Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2021

Flash Flood Warning 3, NWS Des Moines, IA

July 14, 2021Marshall County, Polk County, Story County, Iowa

NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 14, 2021, 8:28 PM CDT for Marshall County, Polk County, Story County, Iowa. It was in force for 6 hr. 4 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
Jul 14, 2021, 8:28 PM CDT (01:28 UTC)
Expired
Jul 15, 2021, 2:04 AM CDT
In force
6 hr
Issued by
NWS Des Moines, IA
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Marshall County, IA, Polk County, IA, Story County, IA

The radar

The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 32 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:26 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 was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 14, 8:30 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD3 Wnw Maxwell, IAREPORT OF WATER OVER THE ROAD AT 305TH ST AND 630TH AVE. 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN THIS AREA.
Jul 14, 8:40 PM CDTHEAVY RAIN 5.62 Nw Maxwell, IATOTAL RAINFALL SINCE ABOUT 6 PM.
Jul 14, 9:02 PM CDTFLASH FLOODMaxwell, IAWATER OVER INTERSECTION OF WOODLAWN AND 2ND STREET OF AT LEAST 6 INCHES DEEP. REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
Jul 14, 9:29 PM CDTHEAVY RAIN 5.2Maxwell, IA

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

The nearest sounding before it

Davenport, (KDVN), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 242 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, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2021-07-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2569 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, Davenport, at 00:00Z on 2021-07-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 253 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
2569 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
832 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
253 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
346 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.2
Supercell composite
23.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

577 
WGUS53 KDMX 150128
FFWDMX
IAC127-153-169-150730-
/O.NEW.KDMX.FF.W.0003.210715T0128Z-210715T0730Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
828 PM CDT Wed Jul 14 2021

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Southwestern Marshall County in central Iowa...
  North Central Polk County in central Iowa...
  Southeastern Story County in central Iowa...

* Until 230 AM CDT Thursday.

* At 828 PM CDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
  thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 
  3 and 4 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 
  1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is 
  ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Huxley, Maxwell, Cambridge, Collins, Alleman and Rhodes.

This includes the following highways...
	Interstate 35 between mile markers 101 and 108.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the 
dangers of flooding.

&&

LAT...LON 4186 9362 4196 9357 4201 9323 4187 9317
      4187 9323 4186 9328 4186 9329 4186 9335
      4182 9364

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED

$$

REV
2 follow-up statements
035 
WGUS73 KDMX 150341
FFSDMX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
1041 PM CDT Wed Jul 14 2021

IAC127-153-169-150730-
/O.CON.KDMX.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210715T0730Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Marshall IA-Polk IA-Story IA-
1041 PM CDT Wed Jul 14 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 230 AM CDT THURSDAY 
FOR SOUTHWESTERN MARSHALL, NORTH CENTRAL POLK AND SOUTHEASTERN STORY 
COUNTIES...

At 1041 PM CDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated 
thunderstorm produced heavy rain across the warned area. Up to 6 
inches of rain has fallen. Though the rain has ended, flooding may 
still be ongoing across the warned area.

HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.

IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
         highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
         drainage and low-lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Huxley, Maxwell, Cambridge, Collins, Alleman and Rhodes.

This includes the following highways...
	Interstate 35 between mile markers 100 and 109.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the 
dangers of flooding.

&&

LAT...LON 4186 9362 4196 9357 4201 9323 4187 9317
      4187 9323 4186 9328 4186 9329 4186 9335
      4182 9364

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED

$$

REV
098 
WGUS73 KDMX 150704
FFSDMX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
204 AM CDT Thu Jul 15 2021

IAC127-153-169-150714-
/O.CAN.KDMX.FF.W.0003.000000T0000Z-210715T0730Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Marshall IA-Polk IA-Story IA-
204 AM CDT Thu Jul 15 2021

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHWESTERN MARSHALL, NORTH 
CENTRAL POLK AND SOUTHEASTERN STORY COUNTIES...

Flood waters have receded and the heavy rain has ended. Flooding is 
no longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to heed 
remaining road closures.

LAT...LON 4186 9362 4196 9357 4201 9323 4187 9317
      4187 9323 4186 9328 4186 9329 4186 9335
      4182 9364

$$

Hagenhoff

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 14, 7:03 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDMXStory42 min
Jul 14, 7:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Marshall, Polk, Story67 min
Jul 14, 7:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXTama14 min
Jul 14, 8:10 PM CDTTornado WarningDMXMarshall35 min
Jul 14, 8:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXJasper, Marshall, Polk, Story43 min
Jul 14, 8:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDMXPoweshiek, Tama45 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2021Every flash flood warning in 2021

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.