Flash Flood and Hail in Iowa, July 9, 2003

Name: Flash Flood and Hail in Iowa, July 9, 2003
Start: 2003-07-09T18:20
End: 2003-07-09T22:00
Location: Iowa

July 9, 2003 · NWS DVN · 14 events in 9 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: $921,000
Crop damage: $60,000
Events: 14

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 DVN wrote it up.

This was the 9th and final severe weather episode that concluded an active 6 day period across Eastern Iowa, Northern Illinois, and Northeast Missouri. Thunderstorms developed along old outflow boundaries and ahead of a cold front and formed another severe MCS that moved across the area in the late afternoon and evening hours, producing mainly wind damage. Training of storms produced very heavy rains and some areas experienced flash flooding due to soils that were near saturation from rain over the previous 6 days.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Quad Cities, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 9, 3:42 PM CST, 2 hours 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 3:42 PM CST, 2 hours 38 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
442 PM CDT WED JUL 9 2003

WILL KEEP THIS SHORT DUE TO POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER TIME
CONSTRAINTS.  WARM FRONT EXTENDS LATE THIS AFTERNOON FROM A NORTHWEST
MISSOURI LOW...ALONG THE MISSOURI-IOWA LINE INTO NORTH CENTRAL
ILLINOIS. A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM THE MISSOURI LOW TO A SECOND
OCCLUDED LOW IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.  UPPER 70S DEW POINTS HAVE
WORKED THEIR WAY NORTH TO INTERSTATE 80 ON THE IOWA SIDE.
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEGUN TO FIRE NEAR OTTUMWA.

THE PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERN OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS IS IN THE SHORT
TERM...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE
WEATHER AND FLOODING.  AFTER THAT...THE WEATHER QUIETS DOWN...
BRINGING SOME RELIEF IN THE FORM OF LOWER DEW POINTS AND COOLER TEMPS
FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

UPPER SUPPORT AT THE JET LEVEL...COMBINED WITH HIGH CAPES...AND THE
FRONTS ACROSS THE AREA...WILL PROVIDE THE FOCUS FOR SEVERE WEATHER
THIS EVENING. MISSOURI LOW WILL MOVE TO KEOKUK THIS EVENING AS THE
MINNESOTA LOW MOVES ACROSS MINNESOTA.  THE MODELS ARE IN
DISAGREEMENT AS TO WHETHER THE SOUTHERN LOW REMAINS PRIMARY...OR IS
SUPERSEDED BY THE NORTHERN LOW.  3-HR PRESSURE FALL PATTERN DOES
NOT RESOLVE THIS QUESTION AT PRESENT.  EITHER WAY THE ADJOINING COLD
FRONT MOVES THRU IN THE 06Z-09Z TIME FRAME. PLENTY OF UPPER SUPPORT
THIS EVENING. SURFACE WINDS MOST FAVORABLE...OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST...
ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS.  BEST ORGANIZED CONVECTION IS
CURRENTLY ACROSS WEST CENTRAL IOWA...JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT...WITH
THE BEST CAPES.  THIS LINE WILL CONTINUE EASTWARD...INCREASING IN
STRENGTH WITH LATE AFTERNOON TEMPS...WITH THE BEST STRENGTH
PROBABLY ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT...AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR STRONG STRAIGHT LINE WINDS AND HAIL.  THE STRENGTH OF THE MCS
WILL POSSIBLY INCREASING AS IT HEADS EAST INTO NORTH CENTRAL AND
CENTRAL ILLINOIS LATE THIS EVENING.  TRIPLE POINT UNCERTAINTIES
DUE TO UNCERTAINTY OF TRACK OF SURFACE LOW...HOWEVER...ISOLATED
TORNADOS CAN NOT BE RULED OUT JUST NORTH OF THE WARM FRONT THRU THE
EVENING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE THRU MIDNIGHT...THUS THE
FLOOD WATCH ACROSS THE AREA DUE TO SATURATED SOILS MANY AREAS.

LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD...A WEAK TROF WILL MOVE THRU THE AREA
SATURDAY...WITH A STRONGER COLD FRONT POSSIBLY IN THE TUESDAY NIGHT
TIME FRAME.

DVN...
IA...NONE.
IL...NONE.
MO...NONE.

REA

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 9, 3:20 AM CST, 15 hours before

IAZ040>042-051>054-063>068-076>078-087>089-098-099-ILZ001-002-007-
009-015>018-024>026-034-035-MOZ009-010-101000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED FORMAT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
420 AM CDT WED JUL 9 2003

...WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN EXPECTED TODAY AND
TONIGHT...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN IOWA...
NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE WILL BE A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND THIS EVENING
ACROSS ALL OF EASTERN IOWA...NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL
ILLINOIS...AND NORTHEAST MISSOURI.  A COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS OVER
IOWA WILL ROLL EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING.  THIS COMPLEX WILL
BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN TO THE MID MISSISSIPPI
VALLEY...WHICH MAY CAUSE FLOODING ON AREA STREAMS AND RIVERS. FLASH
FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE...WITH THE GREATEST RISK FOUND NORTH OF
HIGHWAY 20...AND ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 34. THERE IS ALSO A
LESSER RISK OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THIS MORNING.  BY THIS
AFTERNOON...LOW PRESSURE WILL BEGIN MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN
IOWA...WITH A COLD FRONT PUSHING THROUGH CENTRAL PORTIONS OF THE
STATE.  THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF
THIS FRONT.  THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING
WINDS AND SOME LARGE HAIL...ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN.  A
STATIONARY FRONT LAYING BETWEEN HIGHWAY 34 AND INTERSTATE 80 WILL
INTERSECT THE COLD FRONT AS IT MOVES EAST LATE THIS AFTERNOON.
THERE IS A RISK OF A FEW SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH COULD
PRODUCE A TORNADO ALONG THIS STATIONARY FRONT THIS AFTERNOON AND
EARLY THIS EVENING.  THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH
SEVERE WEATHER...FLOODING...AND FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE TODAY AND
TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THE NEXT THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL BE EARLY NEXT WEEK...AS WARM
WEATHER RETURNS TO THE MIDWEST.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT.  RAINFALL
REPORTS AND FLOODING REPORTS WILL BE APPRECIATED.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING URL:
HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/DVN

ERVIN

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 9, 4:01 PM CST, 2 hours 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
501 PM CDT WED JUL 09 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0915 AM    2 SW LOWDEN               IA   LIGHTNING
07/09/03   CEDAR                          LIGHTNING STRIKE KILLED
                                          7 DAIRY COWS AND
                                          DAMAGED A HOUSE.
                                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

Local storm report, Jul 9, 5:16 PM CST, 1 hour 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
616 PM CDT WED JUL 09 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0612 PM    GOOD HOPE                 IL   .5 INCH HAIL
07/09/03   MCDONOUGH                      REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

Local storm report, Jul 9, 5:33 PM CST, 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
633 PM CDT WED JUL 09 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0629 PM    BUSHNELL                  IL   .5 INCH HAIL
07/09/03   MCDONOUGH                      RELAYED BY SPOTTER.

Local storm report, Jul 9, 6:18 PM CST, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE QUAD CITIES IA IL
718 PM CDT WED JUL 09 2003

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0706 PM    1 S MILLERSBURG           IA   .25 INCH HAIL
07/09/03   IOWA                           REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
                                          MANAGEMENT.

The radar

The Quad Cities radar (KDVN), 121 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 4 heavy rain, 1 hail, 1 flash flood, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Van Buren

When: July 9, 6:20 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, 1 mi SW of Bonaparte
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.850, -91.617

Heavy Rain, Washington

When: July 9, 6:30 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Washington
Measured: 1.3
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.300, -91.700

in 90 minutes

Thunderstorm Wind, Keokuk

When: July 9, 6:37 PM CST to 6:40 PM CST
Where: Keokuk County, Sigourney
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $40,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 40.683, -91.800

Large tree limb down

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When: July 9, 7:17 PM CST to 7:21 PM CST
Where: Jefferson County, 5 mi NW of Fairfield
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $60,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 41.032, -91.949 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: July 9, 7:20 PM CST to 7:28 PM CST
Where: Washington County, Washington
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.400, -91.383

15 inch diameter tree down

Heavy Rain, Van Buren

When: July 9, 7:32 PM CST to 7:52 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, Keosauqua
Measured: 1.1
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.333, -92.200

in 20 minutes

Flash Flood, Van Buren

When: July 9, 7:40 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Van Buren County, 2 mi SW of Farmington
Measured: 3.6
Property damage: $100,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.050, -92.050

On Hwy 81 at the Iowa/Missouri state line

Heavy Rain, Cedar

When: July 9, 7:55 PM CST to 8:25 PM CST
Where: Cedar County, Lowden
Measured: 1.2
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 41.772, -91.132 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

in 30 minutes

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: July 9, 8:00 PM CST to 8:10 PM CST
Where: Henry County, Mt Union
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $60,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 40.988, -91.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large trees & power lines down

Funnel Cloud, Des Moines

When: July 9, 8:00 PM CST to 8:05 PM CST
Where: Des Moines County, 1 mi W of Middletown
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 40.923, -91.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Also by spotters at Jct U.S. 34 & 180th Ave

Heavy Rain, Scott

When: July 9, 8:00 PM CST to 8:20 PM CST
Where: Scott County, Davenport
Measured: 0.3
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 41.067, -91.400

Street flooding

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: July 9, 8:08 PM CST to 8:20 PM CST
Where: Henry County, Salem
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $30,000
Crop damage: $10,000
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 40.817, -91.083

Corn bent and broken off stalks

Thunderstorm Wind, Des Moines

When: July 9, 8:15 PM CST to 8:30 PM CST
Where: Des Moines County, Burlington
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.923, -91.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees down

Thunderstorm Wind, Lee

When: July 9, 8:15 PM CST to 8:17 PM CST
Where: Lee County, Keokuk
Measured: 57 kt (66 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 40.642, -91.479 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Also heavy rain

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
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.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Iowa in 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, July 2003

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: 5369347, 5369348, 5368278, 5368279, 5368289, 5368280, 5368281, 5368282, 5368283, 5368284, 5368285, 5368288, 5368286, 5368287.