Alert archive / Iowa / River Flood Watches in 2018

River Flood Watch 3, NWS Des Moines, IA

May 3, 2018Black Hawk County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this river flood watch at May 3, 2018, 2:24 PM CDT for Black Hawk County, Iowa. It took effect at May 5, 2018, 12:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 4 days.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 3, 2018, 2:24 PM CDT (19:24 UTC)
In effect from
May 5, 2018, 12:00 AM CDT
Expired
May 9, 2018, 10:25 AM CDT
In force
4 days
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Black Hawk County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 143 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:24 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 river

Written for the forecast point Cedar River at Cedar Falls (CEDI4).

Action stage
85 ft
Minor stage
89 ft
Moderate stage
92 ft
Major stage
94 ft

This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests

Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 05463050, one reading an hour, from a day before the product to a day after it ended. Flood stages are today's.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this river 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 river flood watch went out at May 3, 1:04 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 3, 1:04 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 3, 1:15 PM CDT, 1 hour 9 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
115 PM CDT Thu May 3 2018

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-
081>086-092>097-041815-
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-
115 PM CDT Thu May 3 2018

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight

There is a Slight Risk of severe weather this afternoon and
tonight over central and southern Iowa. Large hail, damaging
wind, and an isolated tornado or two are possible. Excessive
rainfall is likely through tonight, and may lead to localized
areas of flash flooding.

Minor river flooding also continues along the upper reaches of the
Des Moines River basin. Flood Warnings remain in effect for these
areas. Please refer to the National Weather Service website at
weather.gov/desmoines for further details.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

Thunderstorm chances return to the area late Saturday into Sunday
and Tuesday into Wednesday; however, widespread severe weather is
not expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters will likely be needed from this afternoon and tonight.

KLP

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 3, 9:10 AM CDT, 5 hours 14 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 3, 12:00 PM CDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
1200 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2018

IAZ046-047-031730-
Boone IA-Greene IA-
1200 PM CDT THU MAY 3 2018

...Strong storm may produce hail in Greene and Boone counties...

At 1159 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Jefferson, moving northeast at 40 mph.

Half inch hail will be possible with this storm.

Locations impacted include...
Jefferson, Ogden, Grand Junction, Rippey, Paton, Boxholm, Pilot
Mound, Fraser, Dana, Beaver and Jefferson Municipal Airport.

LAT...LON 4221 9427 4221 9375 4186 9433 4200 9450
TIME...MOT...LOC 1659Z 238DEG 35KT 4199 9433

Martin

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 2, 7:47 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningDMXAdams, Ringgold, Taylor, Union6 hr
May 2, 8:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXRinggold, Taylor40 min
May 2, 8:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXClarke, Decatur, Ringgold, Taylor, Union47 min
May 2, 9:43 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXWayne47 min
May 2, 11:14 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDMXTaylor49 min
May 2, 11:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXAppanoose, Davis, Monroe, Wapello29 min
May 3, 12:00 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXGreene30 min
May 3, 5:12 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAdair, Guthrie33 min
May 3, 5:26 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXDallas, Madison, Polk34 min
May 3, 5:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Polk, Warren25 min
May 3, 5:43 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXBoone, Dallas, Polk, Story21 min
May 3, 5:45 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXDallas, Guthrie30 min
May 3, 5:48 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXAdair, Madison17 min
May 3, 6:23 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXUnion37 min
May 3, 6:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXHamilton, Webster, Wright50 min
May 3, 6:51 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXClarke, Warren39 min

Nearby

River Flood Watches in Iowa, 2018Every river flood watch in 2018

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; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.