Flooding in Iowa, May 9 to 13, 1996

Name: Flooding in Iowa, May 9 to 13, 1996
Start: 1996-05-09T06:00
End: 1996-05-13T18:00
Location: Iowa

May 9 to 13, 1996 · NWS DMX · 19 events in 19 counties and zones

Heavy rains returned to Iowa again this month with thunderstorms widespread over the state. The south half of Iowa received the heaviest rainfall.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 19 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: $100,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Events: 19

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.

Heavy rains returned to Iowa again this month with thunderstorms widespread over the state. The south half of Iowa received the heaviest rainfall. The passage of the seasons first organized mesoscale convective complex. Several inches of rain fell in less than 6 hours. The heavy rains pushed many of the rivers and streams across southern Iowa out of their banks. Damage was minor as the rivers did not exceed flood stage by a great deal.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Polk

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Polk forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.686, -93.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Jasper

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Jasper forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.686, -93.054 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Poweshiek

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Poweshiek forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.686, -92.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Madison

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Madison forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.331, -94.016 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Warren

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.334, -93.561 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Marion

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Marion forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.334, -93.099 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Mahaska

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Mahaska forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.335, -92.641 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Adams

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.029, -94.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Union

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Union forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.028, -94.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Clarke

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Clarke forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.029, -93.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Lucas

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Lucas forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.029, -93.328 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Monroe

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Monroe forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.030, -92.869 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wapello

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Wapello forecast zone
Coordinates: 41.031, -92.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Taylor

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Taylor forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.737, -94.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Ringgold

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Ringgold forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.735, -94.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Decatur

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Decatur forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.738, -93.786 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wayne

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.740, -93.327 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Appanoose

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Appanoose forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.743, -92.869 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Davis

When: May 9, 6:00 AM CST to May 13, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Davis forecast zone
Property damage: $100,000
Crop damage: $50,000
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

Every storm in Iowa in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 5544661, 5544662, 5544663, 5544664, 5544665, 5544666, 5544667, 5544668, 5544669, 5544670, 5544671, 5544672, 5544673, 5544674, 5544675, 5544676, 5544677, 5544678, 5544679.