Heavy rain caused minor to record flooding along the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan Rivers. Fields and other lowlands as well as roads along the river were flooded.
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 FSD wrote it up.
Heavy rain caused minor to record flooding along the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan Rivers. Fields and other lowlands as well as roads along the river were flooded. The flooding began on June 23rd, and continued to the end of the month.
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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 23, 12:48 AM CST, 5 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR SOUTHEAST SD/SOUTHWEST MN/NORTHWEST IA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
148 AM CDT WED JUN 23 2010
.DISCUSSION...
THUNDERSTORMS TO EXIT THE AREA THIS MORNING AS S/WV OVER ERN SD LIFT
NE AND COLD FRONT DRIVES EAST. SHOULD SEE A FEW LINGERING
THUNDERSTORMS INTO SW MN AND NW IA THROUGH MID MORNING...BUT THAT IS
ABOUT IT. FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 7 AM...AS
HEAVY RAIN THREAT WINDS DOWN. SOME OF THE HEAVIEST RAIN OVERNIGHT
FELL ALONG AND NEAR A LINE FROM YANKTON...TO HAWARDEN...TO SPENCER
IOWA. MUCH OF THIS AREA PICKED UP A QUICK 2 TO 3 INCHES OF
RAIN...AND LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
BY THIS AFTERNOON MUCH OF THE AREA WILL HAVE CLEARED OUT BEHIND THE
FRONT...WITH BROAD UPPER LEVEL SUBSIDENCE SETTING IN...DESPITE A
WEAK WAVE DRIFTING ACROSS THE AREA . MODELS SHOWING SOME BNDRY LAYER
INSTABILITY DEVELOPING THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE COOLER AIR ALOFT AND
RESIDUAL SFC MOISTURE. THINKING ANY INSTABILITY WILL BE OVER POWERED
BY STRONG SUBSIDENCE SO ONLY HAVE SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS INTO
SW MN THIS AFTERNOON...AND THAT MAY BE OVERDOING IT.
HIGH PRESSURE WILL FINALLY PRODUCE A DRY NIGHT ACROSS THE AREA. DRY
CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE INTO THE DAY THURSDAY...BUT AS HIGH PRESSURE
SLIDES EAST...CHANCES FOR PRECIPITATION AGAIN BEGIN TO INCREASE. MAY
SEE ISOLATED STORMS INTO S CNTRL SD LATE THU AFTERNOON AND
EVENING...BUT MOST LIKE THE CAP WILL HOLD AS THERE IS NO UPPER LEVEL
SUPPORT. MODELS KEEP THINKS DRY THU NIGHT...BUT WILL HAVE TO MONITOR
WARM MOIST RETURN FLOW ALOFT SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE AREA. MAY BE
ABLE TO SPARK A FEW LATE NIGHT THUNDERSTORMS. CHANCES OF
THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTINUE ON FRIDAY...BUT MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY OVER THE REGION WILL BE WELL TO THE NORTH ACROSS NORTH
DAKOTA. BEST CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE FA WILL BE SAT INTO
SAT NIGHT. A STATIONARY SFC FRONT IS EXPECTED TO SET UP ACROSS E
CNTRL SD SAT AFT ALONG WHICH THUNDERSTORMS MAY FIRE ON. NOT CERTAIN
ON THE EXACT POSITION OF THE FRONT SAT...BUT KEPT THE NORTHERN CWA A
TAD COOLER WITH HIGHS IN THE 80S...WHILE HOT HUMID CONDITIONS WILL
BE FOUND TO THE SOUTH. AN UPPER WAVE AND THE NEXT COLD FRONT SHOULD
PUSH ACROSS THE AREA SAT NIGHT...PRODUCING THE NEXT ROUND OF
WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS WITH SOME SEVERE WEATHER A GOOD BET. ONCE THIS
WAVE MOST THROUGH...THE WX PATTERN APPEARS TO CHANGE...AT LEAST
TEMPORARILY WITH A DOMINATE UPPER RIDGE BUILDING ACROSS THE NORTHERN
PLAINS THE FIRST HALF OF NEXT WEEK.
&&
.AVIATION...
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO WIND DOWN THIS MORNING...ALTHOUGH A FEW
LINGERING THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH 15 Z INTO NW IA AND
SW MN. HIGH PRESSURE TO BUILD INTO THE AREA TODAY. IT WILL BE A BIT
BREEZY FROM THE NW THROUGH THE AFTERNOON BUT WINDS WILL BECOME LIGHT
THIS EVENING AS HIGH PRESSURE MOVES ACROSS THE AREA.
&&
.FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR IAZ001>003-
012>014-020>022-031-032.
MN...NONE.
NE...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR NEZ013-014.
SD...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR SDZ050-057>071.
