Flooding in Iowa, May 24 to 31, 2007

Name: Flooding in Iowa, May 24 to 31, 2007
Start: 2007-05-24T10:15
End: 2007-05-31T09:00
Location: Iowa

May 24 to 31, 2007 · NWS DMX · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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: $135,000
Crop damage: $135,000
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.

Relatively dry weather prevailed for the next two weeks over most of Iowa allowing significant progress with spring planting. The next major rain system struck on the 23rd and 24th with greatest amounts again in west central and southwest Iowa. Guthrie Center reported the most rain during this second event with 7.17 inches. Frequent light to moderate rainfall was the rule in most areas of Iowa for the last week of May. Additional moderate flooding took place with the late month rainfall event, but damage was somewhat limited again. With some of the summer crops having been planted, there was some damage along the river edge from drown out crops.

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 Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 23, 2:31 PM CST, 19 hours 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 23, 2:31 PM CST, 19 hours 44 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
331 PM CDT WED MAY 23 2007

.SHORT TERM /TONIGHT/...
SFC COLD FRONT CURRENTLY STRETCHING FROM CENTRAL MN THROUGH NW IA
AND INTO SE NEB WILL MOVE VERY LITTLE THIS EVENING WHILE IT WAITS
FOR SFC CYCLOGENESIS FARTHER SOUTHWEST OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS IN
RESPONSE TO SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING NORTHEAST OUT OF THE SRN
ROCKIES. ATMOSPHERE IN ADVANCE OF FRONT HAS BECOME MODERATELY
UNSTABLE WITH MUCAPES OF 1500 TO 2000 J/KG AND EFFECTIVE BULK
SHEAR OF 25 TO 40 KT. SVR TSTM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR NWRN
TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE PRIMARY
THREAT.

OTHER CONCERN IS FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL. TRAINING STORMS ALONG
STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY WITH VERY GOOD MOISTURE
TRANSPORT/CONVERGENCE IN AIRMASS WITH PWAT VALUES IN EXCESS OF 1.5
INCHES SUPPORTS THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN. FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE
ISSUED FOR THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE AREA FOR TONIGHT THROUGH MUCH
OF THURSDAY.

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY-WEDNESDAY/...
SFC FRONT SLOWLY MOVES EAST THROUGH CENTRAL IOWA ON THURSDAY WHILE
SFC LOW PROPOGATES NORTHEAST ALONG THE FRONT. THIS WILL ENHANCE
LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE OF MOIST AIRMASS. MODERATE TO STRONG MID LVL
QG FORCING...VORTICITY ADVECTION AND UPR LVL DIVERGENCE WILL ALSO
SUSTAIN SYNOPTIC SCALE LIFT...ESPECIALLY DURING THE MORNING. MAX
OF THESE PARAMETERS SHIFTS NORTHEAST BY AFTN...BUT STILL PLENTY OF
JUICE TO KEEP SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS RUMBLING ACROSS THE EAST
IN THE AFTN. SLOW MOVING FRONT WITH MID LVL FLOW PARALLEL TO FRONT
AND HIGH PWAT VALUES IN EXCESS OF 1.5 INCHES MEANS TRAINING
THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAIN LIKELY. LARGE AREA OF STRATIFORM RAIN
AND EMBEDDED ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY OCCUR BEHIND THE
PASSAGE OF FRONT. THREAT FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL APPEARS TO BE
MAINLY ACROSS THE NORTHWEST HALF OF THE FCST AREA...WITH A GENERAL
2 TO 3 INCHES BY THURSDAY AFTN. PREFER THE SLOWER NAM SOLUTION
WHICH IS MORE IN LINE WITH ENSEMBLE FCSTS...SO WILL LINGER A SMALL
CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE SOUTHEAST THURSDAY EVENING. SVR WX
POTENTIAL ON THURSDAY IS LIKELY GOING TO BE HELD IN CHECK BY THE
INABILITY TO DESTABILIZE. BEST CHANCES OF SVR STORMS WILL BE IN
THE FAR EAST FCST AREA DURING THE AFTN...AHEAD OF FRONT.

FRONT MOVES SOUTH OF AREA AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR A
PLEASANT AND SEASONAL DAY FRIDAY. MODELS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT
WITH NEXT SFC LOW DEVELOPING IN ERN WY FRI AND PULLING NORTHEAST
INTO MN ON SAT. GFS A LITTLE MORE AGRESSIVE WITH BRINGING RAIN
CHANCES BACK INTO SRN/WRN AREAS FRIDAY NIGHT. WILL WAIT TO
INTRODUCE POPS UNTIL AFTER MIDNIGHT AS SECONDARY WARM FRONT MOVES
INTO SRN IA. STRONGEST DYNAMICS REMAIN NORTH OF IA DURING THE DAY
SAT...BUT STILL DECENT PLUME OF MOISTURE AHEAD OF FRONT WILL BE
LIFTED. NOT A LOT OF INSTABILITY ONCE AGAIN...BUT SHEAR IS PRETTY
GOOD. THUNDERSTORMS CERTAINLY LIKELY...BUT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A
MAJOR SEVERE WX EVENT.

WILL HAVE ANOTHER NICE DAY SUNDAY BEFORE MORE UNSETTLED WEATHER
RETURNS EARLY NEXT WEEK. A BAGGY ZONAL FLOW SETS UP ACROSS NRN
CONUS WITH RIPPLES GENERATED BY SHORTWAVES PASSING THROUGH. A
FRONTAL BOUNDARY SETS UP ACROSS IA BY MONDAY WHICH WILL BE A FOCUS
FOR ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AND
POSSIBLY INTO WEDNESDAY. THIS TYPE OF PATTERN FAVORS CONVECTIVE
SYSTEMS WITH SEVERE WX POTENTIAL AND HEAVY RAIN. ITS TOO EARLY TO
TRY AND GET FANCY WITH DETAILS.

