Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Watches in 2008

Flash Flood Watch 1, NWS Des Moines, IA

March 2, 200829 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood watch at Mar 2, 2008, 5:59 PM CST for 29 counties in Iowa. It was in force for 12 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 2, 2008, 5:59 PM CST (23:59 UTC)
Expired
Mar 3, 2008, 6:00 AM CST
In force
12 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Flood severity
None
All 29 counties

Adair County, IA, Adams County, IA, Appanoose County, IA, Black Hawk County, IA, Boone County, IA, Clarke County, IA, Dallas County, IA, Davis County, IA, Decatur County, IA, Grundy County, IA, Hamilton County, IA, Hardin County, IA, Jasper County, IA, Lucas County, IA, Madison County, IA, Mahaska County, IA, Marion County, IA, Marshall County, IA, Monroe County, IA, Polk County, IA, Poweshiek County, IA, Ringgold County, IA, Story County, IA, Tama County, IA, Taylor County, IA, Union County, IA, Wapello County, IA, Warren County, IA, Wayne County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 42 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:02 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 forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood watch went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood watch went out at Mar 2, 2:48 PM CST, 3 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 2, 2:48 PM CST, 3 hours 11 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
248 PM CST SUN MAR 2 2008

.DISCUSSION...
SURFACE LOW PRESSURE OVER WEST CENTRAL IOWA WITH WARM FRONT
EXTENDING EASTWARD THROUGH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST IOWA AND A COLD
FRONT EXTENDING TO THE SOUTH. TEMPERATURES HAVE BECOME QUITE MILD IN
THE WARM SECTOR WITH READINGS IN THE LOW TO MID 60S AND DEWPOINTS
PUSHING INTO THE 50S. AIRMASS BEGINNING TO BECOME UNSTABLE IN THE
WARM SECTOR AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT. GOOD CONVERGENCE IS EXPECTED
NEAR THE COLD FRONT AS IS SWINGS SOUTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING. THIS SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO SPARK OFF A FEW THUNDERSTORMS OVER
SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WITH A FEW POSSIBLY BECOMING SEVERE. INCREASING
CLOUDS AND A LINGERING SNOW FIELD MAY LIMIT THE POTENTIAL TO A
DEGREE.

THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR THE FORECAST WILL BE TONIGHT WHEN THE BULK OF
THE PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO OCCUR. BESIDES THE SFC COLD
ADVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH THE COLD FRONT...THE PRIMARY COLD
ADVECTION OCCURS FROM 900-925 MB WITH A WARM LAYER REMAINING ABOVE
THIS FOR SEVERAL MORE HOURS. THIS WILL CREATE PRECIPITATION TYPE
CONCERNS DURING THE PERIOD WITH A TRANSITION FROM RAIN TO SLEET TO
SNOW EXPECTED FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. FREEZING RAIN IS NOT A
PRIMARY CONCERN AT THE MOMENT FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS. FIRST THE
MILD TEMPERATURES TODAY HAVE WARM GROUND TEMPERATURES AND SECOND ARE
SURFACE TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY BE AT OR ABOVE FREEZING PRIOR TO
THE TRANSITION TO SLEET AND SNOW. ANY PRECIPITATION THAT DOES OCCUR
WILL BE CONVECTIVE DURING MUCH OF THE EVENT. DESPITE THIS...DO NOT
EXPECT WARNING CRITERIA WINTER PRECIPITATION TO OCCUR DUE TO THE
PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM AND THE DELAY OF TRANSITION TO
SNOW. THE TRANSITION TIMEFRAME TO ALL SNOW LOOKS TO BE AROUND
MIDNIGHT FROM WATERLOO TO DES MOINES TO CORNING.

A COLD AND BREEZY MONDAY CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WAKE OF THE SYSTEM
WITH LIGHT SNOW LINGERING EARLY OVER THE FAR SOUTHEAST. THE UPPER
LOW PASSING TO THE SOUTHEAST AND THROUGH THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY IS FORECAST TO REMAIN JUST FAR ENOUGH SOUTH TO NOT AFFECT THE
AREA THOUGH CONTINUES TO LOOK LIKE A PRIME SEVERE WEATHER PRODUCER
THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. A CLIPPER DROPS SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE
NORTHWEST FLOW TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AND WILL BRING LOW
CHANCES FOR SNOW. THE NEXT WAVE OF COLD AIR TO DROP SOUTH WILL MOVE
THROUGH LATE THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT WITH THE LONG WAVE TROUGH
SETTLING INTO THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PLAINS. IT WILL BE QUITE COOL
ON FRIDAY BEFORE A WARMING TREND FOR THE WEEKEND WITH A TRANSITION
TO ZONAL FLOW.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
BASINS BETWEEN DSM AND OTM HAVE SNOW WATER EQUIVALENTS OF 2-4 INCHES
BASED ON NOHRSC ESTIMATES THIS MORNING AND HAS GREATLY DECREASED
WITH ACCELERATED MELTING TODAY. SOME ICE JAMMING IS EXPECTED IN
ADDITION TO SNOW MELT RISES AND EXPECTED RAINFALL THIS EVENING. WILL
CONTINUE MENTION IN THE HWO REGARDING CHARITON...S SKUNK AND DES
RIVER TRIBS IN THESE AREAS. COULD BE PLENTY OF STANDING WATER TOO
THAT HAS DIFFICULTY DRAINING DUE TO FULL SNOWPACKED DITCHES.

