Iowa, 1996

Flooding in Iowa, June 19 to 26, 1996

June 19 to 26, 1996 · NWS FSD · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Rainfall of 5 to 15 inches during a 30 hour period caused widespread lowland, crop, urban, and river flooding. Rivers and streams including the Big Sioux, Little Sioux, West Fork Little Sioux, and Floyd Rivers were over flood stage for 2 to 6 days.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
$1.3 million
Crop damage
$3.5 million
Events
5

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 FSD wrote it up.

Rainfall of 5 to 15 inches during a 30 hour period caused widespread lowland, crop, urban, and river flooding. Rivers and streams including the Big Sioux, Little Sioux, West Fork Little Sioux, and Floyd Rivers were over flood stage for 2 to 6 days. The flooding caused widespread destruction of crops, drowned livestock, flooded and washed out roads, and flooded homes and other buildings, damaging contents.

The radar

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

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Event by event

5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Sioux

When
June 19, 6:00 PM CST to June 24, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Sioux forecast zone
Property damage
$200,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Coordinates
43.083, -96.178 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Plymouth

When
June 19, 6:00 PM CST to June 26, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Plymouth forecast zone
Property damage
$300,000
Crop damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
42.738, -96.214 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Cherokee

When
June 19, 6:00 PM CST to June 22, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Cherokee forecast zone
Property damage
$200,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Coordinates
42.736, -95.624 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Woodbury

When
June 19, 6:00 PM CST to June 26, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Woodbury forecast zone
Property damage
$400,000
Crop damage
$1.0 million
Coordinates
42.390, -96.045 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Ida

When
June 19, 6:00 PM CST to June 22, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Ida forecast zone
Property damage
$200,000
Crop damage
$500,000
Coordinates
42.387, -95.513 (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, June 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: 5561631, 5561632, 5561633, 5561634, 5561635.