Alert archive / Iowa / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026
Flash Flood Warning 13, NWS Des Moines, IA
NWS Des Moines, IA issued this flash flood warning at Jul 3, 2026, 1:01 AM CDT for Polk County, Iowa. It was in force for 4 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 3, 2026, 1:01 AM CDT (06:01 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 3, 2026, 5:17 AM CDT
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Des Moines, IA
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- None
County Polk County, IA
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 20 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 06:02 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Omaha, NE (KOAX), launched 00:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 237 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
- 3086 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -10 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1340 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 29 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 21 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 114 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.4
- Supercell composite
- 4.0
The text
As transmitted.
070
WGUS53 KDMX 030601
FFWDMX
IAC153-031200-
/O.NEW.KDMX.FF.W.0013.260703T0601Z-260703T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
101 AM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026
The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a
* Flash Flood Warning for...
Southern Polk County in central Iowa...
* Until 700 AM CDT.
* At 101 AM CDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated
thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between
1 and 2 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up
to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash flooding is
ongoing or expected to begin shortly, especially in low lying
areas.
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...
Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, Johnston, Clive,
Altoona, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Grimes, Windsor Heights,
Carlisle, Bondurant, Saylorville, Mitchellville, Iowa State
Fairgrounds, Iowa Events Center, Principal Park, Drake Stadium And
Knapp Center and Adventureland Amusement Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
For the latest stream 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 4160 9335 4160 9334 4151 9333 4151 9379
4160 9379 4160 9381 4172 9381 4170 9335
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
$$
Ansorge2 follow-up statements
327
WGUS73 KDMX 030855
FFSDMX
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
355 AM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026
IAC153-031200-
/O.CON.KDMX.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-260703T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Polk IA-
355 AM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT THIS MORNING
FOR SOUTHERN POLK COUNTY...
At 355 AM CDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated
thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1
and 3 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall amounts up to
2 inches are possible in the warned area as more storms move through
the area this morning. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to
begin shortly.
HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE...Radar and automated gauges.
IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
drainage and low-lying areas.
Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
Des Moines, West Des Moines, Ankeny, Urbandale, Johnston, Clive,
Altoona, Norwalk, Pleasant Hill, Grimes, Windsor Heights,
Carlisle, Bondurant, Saylorville, Mitchellville, Iowa State
Fairgrounds, Iowa Events Center, Principal Park, Drake Stadium And
Knapp Center and Adventureland Amusement Park.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the
dangers of flooding.
For the latest stream observations and forecasts refer to
weather.gov/desmoines/water.
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.
&&
LAT...LON 4160 9335 4160 9334 4151 9333 4151 9379
4160 9379 4160 9381 4172 9381 4170 9335
FLASH FLOOD...RADAR AND GAUGE INDICATED
$$
Ansorge501
WGUS73 KDMX 031017
FFSDMX
Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Des Moines IA
517 AM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026
IAC153-031027-
/O.CAN.KDMX.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-260703T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Polk IA-
517 AM CDT Fri Jul 3 2026
...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHERN POLK COUNTY...
The flash flood warning has been replaced by an areal flood warning
until late this afternoon. Please continue to heed any remaining
road closures.
A Flood Watch remains in effect until 1000 AM CDT for this area.
&&
LAT...LON 4160 9335 4160 9334 4151 9333 4151 9379
4160 9379 4160 9381 4172 9381 4170 9335
$$
AnsorgeThe office that day
Everything else NWS Des Moines, IA issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2, 8:13 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Polk, Story | 6 hr |
| Jul 2, 10:00 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Polk, Story | 30 min |
| Jul 2, 10:26 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Jasper, Marshall, Polk, Story | 20 min |
| Jul 2, 11:07 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Polk | 23 min |
| Jul 2, 11:16 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Jasper, Polk | 6 hr |
| Jul 3, 12:27 AM CDT | River Flood Warning | DMX | Polk | 46 hr |
| Jul 3, 3:52 AM CDT | River Flood Watch | DMX | Black Hawk | 22 hr |
| Jul 3, 4:32 AM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | DMX | Story | 6 hr |
| Jul 3, 4:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | DMX | Humboldt, Webster, Wright | 38 min |
| Jul 3, 5:13 AM CDT | Areal Flood Warning | DMX | Dallas, Jasper, Polk | 12 hr |
| Jul 3, 6:16 AM CDT | River Flood Watch | DMX | Jasper, Marion, Polk | 24 hr |
| Jul 3, 7:03 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | Polk | 27 min |
| Jul 3, 7:38 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | DMX | Marion | 37 min |
| Jul 3, 9:44 AM CDT | River Flood Watch | DMX | Poweshiek, Tama | 59 hr |
Nearby
Flash Flood Warnings in Iowa, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026
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.