Flooding in Iowa, July 31, 1999

Name: Flooding in Iowa, July 31, 1999
Start: 1999-07-31T06:00
End: 1999-07-31T21:00
Location: Iowa

July 31, 1999 · NWS DMX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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: $200,000
Crop damage: $80,000
Events: 8

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 active month of July ended with one more flooding event, fortunately this time in southern Iowa. Heavy convective rains in advance of a cold front pushing through the state, brought scattered heavy rainfall to parts of northern, central, and southern Iowa. Very heavy rains fell in Taylor County early on the 31st, prompting the issuance of an urban and small stream flooding advisory for the county shortly after sunrise. The 24-hour coop rainfall report for Bedford was 3.71 inches and this was followed by another 2 to 3 inches, according to radar estimates. A very rapid rise in river levels on the 102 River at Bedford ensued, resulting in a crest of 22.60 feet shortly after noon on the 31st. This was the 3rd highest crest ever recorded at this site, although records only extend back to 1983. Statewide precipitation statistics for July 1999 present a study in contrasts. The highest precipitation totals were found over the northeast, with sharp decreases further south. State Climatologist Harry Hillaker reports that all 3 northern agricultural districts had above normal rainfall, while all 3 southern districts were below normal. Central districts were about normal. The greatest positive departures were in the northeast district, where average rainfall was 9.96 inches, more than twice the 30-year average. The southeast district received the least with only 2.24 inches, less than half of the average. Statewide, the 5.00 inches ranked the 27th wettest July in the past 127 years. Waterloo had its wettest July ever with 12.97 inches, eclipsing the record of 12.60 inches set in 1968. Even 1993 had only 11.26 inches for the 3rd highest total ever. With 33.86 inches of precipitation through July, Waterloo has now exceeded its average annual rainfall of 33.70 inches. Des Moines, by contrast, received only 3.58 inches for the month, some 0.20 of an inch below normal. July 1999 was also hot in Iowa, with the 77.7 degree average temperature for the month ranking as the 8th warmest in 127 years and some 3.2 degrees above normal. Highest departures from normal were over the southern part of the state, but all districts were above average.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Adams

When: July 31, 6:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Adams forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.029, -94.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Clarke

When: July 31, 6:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Clarke forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.029, -93.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Decatur

When: July 31, 6:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Decatur forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.738, -93.786 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Lucas

When: July 31, 6:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Lucas forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.029, -93.328 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Ringgold

When: July 31, 6:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Ringgold forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.735, -94.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Taylor

When: July 31, 6:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Taylor forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.737, -94.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Union

When: July 31, 6:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Union forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.028, -94.242 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wayne

When: July 31, 6:00 AM CST to 9:00 PM CST
Where: Wayne forecast zone
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.740, -93.327 (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 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: 5706148, 5706149, 5706150, 5706151, 5706205, 5706206, 5706207, 5706208.