&&

.AVIATION...02/18Z
LOTS OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IS STREAMING NORTH AHEAD OF COLD
FRONT...BUT IT IS SHALLOW. AFTER LONG TRACK OVER MELTING SNOW ...IT
IS PRODUCING LOW CLOUDS AND FOG IN NRN IA...WITH IFR CONDITIONS.
DRIZZLE AND LIGHT RAIN ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
INTO EARLY EVENING...PROLONGING IFR IN NORTH. FARTH S...SHOWERS OR
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOPED SE OF KDSM...WITH MVFR
ASSOCIATED. AFTER THE FRONT...MAINLY 03Z-09Z A BAND OF SNOW WILL
SPREAD EWD ACROSS CENTRAL IA PRODUCING IFR CIGS AND VISIBILITIES.
MVFR FOLLOWING THEN CLEARING MON MORNING.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WINTER WX ADVY TONIGHT 00Z-12Z -CERRO GORDO-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-
CALHOUN-WEBSTER-HAMILTON-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-
BOONE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-

WINTER WX ADVY TONIGHT 03Z-12Z  -BLACK HAWK-BUTLER-
BREMER-HARDIN-GRUNDY-STORY-MARSHALL-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-
MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-

WINTER WX ADVY TONIGHT 06Z-15Z -
TAMA-JASPER-POWESHIEK-MARION-MAHASKA-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-
RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-

&&

AVIATION...JUNGBLUTH
SHORT TERM/LONG TERM...DONAVON
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 2, 5:15 PM CST, 44 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
515 PM CST SUN MAR 2 2008

IAZ004>007-015-016-023-024-033-031100-
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-POCAHONTAS-
HUMBOLDT-SAC-
515 PM CST SUN MAR 2 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND
NORTHWEST IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

LIGHT RAIN WILL CHANGE TO LIGHT SNOW DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND
EVENING HOURS. ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD VARY FROM A DUSTING TO TWO
INCHES BEFORE THE PRECIPITATION ENDS AFTER MIDNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

IAZ017-025>028-034>038-044>049-057>060-070>072-081-082-092-031100-
CERRO GORDO-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-
HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-
MARSHALL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-
UNION-TAYLOR-
515 PM CST SUN MAR 2 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST...CENTRAL
AND NORTHEAST IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

RAIN DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON WILL MIX WITH SLEET...AND THEN CHANGE
TO ALL SNOW THIS EVENING. ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD VARY FROM TWO TO FOUR
INCHES...BUT LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE. MOST OF THE SNOW
WILL FALL IN JUST A FEW HOURS.  WITH BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS AT SPEEDS
OF 15 TO 30 MPH...VISIBILITIES MAY BE REDUCED TO A HALF MILE OR LESS
DURING THE PERIODS OF MORE INTENSE SNOW.

IN ADDITION...RAPID SNOW MELT TODAY HAS CAUSED RISES IN RIVERS...
STREAMS...AND RUN OFF FROM FIELDS OVER GRAVEL AND PAVED ROADS.
FLOODING HAS OCCURRED IN SOME AREAS AND IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO
THE EVENING HOURS.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. FLOOD WARNINGS
ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR MORE DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED...SNOWFALL REPORTS ARE
APPRECIATED.  ANY REPORTS OF ROAD OR FIELD FLOODING SHOULD BE
RELAYED TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

IAZ039-050-061-062-073>075-083>086-093>097-031100-
BLACK HAWK-TAMA-JASPER-POWESHIEK-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-CLARKE-
LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS-
515 PM CST SUN MAR 2 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN AND
EASTERN IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

FOR AREAS SOUTH OF I-80...ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE
THIS EVENING...WITH POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS OR LARGE HAIL.

LATER IN THE EVENING...RAIN WILL MIX WITH SLEET AND SNOW...AND THEN
CHANGE TO ALL SNOW AFTER MIDNIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD VARY FROM
ONE TO TWO INCHES...BUT LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS MAY OCCUR. MOST OF
THE SNOW WILL FALL IN JUST A FEW HOURS...REDUCING VISIBILITY AND
CAUSING SLICK CONDITIONS.

IN ADDITION...WARM TEMPERATURES AGAIN TODAY ARE CAUSING SNOW
MELT...SO SMALL STREAMS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY REACH BANK FULL.
LOCALIZED FLOODING MAY OCCUR DUE TO RUN OFF OF WATER OVER GRAVEL
AND PAVED ROADS.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. RIVER FLOOD
WARNINGS ARE ALSO IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA. PLEASE REFER
TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR
MORE DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING...AND SNOWFALL REPORTS
ARE ALWAYS APPRECIATED AND ENCOURAGED. ANY REPORTS OF ROAD OR FIELD
FLOODING SHOULD BE RELAYED TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OR THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.

JUNGBLUTH/REV

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 2, 4:21 AM CSTWinter Weather AdvisoryDMXAdair, Adams, Appanoose, Audubon, Black Hawk, Boone and 36 more24 hr
Mar 2, 1:23 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningDMXLucas5 days
Mar 2, 4:07 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningDMXMadison, Warren23 hr
Mar 2, 4:26 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningDMXMadison, Warren23 hr
Mar 2, 4:36 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningDMXStory6 hr
Mar 2, 4:54 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningDMXWarren27 hr
Mar 2, 5:39 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningDMXAppanoose, Wayne25 hr
Mar 2, 5:47 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningDMXDallas, Polk32 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Watches in Iowa, 2008Every flash flood watch 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.