&&
97HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 445 AM CDT WED JUN 23 2010 SDZ038>040-050-052>071-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-098- IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-NEZ013-014-241200- AURORA-BEADLE-BON HOMME-BROOKINGS-BRULE-BUENA VISTA IA- CHARLES MIX-CHEROKEE IA-CLAY-CLAY IA-COTTONWOOD MN-DAKOTA NE- DAVISON-DICKINSON IA-DIXON NE-DOUGLAS-GREGORY-HANSON-HUTCHINSON- IDA IA-JACKSON MN-JERAULD-KINGSBURY-LAKE-LINCOLN-LINCOLN MN- LYON IA-LYON MN-MCCOOK-MINER-MINNEHAHA-MOODY-MURRAY MN-NOBLES MN- OBRIEN IA-OSCEOLA IA-PIPESTONE MN-PLYMOUTH IA-ROCK MN-SANBORN- SIOUX IA-TURNER-UNION-WOODBURY IA-YANKTON- 445 AM CDT WED JUN 23 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA... SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...NORTHWEST IOWA...AND NORTHEAST NEBRASKA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT FLOODING... FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS ALONG PARTS OF THE BIG SIOUX AND VERMILLION RIVERS IN SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. THE JAMES RIVER WILL REMAIN IN FLOOD FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. AREAL FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS ALSO CONTINUES IN SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA BETWEEN THE JAMES RIVER AND MISSOURI RIVER...RESULTING IN NUMEROUS ROAD CLOSURES IN RURAL AREAS. HEAVY RAIN FROM THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST IOWA...IN A VERY SHORT TIME TUESDAY NIGHT. THESE HEAVY RAINS HAVE AGGRAVATED FLOODING ALONG MUCH OF THE LITTLE SIOUX RIVER. THE LITTLE SIOUX IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE FLOOD STAGE FOR MANY DAYS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THERE IS A CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS LATE SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. SOME STORMS MAY BE SEVERE AND PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. && FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/SIOUXFALLS. THIS INCLUDES THE GRAPHICAL HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK. 97
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
211 AM CDT WED JUN 23 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1053 PM HAIL 2 SW MARCUS 42.80N 95.84W
06/22/2010 E1.25 INCH CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
1102 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 2 SW MARCUS 42.81N 95.84W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
1102 PM TORNADO 3 S MARCUS 42.78N 95.81W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
POSSIBLE TORNADO ON THE GROUND
1110 PM TORNADO 1 S MARCUS 42.81N 95.81W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO ON THE GROUND
1115 PM TORNADO 1 E MARCUS 42.82N 95.79W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA AMATEUR RADIO
TORNADO ON GROUND
1130 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 S CRAIG 42.88N 96.31W
06/22/2010 PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1135 PM TSTM WND GST 4 SW CRAIG 42.85N 96.37W
06/22/2010 E60.00 MPH PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1145 PM TSTM WND GST 5 E STRUBLE 42.89N 96.09W
06/22/2010 E60.00 MPH PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1200 AM TSTM WND GST 2 S LESTERVILLE 43.01N 97.59W
06/23/2010 M98.00 MPH YANKTON SD EMERGENCY MNGR
1206 AM TSTM WND GST HURON 44.36N 98.22W
06/23/2010 M70.00 MPH BEADLE SD ASOS
1208 AM TSTM WND GST HURON 44.36N 98.22W
06/23/2010 M63.00 MPH BEADLE SD ASOS
1210 AM FLASH FLOOD HAWARDEN 43.00N 96.48W
06/23/2010 SIOUX IA TRAINED SPOTTER
WATER OVER THE CURBS
1237 AM FLASH FLOOD SPENCER 43.15N 95.15W
06/23/2010 CLAY IA BROADCAST MEDIA
STREETS AND SMALL STREAMS IN THE SPENCER CITY LIMITS ARE
FLOODED.
&&
LAFLINPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
332 AM CDT WED JUN 23 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0325 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 10 S IVANHOE 44.32N 96.25W
06/23/2010 M72 MPH LINCOLN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREES DOWN.
&&
LIEBLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
341 AM CDT WED JUN 23 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1053 PM HAIL 2 SW MARCUS 42.80N 95.84W
06/22/2010 E1.25 INCH CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
1102 PM TORNADO 3 S MARCUS 42.78N 95.81W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
POSSIBLE TORNADO ON THE GROUND
1102 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 2 SW MARCUS 42.81N 95.84W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
1110 PM TORNADO 1 S MARCUS 42.81N 95.81W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO ON THE GROUND
1115 PM TORNADO 1 E MARCUS 42.82N 95.79W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA AMATEUR RADIO
TORNADO ON GROUND
1130 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 S CRAIG 42.88N 96.31W
06/22/2010 PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1135 PM TSTM WND GST 4 SW CRAIG 42.85N 96.37W
06/22/2010 E60.00 MPH PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1145 PM TSTM WND GST 5 E STRUBLE 42.89N 96.09W
06/22/2010 E60.00 MPH PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1200 AM TSTM WND GST 2 S LESTERVILLE 43.01N 97.59W
06/23/2010 M98.00 MPH YANKTON SD EMERGENCY MNGR
1206 AM TSTM WND GST HURON 44.36N 98.22W
06/23/2010 M70.00 MPH BEADLE SD ASOS
1208 AM TSTM WND GST HURON 44.36N 98.22W
06/23/2010 M63.00 MPH BEADLE SD ASOS
1210 AM FLASH FLOOD HAWARDEN 43.00N 96.48W
06/23/2010 SIOUX IA TRAINED SPOTTER
WATER OVER THE CURBS
1237 AM FLASH FLOOD SPENCER 43.15N 95.15W
06/23/2010 CLAY IA BROADCAST MEDIA
STREETS AND SMALL STREAMS IN THE SPENCER CITY LIMITS ARE
FLOODED.
