Iowa, 1996

Flooding in Iowa, May 23 to 24, 1996

May 23 to 24, 1996 · NWS DMX · 24 events in 24 counties and zones

The month of May continued wet with a continued series of mesoscale convective systems moving over the state. Heavy rains had given the state a break during the middle of the month, but resumed again during the later part of the month.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 24 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$250,000
Crop damage
$75,000
Events
24

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.

The month of May continued wet with a continued series of mesoscale convective systems moving over the state. Heavy rains had given the state a break during the middle of the month, but resumed again during the later part of the month. Heavy rains once again affected mostly the south half of Iowa, with flooding occurring in many rivers and streams. The flooding was more serious this time as the soils were more saturated. Many acres of farmland were under water, but only for a relatively short period of time.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

24 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Audubon

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Audubon forecast zone
Coordinates
41.685, -94.906 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Guthrie

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Guthrie forecast zone
Coordinates
41.684, -94.501 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Dallas

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Dallas forecast zone
Coordinates
41.685, -94.040 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Polk

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Polk forecast zone
Coordinates
41.686, -93.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Jasper

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Jasper forecast zone
Coordinates
41.686, -93.054 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Poweshiek

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Poweshiek forecast zone
Coordinates
41.686, -92.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Cass

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Cass forecast zone
Coordinates
41.332, -94.928 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Adair

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Adair forecast zone
Coordinates
41.331, -94.471 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Madison

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Coordinates
41.331, -94.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Warren

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Warren forecast zone
Coordinates
41.334, -93.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Marion

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Marion forecast zone
Coordinates
41.334, -93.099 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Mahaska

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Mahaska forecast zone
Coordinates
41.335, -92.641 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Adams

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Adams forecast zone
Coordinates
41.029, -94.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Union

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Union forecast zone
Coordinates
41.028, -94.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Clarke

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Clarke forecast zone
Coordinates
41.029, -93.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Lucas

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Lucas forecast zone
Coordinates
41.029, -93.328 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Monroe

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Monroe forecast zone
Coordinates
41.030, -92.869 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wapello

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Wapello forecast zone
Coordinates
41.031, -92.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Taylor

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Taylor forecast zone
Coordinates
40.737, -94.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Ringgold

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Ringgold forecast zone
Coordinates
40.735, -94.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Decatur

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Decatur forecast zone
Coordinates
40.738, -93.786 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wayne

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Wayne forecast zone
Coordinates
40.740, -93.327 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Appanoose

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Appanoose forecast zone
Coordinates
40.743, -92.869 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Davis

When
May 23, 3:00 PM CST to May 24, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Davis forecast zone
Property damage
$250,000
Crop damage
$75,000
Coordinates
40.748, -92.410 (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, May 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: 5544680, 5544681, 5544682, 5544683, 5544684, 5544685, 5544686, 5544687, 5544688, 5544689, 5544690, 5544691, 5544692, 5544693, 5544694, 5544695, 5544696, 5544697, 5544698, 5544699, 5544700, 5544701, 5544702, 5544703.