60 inches above normal. This ranks as the 31st coldest and 2nd wettest April among 136 years of state records.
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.
April temperatures averaged 46.4 or 2.1 below normal while pecipitation totaled 5.93 inches or 2.60 inches above normal. This ranks as the 31st coldest and 2nd wettest April among 136 years of state records. The only wetter April was recorded in 1999 with 6.25 inches of precipitation. The last colder April was in 1997. The big weather news of the month was precipitation. Rainfall was frequent during the month with three storm systems each dropping an average of over an inch of rain statewide on the 10th-11th, 17th-18th and 23rd-25th. Heaviest rains with each of these storms was centered on central and northeast Iowa. Major flooding followed the final, and largest, storm of the series. Monthly precipitation totals varied from 1.90 inches at Sioux Center to 11.98 inches at Fayette. Record maximum April precipitation totals were recorded at several locations including: Fayette with 11.98 inches, old record 8.02 inches in 1909, Grundy center 11.75 inches, old record 8.02 inches in 1991, Waukon 11.07 inches, old record 8.55 inches in 1981, Waterloo 10.79 inches, old record 8.53 inches in 1991 , and Eldora 10.25 inches, old record 7.22 inches in 1976. These totals fell just shy of the April single-station record of 12.52 inches set at Strawberry Point in 1951. The heavy rainfall pushed many rivers over flood stage by 1 to 3 feet. The hardest hit, with major flooding and some evacuations needed, occurred over northeast Iowa in the Waterloo area. The Cedar river crested around 6 feet over flood stage at both Waterloo and in the Cedar Falls area. This resulted in losses from extensive flooding in the area.
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 25, 1:24 AM CST, 3 hours 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 224 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 .SHORT TERM /TODAY/... STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM BOTH AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT TO MOVE OVER THE AREA TODAY. AS OF 2 AM...THE SFC LOW WAS IN CENTRAL KANSAS AND POISED TO MOVE NORTHEAST ALONG FRONTAL BOUNDARY EXTENDING NORTHEAST THROUGH WESTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA. WARM AND MOIST AIRMASS AHEAD OF THE LOW ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN IOWA...BUT ALREADY COOLING OFF TO THE NW WITH KEST ALREADY DOWN TO 43 DEGREES AND A NORTH WIND GUSTING TO 35 MPH. EARLIER CONVECTIVE COMPLEX EXITING NORTHEAST IOWA...BUT A LARGER MCS MOVING INTO SW IOWA WITH MANY WARNINGS BEING ISSUED UPSTREAM. SVR TSTM THREAT WILL CONTINUE EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS SOUTHERN IA AS MUCAPES REMAIN AROUND 1000 J/KG AND BULK SHEAR SUPPORTIVE OF STORM ORGANIZATION. SFC LOW WILL MOVE RAPIDLY INTO NRN IA BY MIDDAY WITH COLD FRONT SWEEPING EAST...AND LIKELY OUT OF CENTRAL IA BY MID AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF SFC LOW AND COLD FRONT...BUT DRY SLOT WILL MOVE RAPIDLY UP THROUGH CENTRAL IA DURING THE MORNING. DEFORMATION ZONE RAIN WILL OCCUR OVER NW IA WHERE TEMPERATURES WILL BE FALLING INTO THE 30S. WILL HAVE TO WATCH THIS AREA CAREFULLY FOR THE POTENTIAL OF LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. OTHERWISE...TEMPERATURES WILL FALL DRAMATICALLY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WITH SOME PLACES IN CENTRAL IA SOME 20 DEGREES COLDER AT SUPPER TIME THAN AT BREAKFAST TODAY. WINDS WILL ALSO PICK UP BEHIND THE FRONT AND COULD BE FLIRTING WITH ADVISORY CRITERIA. FLASH FLOOD THREAT STILL THERE AS LONG AS THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST...THOUGH THE NW EXTENT OF THE WATCH MAY NOT HAVE THE BEST CHANCES FOR REALIZING FLOODING. .LONG TERM /TONIGHT-THURSDAY/... WILL DEAL WITH SOME WRAP AROUND PRECIP ACROSS THE NORTH EARLY TONIGHT...WHICH WILL LIKELY FALL AS SNOW. BUT...WITH ONLY LIGHT QPF EXPECTED...ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE LIGHT. TREND IN THE FORECAST WAS TO COOL TEMPS A BIT MORE OVER THE WEEKEND AND INCREASE POPS FOR SATURDAY NIGHT. MODELS CONTINUE TO COME FARTHER SOUTH WITH UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE AND A BIT STRONGER ON THE SFC CYCLONGENESIS SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINTY OF NORTHERN MISSOURI. MODEL CROSS SECTIONS PRETTY EMPHATIC WITH STRONG LIFT OVER CENTAL AND SOUTHERN IA IN DEF ZONE. THIS HAS ME A BIT WORRIED WITH MUCH OF THE SOUNDINGS BELOW ZERO UNTIL THE VERY LOWEST 25 TO 50 MB. WILL CONTINUE TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF CLIMATOLOGY AND KEEP PRECIP MAINLY LIQUID. BUT THIS DOES BEAR WATCHING. SUNDAY WILL BE THE COOLEST DAY IN THE WAKE OF THIS SYSTEM WITH TEMPS 15 TO 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL...AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS...AND POSSIBLY SOME