A strong push of moist and unstable air moved into Iowa during the day on the 24th. Surface temperatures warmed into the low to mid 70s over much of western and southern Iowa with dew point temperatures in the low to mid 60s.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.
A strong push of moist and unstable air moved into Iowa during the day on the 24th. Surface temperatures warmed into the low to mid 70s over much of western and southern Iowa with dew point temperatures in the low to mid 60s. A cold front approached the state from the northwest during the evening. The airmass was quite unstable with surface based lifted indices around -4 C. and most unstable CAPE around 2000 J/kg. The shear was not real strong, but there was 30 to 40 kts of effective shear available. CAPE in the -10 to -30 C. layer of the atmosphere was in the 200 to 300 J/kg range with 700 to 800 J/kg of DCAPE available. The freezing level was relatively low, around 10,500 to 11,000 feet. Thunderstorms erupted ahead of the approaching cold front. Many of the storms produced hail with severe hail, with several reports of three quarter to one inch diameter hail reported from Audubon County northeast to Worth County, and east to Black Hawk County. Golf ball size hail fell in Wright County south of the Dows area. This was one of the larger reports. A 60 MPH wind gust was reported as the storms moved through Hardin County. One other report of high winds was received from Black Hawk County, where a pole shed was damaged. The LCL was relatively low, in the 500 to 1000 meter range. One tornado was reported north of Bancroft in Kossuth County early in the event. A second tornado touched down in Hamilton County and caused tree damage and minor shed damage on 3 farms. It was reported in an open area with little to no damage. The shear values were strongest in that area as well. The bulk of the severe weather moved out of the CWA just as a strong surface low pressure system begin to lift northeast along the advancing cold front. A new round of severe weather moved into southwest Iowa and then into parts of central Iowa. The severe weather from this second round was in the form of three quarter to one inch diameter hail. Over the northeast part of the CWA, the main problem was with flooding and flash flooding. Rainfall over the northeast quarter of the CWA was in the 3 to 4 inch range, with spotty amounts as high as 5 inches in the Denver area. Roads were washed out in numerous locations scattered from Tama County, north and northwest to Franklin County. The areal flooding transitioned to significant river flooding, which will be addressed in a separate entry.
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 Apr 24, 2:23 PM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 323 PM CDT THU APR 24 2008 .DISCUSSION... SUBSIDENCE IN CONTROL OVER CENTRAL IOWA CURRENTLY AS THE AREA IS IN THE WAKE OF A STRONG SHORT WAVE THAT PASSED THROUGH THIS MORNING. DESPITE INCREASING INSTABILITY...CONVECTIVE INITIATION IS NOT EXPECTED ANY TIME SOON WITH A LACK OF A TRIGGER TO THIS POINT WITH THE SFC BOUNDARY TO THE NW OF THE DMX FORECAST AREA AND THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM JUST NOW MOVING OUT OF THE INTERMOUNTAIN WEST. THIS SCENARIO WILL CHANGE TONIGHT AS THE BOUNDARY SAGS SOUTHEAST AND THE SHORT WAVE APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. A COUPLE OF AREAS POSSIBLE FOR CONVECTIVE INITIATION. THE FIRST ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY AS IT MOVES INTO THE AREA. THE OTHER AREA ALONG WITH THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM. MCS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER NEBRASKA THIS EVENING AND MOVE INTO IOWA OVERNIGHT. STRONG MOISTURE TRANSPORT ALONG THE 50 KT LOW LEVEL JET POINTING RIGHT AT THE SFC BOUNDARY. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO A COUPLED JET ALOFT. HEAVY RAINFALL IS A CONCERN WITH PRECIPITABLE WATERS OF 1.25 TO 1.50...WHICH ARE NEARLY 250% OF NORMAL. CURRENTLY FAVOR THE FARTHER SOUTH ECMWF/UKMET/NAM SOLUTIONS AND DISCOUNTED THE FARTHER NORTH GFS DUE TO POSITION OF DYNAMICS. DUE TO SATURATED SOILS FROM RECENTLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND POTENTIAL THE NEXT 18 HOURS...WILL ISSUE A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 05Z TO 17Z. WIDESPREAD 1 TO 2 INCH AMOUNTS POSSIBLE WITH LOCALLY HIGHER TO 3 INCHES NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. THE PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY MORNING WITH THE SFC BOUNDARY MOVING THROUGH. FALLING TEMPERATURES EXPECTED DURING THE DAY WITH PRECIPITATION GRADUALLY COMING TO AN END. NEXT LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY WILL FIRE JUST TO THE EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA LATE MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON. SOME HINTS AT A DEFORMATION ZONE DEVELOPING OVER NORTHWEST IOWA BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. POSSIBLE SNOW MIX MAY DEVELOP OVER THE NORTHWEST BY THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING WITH 850 MB TEMPERATURES DROPPING TO -6C AND SFC TEMPERATURES DROPPING. NEXT SYSTEM MOVES IN BY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM IS TAKING A MORE SOUTHERLY TREND WITH THE FOCUS MORE ON SOUTHERN IOWA SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. COLD SUNDAY WITH THE COLD CORE ALOFT. INSTABILITY SHOWERS EXPECTED BY THE AFTERNOON WITH CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S. GUIDANCE LIKELY OVER DOING FORECAST HIGH TEMPERATURES AND HAVE UNDERCUT CLOSER TO CONVECTIVE TEMPS WHICH WILL END UP PRODUCING BROKEN SKIES. COOL CONDITIONS CONTINUE MONDAY THEN GRADUAL WARMING THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. NEXT CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION BY MID WEEK. && .AVIATION...24/18Z EXPECT RAIN TO TAPER OFF AT KOTM/KALO WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR...SO HAVE LEFT OUT OF CURRENT TAFS. EXPECT SCT/BKN MVFR CLOUD DECK ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON WITH ANY PRECIP HOLDING OFF UNTIL THIS EVENING AS BEST LIFT REMAINS SITUATED CLOSER TO THE SURFACE FRONT WEST OF THE CWA. AS UPPER WAVE PUSHES EAST LATER TODAY INTO TONIGHT...SFC LOW TO TRANSLATE EASTWARD WITH AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT DROPPING THROUGH THE STATE. ALONG AND AHEAD OF THIS FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXPECT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AND SPREAD ACROSS THE CWA BY LATE EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...WITH RAIN AND SHOWERS LINGERING INTO FRIDAY MORNING AS THE SFC LOW SLOWLY MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH THE AREA. EXPECT MVFR CIGS...WITH POSSIBILITY OF IFR CIGS WITH STRATUS DECK EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY. AT THIS TIME KEPT ALL VSBYS VFR...BUT AS TSRA/RAIN SHIELD DEVELOPS ACROSS AREA EXPECT MVFR VSBYS WITH MODERATE RAIN AND ISOLATED IFR VSBYS WITH HEAVY RAIN. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TIL NOON FRIDAY FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. && SHORT TERM/AVIATION...ALBRECHT LONG TERM...DONAVON
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 400 PM CDT THU APR 24 2008 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>025-033-252100- EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-SAC- 400 PM CDT THU APR 24 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON BEFORE BECOMING MORE WIDESPREAD LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THESE STORMS MAY BE MORE SIGNIFICANT WITH A GREATER POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLY LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER INTO FRIDAY MORNING. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL REMAINS POSSIBLE THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING REPORTS ARE ALSO APPRECIATED AND ENCOURAGED. IAZ026>028-034>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097-252100- FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-CALHOUN-WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY- BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA- AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON- WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO- TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS- 400 PM CDT THU APR 24 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS EVENING AND BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOME SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED WITH QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND 60 MPH WINDS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION...WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINFALL WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE IS EXPECTED. LOCALIZED 3 INCH AMOUNT ARE EXPECTED. THIS WILL CAUSE SOME AREAS OF FLOODING ALONG WITH SUBSTANTIAL RISES ALONG AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA THROUGH NOON FRIDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY MORNING WITH THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUING BEFORE NOON. AREAS OF FLASH FLOODING ARE THE MAIN THREAT...ESPECIALLY IN LOW LYING AREAS. IF THE HEAVY RAINFALL DOES OCCUR...RIVER FLOODING WILL BECOME A THREAT INTO THIS WEEKEND. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA THROUGH NOON FRIDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY MORNING. HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING REPORTS ARE ALSO APPRECIATED AND ENCOURAGED. DONAVON
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 175 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:45 UTC.
15 hail, 14 flood, 11 flash flood, 4 thunderstorm wind, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Tornado was reported near the intersection of Highway 169 and 410th. Tornado was reported by a Minnesota Deputy driving through Kossuth County and it was in an open area.
Hail was near the intersection of 150th and Falcon.
A trained spotter sent a photo of a tornado and had driven back to the area where it was sighted. Tree damage and minor damage was noted on three farmsteads with the tornado track toward the southeast.
Nickel size hail was reported in Jefferson.
A power poll was snapped at 210th St and Quinn Ave.
Metal Debris on the road near 200th St and Highway 69 intersection.
Roads were washed out in various parts of the county.
Damage was done to a pole shed.
Water reported over 170th St. in the Gladbrook area.
Sandbagging operations were being done around the fire station due to flooding from the Dry Run Creek.
Hail the size of quarters reported on Tyler street, 6 miles west and 1 mile north of Lacona.
Public report received through e-spotter.
KCCI viewers reported the South Fork of the Iowa River was out of its banks. Viewer said it was the highest level they have ever seen.
Part of the town was being evacuated due to flooding.
Six inches of water was over the road due to flooding from Black Hawk Creek.
Water was reported over the road along County Road C45, 2 miles east of Highway 14.
Flooding between Mallard and Nettles Roads at 180TH St. due to flooding around Otter Creek.
Highway 57 Between Cedar Falls and Benson was under 2 feet of water.
A small tributary was reported to be out of its banks at the intersection of Highway 20. No impacts were noted.
The South Beaver Creek was flooding, affecting several gravel roads.
Highway 96 east of Gladbrook was closed due to flooding.
II Avenue was closed due to high water.
E Ave washed out along Wolf Creek.
Flooding was reported along Black Hawk Creek and in Benson.
Water was reported over the road in Parkersburg.
Additional roads were closed due to the flooding on the Black Hawk Creek.
The Black Hawk County Sheriff reported the city of Hudson was inundated with water from Black Hawk Creek. Sandbagging was underway, but failed to hold back the water. A local emergency was declared.
Crane Creek was flooding portions of Dunkerton. Evacuations were taking place along Main and Sycamore Street.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Iowa, 2008Warnings in Iowa, April 2008
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: 83583, 83569, 83570, 83571, 83573, 83587, 83574, 83701, 83575, 83702, 83585, 83576, 83795, 83584, 83796, 83789, 83578, 83579, 83580, 83884, 83797, 83816, 83581, 83582, 83803, 83799, 83800, 83801, 83804, 83806, 83807, 83808, 83881, 83882, 83883, 83891, 83920, 83922, 83946, 83952, and more.