Flash Flooding in Iowa, July 18 to 19, 1999

Name: Flash Flooding in Iowa, July 18 to 19, 1999
Start: 1999-07-18T22:55
End: 1999-07-19T07:30
Location: Iowa

July 18 to 19, 1999 · NWS ARX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

As much as 8 inches of rain caused flash flooding over portions of northeast Iowa. Hardest hit were Rockford and Nora Springs (Floyd County) where an earthen dike washed away and a dam was breached.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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: 1
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $1.9 million
Crop damage: $1.0 million
Events: 3

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 ARX wrote it up.

As much as 8 inches of rain caused flash flooding over portions of northeast Iowa. Hardest hit were Rockford and Nora Springs (Floyd County) where an earthen dike washed away and a dam was breached. Both communities suffered extensive damage to homes and businesses due to what was described as the worst flooding in years. Numerous rural roads throughout the area were washed out, while corn and soybean fields were underwater. A man died when his car was swept away, attempting to cross a flooded bridge near Rudd (Floyd County).

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:52 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Chickasaw

When: July 18, 10:55 PM CST to July 19, 5:30 AM CST
Where: Chickasaw County, Countywide
Property damage: $500,000
Crop damage: $250,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 43.060, -92.318 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Floyd

When: July 19, 2:00 AM CST to 7:30 AM CST
Where: Floyd County, Countywide
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $750,000
Crop damage: $400,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.060, -92.789 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Mitchell

When: July 19, 2:00 AM CST to 7:30 AM CST
Where: Mitchell County, Countywide
Property damage: $600,000
Crop damage: $350,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 43.356, -92.789 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Flash Flood, Floyd	1999-07-19	85	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Direct

What these are

Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, July 1999

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: 5707491, 5707492, 5707493.