THUNDER AND GRAUPEL. MADE NO CHANGES AND DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO LOOK AT MUCH BEYOND MONDAY. && .AVIATION...25/06Z THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE BE THE MAIN PROBLEM THIS FORECAST PACKAGE WITH ONGOING THUNDER IN AREA OF CONVERGENCE ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA NOW...AND EXPECTED STRONG WAVE TO IMPACT THE AREA BY THROUGH MUCH OF THE MORNING HOURS FRI. HAVE INCREASED THUNDER NORTH/WEST AND NORTHEAST THIS EVENING WITH INCREASED THUNDER FOR THE LATE OVERNIGHT AND MORNING HOURS FROM 07Z THROUGH 16Z. GIVEN THE SCOPE OF CONVECTION EXPECTED...CIGS/VSBYS SHOULD FALL TO IFR OR LIFR WITH HEAVIER AREAS OF RAINFALL/THUNDER/WIND. PERIOD OF DELAYS VERY PSBL FROM 08Z THROUGH 14Z AS LARGE MCS CROSSES THE AREA WITH LIFR CONDITIONS AT TIMES. EXPECT CIGS TO COME UP AFT 18Z MOST AREAS TO MVFR WITH -SHRA LESSENING WITH TIME. OVERALL...IMPROVEMENT BY LATE IN PERIOD AS NW SFC WINDS SCOUR OUT LLVL MOISTURE AND CLOUD COVER. CONDITIONS LOOKING BETTER BY 26/03Z./REV && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL NOON CDT TODAY FOR ADAIR-ADAMS-APPANOOSE- AUDUBON-BLACK HAWK-BOONE-BREMER-BUTLER-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CASS- CERRO GORDO-CLARKE-CRAWFORD-DALLAS-DAVIS-DECATUR-EMMET-FRANKLIN- GREENE-GRUNDY-GUTHRIE-HAMILTON-HANCOCK-HARDIN-HUMBOLDT-JASPER- KOSSUTH-LUCAS-MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION-MARSHALL-MONROE-PALO ALTO- POCAHONTAS-POLK-POWESHIEK-RINGGOLD-SAC-STORY-TAMA-TAYLOR-UNION- WAPELLO-WARREN-WAYNE-WEBSTER-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-WRIGHT. && PUBLIC...MOYER AVIATION...REV
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 556 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>027-033>037-044>048-057>060-070>073- 081>083-092>094-261100- EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-SAC-CALHOUN-WEBSTER- HAMILTON-HARDIN-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-AUDUBON- GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE- TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR- 556 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING. AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF A PENNY IS POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS FALLING ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUND CONDITIONS. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL RETURN NEXT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. IAZ028-038-039-049-050-061-062-074-075-084>086-095>097-261100- BREMER-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-MARSHALL-TAMA-JASPER-POWESHIEK-MARION- MAHASKA-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-WAYNE-APPANOOSE-DAVIS- 556 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR THIS MORNING. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH LARGE HAIL THE MAIN THREAT. HOWEVER...DAMAGING WINDS AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA DUE TO HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS FALLING ON ALREADY SATURATED GROUND CONDITIONS. PLEASE REFER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/DESMOINES FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL RETURN NEXT WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS MORNING. MOYER
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
352 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0350 AM HAIL NEW VIRGINIA 41.18N 93.73W
04/25/2008 E0.75 INCH WARREN IA EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
BMOYERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
355 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0329 AM HAIL 8 NE MOUNT AYR 40.80N 94.13W
04/25/2008 E0.88 INCH RINGGOLD IA EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
BMOYERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
408 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0356 AM HAIL 4 S NORWALK 41.45N 93.67W
04/25/2008 E1.00 INCH WARREN IA EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
BMOYERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
421 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0417 AM HAIL 11 SSE INDIANOLA 41.20N 93.50W
04/25/2008 E1.00 INCH WARREN IA FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
&&
BMOYERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
425 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0411 AM HAIL 5 ESE DES MOINES 41.55N 93.53W
04/25/2008 E0.88 INCH POLK IA UNKNOWN
PUBLIC REPORT THROUGH ESPOTTER
&&
BMOYERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
451 AM CDT FRI APR 25 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0427 AM FLASH FLOOD CEDAR FALLS 42.52N 92.45W
04/25/2008 BLACK HAWK IA EMERGENCY MNGR
SANDBAGGING OPERATIONS AROUND FIRE STATION DUE TO DRY RUN
CREEK OVERRUNNING BANKS.
&&
MRUSSELLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 92812, 92815, 92809, 92810, 92808, 92807, 92813, 92811, 92814.