S. during the late afternoon of the 3rd through the early morning of the 4th.
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 weather system moved through the central U.S. during the late afternoon of the 3rd through the early morning of the 4th. The system resembled a winter type system as strong low pressure at the surface developed over Kansas and moved northeast into Missouri. A large area of thunderstorms developed in the deformation zone north of the low. A large part of Iowa was affected by the rain with a narrow band of 4 to 7 inch rainfall extending from near the Atlantic area to north of Lamoni. The heaviest report received was nearly 8 inches in Madison County at Orient. Five to 6 inches of rain fell in parts of Wayne County. The rain caused flooding of several areas with Clarke, Decatur, Madison, and Wayne Counties affected the most. Numerous roads were closed by the water with flash flooding reported in Decatur County where 5 to 6 feet of water covered the road. The flash flooding extended north into Clarke County. Flash flooding also occurred in Appanoose County, where Highway 2 was flooded west of Centerville. Flash flooding washed out gravel roads in Wayne and Adair Counties as well with debris thrown onto the roads. Lightning struck a tree near a house in Creston. The lightning blasted a hole in the ground at the base of the tree. Branches and pieces were thrown into a nearby home. Three screen doors were broken along with several windows in the house. A nearby garage was also damaged. Pieces of the tree were blown out about 70 feet from the initial strike.
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 Jul 3, 10:20 PM CST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 1120 PM CDT FRI JUL 3 2009 .AVIATION DISCUSSION 04/06Z. .SHORT TERM... THOUGH THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING TO DEVELOP UPSTREAM OF CWA ATTM...NORTHERN AREAS HAVE BEEN SEEING GENERALLY MODERATE SHOWERS THIS EVENING AND LACK OF INSTABILITY OVERNIGHT POINTS TO CONTINUED SHOWERS THIS REGION VERSUS THE CHANCE FOR THUNDER YET ACROSS THE SOUTH. SUBJECTIVE UPPER AIR ANALYSIS SHOWING THE BEST UPPER LEVEL BOUNDARY AT H850 LIES OVER NORTHERN NEBRASKA AND KANSAS. INCREASING LLVL JET BEGINNING TO PRODUCE STORMS FARTHER NORTHWEST INTO SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA...BUT CORFIDI VECTORS AND PRESENT STORM MOTION SUGGEST THAT AN ESE TURNING WILL OCCUR WITH TIME OVERNIGHT. THUS...HAVE TRIMMED BACK AREAS OF HEAVY RAINFALL TO A MORE SOUTHERN TRACK DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AND HAVE ALSO CUT BACK ON QPF AMOUNTS CENTRAL AND NORTH. THOUGH HIGH POPS ARE STILL WARRANTED MOST AREAS OVERNIGHT ...CORRIDOR OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL APPEARS TO BE FOLLOWING THE GFS THINKING FROM EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON...WITH HIGHER TOTALS SOUTH OF I80 AND ESPECIALLY INTO KS/NORTHERN MO DURING THE NIGHT TONIGHT. .PREVIOUS SHORT TERM... RAINY NIGHT ON TAP FOR THE SERVICE AREA. LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO SLOWLY DEEPEN OVER KANSAS WITH A WARM FRONT GRADUALLY DEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHERN KANSAS AND INTO MISSOURI. MEANWHILE A SERIES OF SUBTLE SHORTWAVES IS APPROACHING FROM THE HIGH PLAINS AND WILL CROSS OUR AREA OVERNIGHT. WIDESPREAD SPRINKLES AND SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPING OVER EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA. AS THE SHORTWAVES APPROACH TONIGHT...AND ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE INCREASES...COVERAGE AND INTENSITY OF PRECIP WILL INCREASE AS IT SPREADS ACROSS THE STATE. PWATS ARE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO MAKE HEAVY RAIN A CONCERN...ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN HALF OF OUR AREA. GIVEN THE LIKELY HIGH COVERAGE AND LONG DURATION OF PRECIP OVERNIGHT...HAVE OPTED NOT TO SPLIT OUT THE OVERNIGHT FORECAST INTO TIME PERIODS GIVEN LOW DEGREE OF DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THE RESULTING PERIODS AND THE COMPLICATED LANGUAGE IT WOULD INTRODUCE INTO THE TEXT FORECAST. QPFS ARE DIFFICULT TO PREDICT TONIGHT GIVEN DEPENDENCE ON TIMING AND MAGNITUDE OF SHORTWAVES...DEGREE OF ENHANCED MOISTURE TRANSPORT...AND UNCERTAINTY REGARDING MAGNITUDE OF INSTABILITY ACROSS THE AREA. IN ANY EVENT...SPRINKLES AND OCCASIONAL LIGHT SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL GIVE WAY TO MORE WIDESPREAD AND HEAVIER PRECIP OVERNIGHT. .LONG TERM... SFC LOW AND ASSOCIATED SHORTWAVE WL BE DEPARTING TO THE EAST ON SATURDAY WITH RESIDUAL SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING...ESPECIALLY EAST. HOWEVER...WL SEE COVERAGE DECREASE AS FORCING PULLS AWAY FROM THE STATE. CROSS SECTIONS CONTINUE TO INDICATE FAIRLY SATURATED CONDITIONS IN THE LOW LEVELS THROUGH SATURDAY WITH AMPLE CLOUDINESS IN PLACE KEEPING TEMPERATURES IN CHECK. QUIET WEATHER IS THEN EXPECTED INTO SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY AS NORTHWEST FLOW ENSUES. MODELS DO INDICATE SOME ISOLATED SHRA ACTIVITY LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT WITH WEAK SHORTWAVE/FRONTAL PASSAGE BUT