-CALHOUN IA-HAMILTON IA-HARDIN IA-GREENE IA-BOONE IA-
STORY IA-
218 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 AM CDT FOR
STORY...BOONE...EASTERN GREENE...WESTERN HARDIN...HAMILTON...EASTERN
CALHOUN AND WEBSTER COUNTIES...

AT 216 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING OVER THE WARNED 
AREA. MODERATE RAINFALL WILL CONTINE OVER THE WARNED AREA FOR THE 
NEXT FEW HOURS.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WEBSTER
CITY...JEWELL...IOWA FALLS...GOWRIE AND FORT DODGE

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.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4186 9441 4256 9446 4255 9324 4186 9324
TIME...MOT...LOC 0718Z 180DEG 0KT 4225 9412

$$

DONAVON
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 301005
FFSDMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
502 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

IAC015-025-073-079-083-169-187-301130-
/O.CON.KDMX.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-080530T1130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WEBSTER IA-CALHOUN IA-HAMILTON IA-HARDIN IA-GREENE IA-BOONE IA-
STORY IA-
502 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 AM CDT FOR
STORY...BOONE...EASTERN GREENE...WESTERN HARDIN...HAMILTON...EASTERN
CALHOUN AND WEBSTER COUNTIES...

AT 500 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE RAINFALL...PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING OVER THE WARNED AREA.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WEBSTER
CITY...JEWELL...IOWA FALLS...GOWRIE AND FORT DODGE

RADAR ESTIMATES FROM HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS INDICATE 2 
TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN OVER THE AREA. ADDITIONAL LIGHT TO 
MODERATE RAINS THROUGH THE MORNING WILL RUNOFF OF FIELDS AND ALREADY 
FLOODED STREAMS.   

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL
CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE
BANKS OF CREEKS AND 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.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

LAT...LON 4186 9441 4256 9446 4255 9324 4186 9324
TIME...MOT...LOC 1002Z 180DEG 0KT 4225 9412

$$

RUSSELL
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 301045
FFSDMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
541 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

IAC025-073-079-083-169-187-301130-
/O.CON.KDMX.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-080530T1130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WEBSTER IA-CALHOUN IA-HAMILTON IA-HARDIN IA-GREENE IA-STORY IA-
541 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 AM CDT FOR
STORY...EASTERN GREENE...WESTERN HARDIN...HAMILTON...EASTERN CALHOUN
AND WEBSTER COUNTIES...

AT 539 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO 
INDICATE RAINFALL PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING OVER THE WARNED AREA.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WEBSTER
CITY...JEWELL...IOWA FALLS...GOWRIE AND FORT DODGE

2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL HAS FALLEN ACROSS THE AREA OVERNIGHT. AN 
ADDITIONAL INCH OR MORE OF RAIN MAY BE OCCURRING IN THE COMING 
HOURS. 

THE SOUTH SKUNK RIVER IN PARTICULAR IN AMES IS FLOODING AND OUT OF 
ITS BANKS NEAR AMES.  

EXPECT WIDESPREAD STREAMS AND CREEKS TO BE FLOODED THIS 
MORNING...INCLUDING MANY SECONDARY COUNTY ROADS TO BE WASHED OUT
NEARBY CREEKS THAT EASILY FLOOD. FLOODED FIELDS WILL BE WIDESPREAD. 

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE 
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS 
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4186 9370 4221 9371 4221 9417 4186 9417
      4186 9441 4256 9446 4255 9324 4187 9324
TIME...MOT...LOC 1041Z 180DEG 0KT 4225 9412

$$

RUSSELL
000 
WGUS73 KDMX 301126
FFSDMX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
624 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

IAC025-073-079-083-169-187-301130-
/O.CON.KDMX.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-080530T1130Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WEBSTER IA-CALHOUN IA-HAMILTON IA-HARDIN IA-GREENE IA-STORY IA-
624 AM CDT FRI MAY 30 2008

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 AM CDT FOR
STORY...EASTERN GREENE...WESTERN HARDIN...HAMILTON...EASTERN CALHOUN
AND WEBSTER COUNTIES...

AT 621 AM CDT...RAINFALL PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING WAS REPORTED OVER THE 
WARNED AREA.