&&

.AVIATION...
FRONT WL STALL ACRS WESTERN AND CENTRAL IOWA TONIGHT AHEAD OF
STRENGHTENING SFC FLOW MOVING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE PLAINS.  CIGS WL
RMN MVFR NR THE FRONT WITH NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.
VSBYS WILL ALSO BE RESTRICTED TO MVFR WITH ISOLD IFR NEAR
THUNDERSTORMS.  SFC WNDS WL RMN STG FM THE SOUTH ON THE EAST SIDE OF
THE FRONT WITH LIGHTER N WNDS ON THE BACKSIDE.  STG LOW LEVEL JET AT
2-4KFT WL INCREASE OVERNIGHT ACRS S CNTRL INTO CNTRL IA AT NEARLY
50KTS FROM THE SOUTH.

&&

.DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY
AFTERNOON FOR ADAIR-ADAMS-AUDUBON-BOONE-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CASS-
CERRO GORDO-CRAWFORD-DALLAS-EMMET-GREENE-GUTHRIE-HAMILTON-
HANCOCK-HUMBOLDT-KOSSUTH-PALO ALTO-POCAHONTAS-SAC-TAYLOR-WEBSTER-
WINNEBAGO-WORTH-WRIGHT.

&&

MOYER/COGIL

Hazardous weather outlook, May 24, 4:18 AM CST, 5 hours 57 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
518 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

IAZ004>007-015>017-023>025-033>036-044>047-057>059-070-071-081-
092-251100-
EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO-
POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-HAMILTON-CRAWFORD-
CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-ADAMS-
TAYLOR-
518 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS WILL MOVE
ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING. RAINFALL OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE LIKELY
AT SOME LOCATIONS. EARLY THIS MORNING THAT IS THE POSSIBLY OF
SMALL HAIL OR DAMAGING WINDS. THE RAIN IS FORECAST TO END THIS
AFTERNOON.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON ON
SATURDAY AND ALSO ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED EARLY THIS MORNING AND AGAIN ON
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT. ANY REPORTS OF RAINFALL OR
FLOODING WOULD BE HELPFUL.

IAZ026>028-037>039-048>050-060>062-072>075-082>086-093>097-251100-
FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-STORY-MARSHALL-
TAMA-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-UNION-
CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-
DAVIS-
518 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS WILL MOVE
ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING. RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE
LIKELY AT SOME LOCATIONS WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS. EARLY THIS
MORNING THAT IS THE POSSIBLY OF SMALL HAIL OR DAMAGING WINDS. THIS
AFTERNOON EAST OF A LINE FROM HAMPTON TO OTTUMWA SEVERE STORMS
MAY DEVELOP AS THE FRONT MOVES EAST PRODUCING LARGE HAIL OR
DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON ON
SATURDAY AND ALSO ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED EARLY THIS MORNING AND AGAIN ON
SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT. ANY REPORTS OF RAINFALL OR
FLOODING WOULD BE HELPFUL.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 24, 4:21 AM CST, 5 hours 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
521 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0512 AM     FLASH FLOOD      1 E CUMBERLAND          41.27N 94.85W
05/24/2007                   CASS               IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER MOVING OVER QUINCY ROAD

&&

GFORSTER

Local storm report, May 24, 5:56 AM CST, 4 hours 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
656 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0655 AM     FLASH FLOOD      MASSENA                 41.25N 94.77W
05/24/2007                   CASS               IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER RUNNING OVER THE 740TH AVENUE AND ROCKPORT ROADS

&&

GFORSTER

Local storm report, May 24, 6:27 AM CST, 3 hours 48 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
727 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0721 AM     BLIZZARD         2 W CASEY               41.51N 94.56W
05/24/2007                   GUTHRIE            IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER RUNNING OVER WHITE POLE ROAD

&&

GFORSTER

Local storm report, May 24, 6:50 AM CST, 3 hours 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
750 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0721 AM     FLASH FLOOD      2 W CASEY               41.51N 94.56W
05/24/2007                   GUTHRIE            IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER RUNNING OVER WHITE POLE ROAD

&&

GFORSTER

Local storm report, May 24, 7:29 AM CST, 2 hours 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
829 AM CDT THU MAY 24 2007

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0815 AM     FLASH FLOOD      E BRIDGEWATER           41.25N 94.67W
05/24/2007                   ADAIR              IA   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            280TH ST EAST OF BRIDGEWATER ROAD CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING.

&&

MB

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, Dallas

When: May 24, 10:15 AM CST to May 27, 6:15 AM CST
Where: Dallas County, Van Meter
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.530, -93.970

Flood, Marshall

When: May 24, 1:45 PM CST to May 31, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Marshall County, Marshalltown
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $25,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 42.050, -92.920

Flood, Polk

When: May 24, 4:15 PM CST to May 27, 6:30 PM CST
Where: Polk County, West Des Moines
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $25,000
Crop damage: $50,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.580, -93.720

Flood, Polk

When: May 24, 10:15 PM CST to May 27, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Des Moines
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $50,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.600, -93.620

Flood, Polk

When: May 27, 7:30 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Polk County, Grimes
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $10,000
Crop damage: $5,000
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 41.680, -93.800

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 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, May 2007

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: 25676, 25683, 25678, 25680, 25682.