Flood, Emmet
- When
- March 24, 6:00 AM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Emmet forecast zone
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Coordinates
- 43.378, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flooding in Iowa, March 24 to 31, 1997
As the flooding from earlier in the month receded, rapid snowmelt made its presence known again over the upper portions of the Des Moines River basin in southwest Minnesota. Warm temperatures exacerbated this situation, resulting in flooding in the Estherville and Emmetsburg areas of north central Iowa.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- 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 DMX wrote it up.
As the flooding from earlier in the month receded, rapid snowmelt made its presence known again over the upper portions of the Des Moines River basin in southwest Minnesota. Warm temperatures exacerbated this situation, resulting in flooding in the Estherville and Emmetsburg areas of north central Iowa. The flooding continued through the rest of the month. Damage was relatively minor in spite of the rise of several feet above flood stage. Much of the flooding was confined to agricultural lowlands.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flood, Kossuth
- When
- March 24, 6:00 AM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Kossuth forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.204, -94.207 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flood, Palo Alto
- When
- March 24, 6:00 AM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Palo Alto forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.082, -94.678 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flood, Hancock
- When
- March 24, 6:00 AM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Hancock forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 43.082, -93.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flood, Humboldt
- When
- March 24, 6:00 AM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Humboldt forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 42.777, -94.207 (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
- Hail in Kansas, March 24, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, March 24 to 25, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, March 24, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, March 24, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Texas, March 24, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 24 to 25, 1997
- Winter Storm in New Mexico, March 24 to 25, 1997
- Lightning Strike in Kansas, March 24, 1997
- High Surf in Hawaii, March 24 to 25, 1997
- Winter Storm in Colorado, March 24 to 25, 1997
- Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 24, 1997
- High Wind in South Dakota, March 24, 1997
More
Every storm in Iowa in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, March 1997
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: 5590630, 5590631, 5590632, 5590633, 5590634.