Iowa, 1996

Flooding in Iowa, July 17 to 19, 1996

July 17 to 19, 1996 · NWS DMX · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Dry weather prevailed across Iowa until the 16th and 17th when a strong thunderstorm complex moved through the state. Heavy rainfall was observed over much of the northwest half of the state, and was particularly heavy over west central Iowa with some locations reporting in excess of 10 inches of rain from the event.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Events
7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.

Dry weather prevailed across Iowa until the 16th and 17th when a strong thunderstorm complex moved through the state. Heavy rainfall was observed over much of the northwest half of the state, and was particularly heavy over west central Iowa with some locations reporting in excess of 10 inches of rain from the event. While the average rainfall over the Raccoon River Basin was comparatively light (2 to 3 inches), it did produce minor flooding along most of the rivers reach. Flooding was primarily limited to agricultural lands with crops being flooded out. Only very minor property damage was reported. All of the forecast points along the river receded below flood stage within 72 hours of the onset of the heavy rain.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Sac

When
July 17, 3:00 AM CST to July 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Sac forecast zone
Coordinates
42.386, -95.105 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Calhoun

When
July 17, 3:00 AM CST to July 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Calhoun forecast zone
Coordinates
42.385, -94.640 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Carroll

When
July 17, 3:00 AM CST to July 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Carroll forecast zone
Coordinates
42.036, -94.861 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Greene

When
July 17, 3:00 AM CST to July 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Greene forecast zone
Coordinates
42.036, -94.397 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Audubon

When
July 17, 3:00 AM CST to July 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Audubon forecast zone
Coordinates
41.685, -94.906 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Guthrie

When
July 17, 3:00 AM CST to July 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Guthrie forecast zone
Coordinates
41.684, -94.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Dallas

When
July 17, 3:00 AM CST to July 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Dallas forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
$100,000
Coordinates
41.685, -94.040 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Iowa in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, July 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5561983, 5561984, 5561985, 5561986, 5561987, 5561988, 5561989.