Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2025
Flash Flood Warning 13, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 20, 2025, 7:24 PM CDT for Polk County, Warren County, Iowa. It was in force for 3 hr. 1 report 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 20, 2025, 7:24 PM CDT (00:24 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 20, 2025, 10:34 PM CDT
- In force
- 3 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- None
Counties Polk County, IA, Warren County, IA
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 21 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:23 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 20, 7:30 PM CDT | FLASH FLOOD | 2 S Windsor Heights, IA | Delayed report. Local law enforcement reported flash flooding over portions of the Des Moines metro area last evening. Several intersections along 63rd Ave were closed, with several stranded vehicles. George Flagg Parkways closed, with flooding also reported i |
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, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 225 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 2561 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -22 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1205 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 39 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -14 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 2 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- -0.1
- Supercell composite
- -1.3
The text
As transmitted.
368
WGUS53 KDMX 210024
FFWDMX
IAC153-181-210630-
/O.NEW.KDMX.FF.W.0013.250721T0024Z-250721T0630Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
724 PM CDT Sun Jul 20 2025
The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Southwestern Polk County in central Iowa...
Northwestern Warren County in south central Iowa...
* Until 130 AM CDT Monday.
* At 724 PM CDT, local law enforcement reported thunderstorms
producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 3
inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 2
inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is already
occurring.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Law enforcement reported.
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...
Des Moines, West Des Moines, Urbandale, Clive, Norwalk, Windsor
Heights, Des Moines Int'l Airport, Drake Stadium And Knapp Center,
Valley West Mall, Principal Park, Iowa Events Center, Southridge
Mall, Cumming and Walnut Woods State Park.
Several streets in Des Moines metro are flooded with water up to
bumpers.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.
For the latest waterway observations and forecasts refer to
weather.gov/desmoines/water.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
&&
LAT...LON 4157 9379 4161 9379 4162 9376 4161 9373
4161 9368 4160 9361 4159 9358 4156 9357
4153 9357 4151 9360 4149 9364 4145 9369
4144 9372 4148 9379 4151 9379
FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED
$$
Fowle1 follow-up statement
833
WGUS73 KDMX 210334
FFSDMX
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
1034 PM CDT Sun Jul 20 2025
IAC153-181-210344-
/O.CAN.KDMX.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-250721T0630Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Polk IA-Warren IA-
1034 PM CDT Sun Jul 20 2025
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHWESTERN POLK AND
NORTHWESTERN WARREN COUNTIES...
Flood waters have receded and the heavy rain has ended. Flooding is
no longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to heed
remaining road closures.
&&
LAT...LON 4157 9379 4161 9379 4162 9376 4161 9373
4161 9368 4160 9361 4159 9358 4156 9357
4153 9357 4151 9360 4149 9364 4145 9369
4144 9372 4148 9379 4151 9379
$$
DodsonNearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2025Every flash flood warning in 2025
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.