SOUNDINGS RELATIVELY DRY. HAVE GONE WITH NO POPS AT THIS TIME GIVEN LIMITED FORCING AND MOISTURE. THEREAFTER...CONDITIONS APPEAR DRY INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WORK WITH AS NORTHWEST FLOW BECOME LIGHT AND MORE WESTERLY WITH UPPER RIDGING BUILDING INTO THE REGION. WITH THICKNESSES INCREASING...WL SEE A GRADUAL WARMING TREND DURING THIS TIME TO NORMAL OR ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS. && .AVIATION...04/06Z APPROACHING WAVE OVERNIGHT...SHRA/TSRA ACTIVITY FROM KS AND NE WILL EXPAND NORTH AND EAST INTO IOWA...THOUGH AS THE STORMS MOVE INTO MORE STABLE AIRMASS...THUNDER CHANCES WILL BE MUTED NORTH THOUGH RAINFALL WILL STILL BE PERSISTENT AND CIGS/VISBYS EXPECTED TO DROP TO IFR RANGE AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF RAIN. THUNDER WILL CONTINUE OVER THE SOUTH AND WILL MAINTAIN EITHER VCTS OR TSRA IN KDSM AND KOTM TAFS OVERNIGHT. ALL IN ALL...CONDITIONS SHOULD SLOWLY IMPROVE ON SATURDAY AS THE SYSTEM TRANSLATES EAST. WE WILL HAVE MVFR CIGS AND POTENTIAL REDUCTION IN VSBYS DURING THE MORNING HOURS FOLLOWING THE RAIN. THOUGH WIDESPREAD RAINFALL EXPECTED OVERNIGHT...MUCH OF THE AREA WILL HAVE STRATIFORM PRECIP...ESPECIALLY OVER THE NORTHERN SECTIONS. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...LEE/REV AVIATION...REV LONG TERM...COGIL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 425 PM CDT FRI JUL 3 2009 IAZ070-071-081>083-092>096-041100- CASS-ADAIR-ADAMS-UNION-CLARKE-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE- APPANOOSE- 425 PM CDT FRI JUL 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM ATLANTIC TO OSCEOLA AND OTTUMWA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD ACROSS IOWA TONIGHT. THERE IS A LOW THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT FOR HAIL UP TO QUARTER SIZE. ADDITIONALLY...HEAVY RAINFALL IS FORECAST OVERNIGHT WITH AMOUNTS IN THE ONE AND TWO INCH RANGE WITH LOCALIZED AREAS RECEIVING AROUND 3 INCHES OF RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING THE MORNING SATURDAY NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING. ANY HEAVY RAINFALL REPORTS WOULD ALSO BE APPRECIATED. IAZ044>050-057>062-072>075-084>086-097-041100- CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-TAMA-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE- DALLAS-POLK-JASPER-POWESHIEK-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-LUCAS- MONROE-WAPELLO-DAVIS- 425 PM CDT FRI JUL 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA BETWEEN HIGHWAY 92 AND HIGHWAY 30. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR OVERNIGHT. HEAVY RAINFALL IS FORECAST AS WELL OVERNIGHT WITH AMOUNTS IN THE ONE AND TWO INCH RANGE WITH LOCALIZED AREAS RECEIVING AROUND 3 INCHES OF RAIN. LOCALIZED FLOODING MAY RESULT FROM THE HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING SATURDAY MORNING. NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...REPORTS OF HEAVY RAINFALL WOULD BE APPRECIATED. IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-041100- EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN- WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK- 425 PM CDT FRI JUL 3 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL IOWA ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 20. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED NON SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT. SOME AREAS OF HEAVY RAINFALL UP TO ONE INCH WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED. HOWEVER...ANY REPORTS OF HEAVY RAINFALL WOULD BE APPRECIATED. CC
The Omaha radar (KOAX), 113 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:00 UTC.
10 heavy rain, 5 flash flood, 4 flood, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
A creek in the Sunnyside Park area was briefly out of its banks. Rainfall since midnight was 3.03 inches.
Reports of ponding of water in the underpasses in Creston, specifically on Osage Street. Rainfall so far 1.84 inches.
Rainfall totals since 7 AM on the 3rd was 4.50 inches. Most of the rain fell after midnight.
Rainfall total so far 4.30 inches, mostly since midnight.
Rainfall total 4.15 inches so far, mostly since midnight.
Rainfall since midnight 4.50 inches with Nodaway River overflowing into surrounding fields.
Six to eight inches of rain was reported in the area around Orient.
Rainfall of 5.10 inches caused creeks and streams to flow into fields.
Rainfall in the 24 hour period was 4.74 inches, with an additional .25 inches since observation. Most rain has been since midnight.
Standing water was reported in fields across Davis County. Two feet of ponded waster was reported across old Highway 2 in Bloomfield.
Several gravel roads washed out.
Debris on roads and several gravel roads were washed out.
Highway 2 was closed.
Rural roads were under 5 to 6 feet of water.
Quail Run Road between 80th and 90th street was under water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, July 2009
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: 169261, 169262, 169263, 169265, 169266, 169270, 169274, 169272, 169267, 169264, 176779, 169805, 169806, 169807, 169808, 169258, 169260, 169279, 169281, 169283.