HEAVY RAINFALL OF 2 TO 5 INCHES OVERNIGHT CAUSED FLASH FLOODING 
ALONG FIELDS AND STREAMS.  

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO WEBSTER
CITY...JEWELL...IOWA FALLS...GOWRIE AND FORT DODGE

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. NEVER DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO
AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. FLOOD WATERS ARE USUALLY
DEEPER THAN THEY APPEAR. JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS POWERFUL
ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED
ROADS MAKE THE SMART CHOICE...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 AM CDT FRIDAY MORNING FOR
SOUTHEASTERN IOWA.

LAT...LON 4186 9370 4221 9371 4221 9417 4186 9417
      4186 9441 4256 9446 4255 9324 4187 9324
TIME...MOT...LOC 1124Z 180DEG 0KT 4225 9412

$$

RUSSELL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 29, 8:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXSac44 min
May 29, 8:29 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCrawford31 min
May 29, 8:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCalhoun, Pocahontas32 min
May 29, 8:56 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXDallas20 days
May 29, 8:56 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXBoone, Webster23 days
May 29, 8:56 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCalhoun, Carroll34 min
May 29, 9:09 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXCarroll27 min
May 29, 9:23 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXGreene31 min
May 29, 9:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCalhoun, Greene, Webster51 min
May 29, 9:30 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXWebster30 min
May 29, 9:51 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXWright27 min
May 29, 10:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHamilton, Hardin43 min
May 29, 10:06 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXStory41 hr
May 29, 10:06 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXPolk, Story66 hr
May 29, 10:06 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXMahaska27 days
May 29, 10:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXGuthrie39 min
May 29, 10:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCrawford6 hr
May 29, 10:55 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXDallas35 min
May 29, 11:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCarroll, Crawford53 min
May 29, 11:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAudubon, Guthrie45 min
May 29, 11:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXWright23 min
May 29, 11:48 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCalhoun, Carroll, Greene, Sac6 hr
May 29, 11:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXCalhoun, Carroll, Greene40 min
May 29, 11:56 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAudubon, Guthrie34 min
May 30, 12:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Guthrie29 min
May 30, 12:23 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Marshall, Story37 min
May 30, 12:27 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXJasper, Marshall33 min
May 30, 12:41 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXTama34 min
May 30, 12:46 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXDallas31 min
May 30, 1:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdams, Taylor41 min
May 30, 1:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Cass46 min
May 30, 1:41 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAdair, Adams, Clarke, Dallas, Guthrie, Madison and 2 more49 min
May 30, 1:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Union, Warren40 min
May 30, 1:53 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXBlack Hawk, Grundy, Hardin, Marshall, Tama6 hr
May 30, 2:01 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXAudubon, Dallas, Guthrie6 hr
May 30, 4:05 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXClarke, Union40 min
May 30, 4:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Lucas, Marion, Warren50 min
May 30, 4:40 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXClarke, Lucas, Warren19 min
May 30, 4:57 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXJasper18 days
May 30, 5:01 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMahaska, Marion44 min
May 30, 5:18 AM CDTTornado WarningDMXMahaska, Marion42 min
May 30, 5:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXMahaska23 min
May 30, 5:56 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXCarroll, Crawford, Greene8 hr
May 30, 6:29 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXBoone, Calhoun, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Story and 1 more6 hr
May 30, 6:32 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAppanoose, Wayne43 min
May 30, 6:51 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXBlack Hawk, Grundy, Hardin, Marshall, Tama12 hr
May 30, 7:41 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXMarshall58 hr
May 30, 7:52 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXAudubon, Dallas, Guthrie5 hr
May 30, 8:53 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXStory31 hr
May 30, 9:38 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXPolk25 days
May 30, 9:38 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXDallas, Polk3 days
May 30, 9:38 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXPolk20 days
May 30, 9:38 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXPolk20 days
May 30, 9:38 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXHumboldt12 hr
May 30, 9:38 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXPolk4 days
May 30, 12:30 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXBoone, Story11 hr
May 30, 12:53 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXWebster6 hr
May 30, 12:57 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXCerro Gordo, Floyd, Worth9 hr
May 30, 2:09 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXGreene6 hr
May 30, 3:34 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXBlack Hawk, Butler53 hr

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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.