Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Watches in 2008

Flash Flood Watch 17, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 24, 200814 counties in Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood watch at Jul 24, 2008, 4:00 PM CDT for 14 counties in Iowa. It took effect at Jul 24, 2008, 7:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 12 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 24, 2008, 4:00 PM CDT (21:00 UTC)
In effect from
Jul 24, 2008, 7:00 PM CDT
Expired
Jul 25, 2008, 7:00 AM CDT
In force
12 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Flood severity
None

Counties Adair County, IA, Adams County, IA, Appanoose County, IA, Cass County, IA, Clarke County, IA, Davis County, IA, Decatur County, IA, Lucas County, IA, Monroe County, IA, Ringgold County, IA, Taylor County, IA, Union County, IA, Wapello County, IA, Wayne County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:00 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

Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 226 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 12:00Z on 2008-07-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 558 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Omaha, NE at 12:00Z on 2008-07-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 0 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
558 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-279 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
489 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
0 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
0 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
0 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Jul 24, 3:33 PM CDT, 27 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 24, 3:33 PM CDT, 27 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 24, 5:00 AM CDT, 11 hours before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
500 AM CDT THU JUL 24 2008

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-
081>086-092>097-251000-
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN-
WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-
BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-
POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-ADAMS-UNION-
CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-
APPANOOSE-DAVIS-
500 AM CDT THU JUL 24 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE
DAY...INTO TONIGHT AS A FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS STALLED OUT
ACROSS THE AREA. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH ANY
OF THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL
THE MAIN SEVERE THREATS. HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TODAY INTO TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL CONTINUE ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA FRIDAY
INTO THE WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK...AS THE AREA REMAINS IN AN
UNSETTLED WEATHER PATTERN. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
WEATHER FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT...BUT THE CHANCES FOR SEVERE
WEATHER INTO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK ARE STILL
UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. THE MAIN SEVERE THREATS FOR FRIDAY INTO
FRIDAY NIGHT ARE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT...AND
AGAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY NIGHT.

ALBRECHT

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 24, 11:33 AM CDT, 4 hours 27 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Jul 24, 11:35 AM CDT, 4 hours 25 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Jul 24, 11:39 AM CDT, 4 hours 21 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Jul 24, 12:15 PM CDT, 3 hours 45 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Jul 24, 3:32 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
332 PM CDT THU JUL 24 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0306 PM     FLASH FLOOD      1 NNW PLEASANTON        40.59N 93.75W
07/24/2008                   DECATUR            IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER HAS PARTIALLY WASHED OUT 240TH AVENUE.

0306 PM     FLASH FLOOD      2 ESE DAVIS CITY        40.63N 93.78W
07/24/2008                   DECATUR            IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER IS ERODING THE GRAVEL FROM 275TH ST.

0306 PM     FLASH FLOOD      5 W LAMONI AIRPORT      40.64N 94.01W
07/24/2008                   DECATUR            IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            280TH ST. IS UNDER WATER FROM 1 MILE WEST OF COUNTY ROAD
            R14.

&&

FBOKSA
Local storm report, Jul 24, 3:58 PM CDT, 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
358 PM CDT THU JUL 24 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0350 PM     FLASH FLOOD      1 S CRESTON             41.04N 94.36W
07/24/2008                   UNION              IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            POLE AND CHERRY STREETS ARE CLOSED DUE TO WATER OVER THE
            ROAD FROM THE SOUTH END OF CRESTON SOUTH TO 270TH STREET.

0350 PM     FLASH FLOOD      MOUNT AYR               40.71N 94.24W
07/24/2008                   RINGGOLD           IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            HIGHWAY 169 NORTH OF MOUNT AYR IS OPEN. HIGHWAY 169 SOUTH
            OF MOUNT AYR REMAINS CLOSED. HIGHWAY 2 IS CLOSED. COUNTY
            ROAD P68 IS CLOSED NORTH OF HIGHWAY 2. ALL ROAD CLOSURES
            ARE DUE TO WATER OVER THE ROAD.

&&

FBOKSA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 24, 3:36 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXRinggold, Union9 hr
Jul 24, 3:58 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXCass6 hr
Jul 24, 6:59 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXAdair, Adams4 hr
Jul 24, 8:31 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXDecatur54 hr
Jul 24, 9:53 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXDecatur2 hr
Jul 24, 10:55 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXAdair, Adams14 hr
Jul 24, 11:53 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXDecatur6 hr
Jul 24, 12:24 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXRinggold, Union6 hr
Jul 24, 1:43 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXTaylor5 hr
Jul 24, 6:33 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningDMXRinggold6 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.