Flooding in Iowa, May 24 to 26, 1998

Name: Flooding in Iowa, May 24 to 26, 1998
Start: 1998-05-24T06:00
End: 1998-05-26T12:00
Location: Iowa

May 24 to 26, 1998 · NWS DMX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Another round of rainfall occurred in the state on the 23rd and 24th. This caused rises on the Skunk and Chariton Rivers and flooded low lying and agricultural lands along those rivers.

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: $125,000
Crop damage: $50,000
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.

Another round of rainfall occurred in the state on the 23rd and 24th. This caused rises on the Skunk and Chariton Rivers and flooded low lying and agricultural lands along those rivers. Once again, damage was quite limited since rivers did not exceed flood stage by more than a foot or two and the duration was fairly short.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Jasper

When: May 24, 6:00 AM CST to May 26, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Jasper forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 41.686, -93.054 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Clarke

When: May 24, 6:00 AM CST to May 26, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Clarke forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 41.029, -93.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Lucas

When: May 24, 6:00 AM CST to May 26, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Lucas forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 41.029, -93.328 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Mahaska

When: May 24, 6:00 AM CST to May 26, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Mahaska forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 41.335, -92.641 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Marion

When: May 24, 6:00 AM CST to May 26, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Marion forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 41.334, -93.099 (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 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, May 1998

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: 5647103, 5647104, 5647105, 5647208, 5647209.