0325 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 10 S IVANHOE 44.32N 96.25W
06/23/2010 M72.00 MPH LINCOLN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREES DOWN.
&&
MJFPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
553 AM CDT WED JUN 23 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1230 AM FLASH FLOOD ORANGE CITY 43.00N 96.06W
06/23/2010 SIOUX IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
HIGHWAY 10 AT ORANGE CITY UNDER WATER FOR AROUND 1 HOUR.
CREEKS IN THE AREA SWELLED TO 1/2 MILE WIDE.
0140 AM FLASH FLOOD 11 E SPENCER 43.15N 94.93W
06/23/2010 CLAY IA BROADCAST MEDIA
HIGHWAY 18 NEAR THE PALO ALTO AND CLAY COUNTY LINE UNDER
WATER.
&&
LIEBLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
555 AM CDT WED JUN 23 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1053 PM HAIL 2 SW MARCUS 42.80N 95.84W
06/22/2010 E1.25 INCH CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
1102 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 2 SW MARCUS 42.81N 95.84W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
1102 PM TORNADO 3 S MARCUS 42.78N 95.81W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
POSSIBLE TORNADO ON THE GROUND
1110 PM TORNADO 1 S MARCUS 42.81N 95.81W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA TRAINED SPOTTER
TORNADO ON THE GROUND
1115 PM TORNADO 1 E MARCUS 42.82N 95.79W
06/22/2010 CHEROKEE IA AMATEUR RADIO
TORNADO ON GROUND
1130 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 S CRAIG 42.88N 96.31W
06/22/2010 PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1135 PM TSTM WND GST 4 SW CRAIG 42.85N 96.37W
06/22/2010 E60.00 MPH PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1145 PM TSTM WND GST 5 E STRUBLE 42.89N 96.09W
06/22/2010 E60.00 MPH PLYMOUTH IA EMERGENCY MNGR
1200 AM TSTM WND GST 2 S LESTERVILLE 43.01N 97.59W
06/23/2010 M98.00 MPH YANKTON SD EMERGENCY MNGR
1206 AM TSTM WND GST HURON 44.36N 98.22W
06/23/2010 M70.00 MPH BEADLE SD ASOS
1208 AM TSTM WND GST HURON 44.36N 98.22W
06/23/2010 M63.00 MPH BEADLE SD ASOS
1210 AM FLASH FLOOD HAWARDEN 43.00N 96.48W
06/23/2010 SIOUX IA TRAINED SPOTTER
WATER OVER THE CURBS
1230 AM FLASH FLOOD ORANGE CITY 43.00N 96.06W
06/23/2010 SIOUX IA LAW ENFORCEMENT
HIGHWAY 10 AT ORANGE CITY UNDER WATER FOR AROUND 1 HOUR.
CREEKS IN THE AREA SWELLED TO 1/2 MILE WIDE.
1237 AM FLASH FLOOD SPENCER 43.15N 95.15W
06/23/2010 CLAY IA BROADCAST MEDIA
STREETS AND SMALL STREAMS IN THE SPENCER CITY LIMITS ARE
FLOODED.
0140 AM FLASH FLOOD 11 E SPENCER 43.15N 94.93W
06/23/2010 CLAY IA BROADCAST MEDIA
HIGHWAY 18 NEAR THE PALO ALTO AND CLAY COUNTY LINE UNDER
WATER.
0325 AM NON-TSTM WND GST 10 S IVANHOE 44.32N 96.25W
06/23/2010 M72.00 MPH LINCOLN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREES DOWN.
&&
LIEBLThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy rain caused minor to moderate flooding along the Little Sioux River, with lowlands including some agricultural land along the river flooded. The river crested at 2.25 feet above flood stage at Spencer on June 28th.
Heavy rain caused minor to moderate flooding along the Little Sioux River, with lowlands including some agricultural land along the river flooded. The river crested at 3.14 feet above flood stage at Linn Grove on June 28th.
Heavy rain caused moderate to record flooding along the Little Sioux River, with lowlands including land and several roads near the river flooded. Several roads were flooded on the south side of the town of Cherokee, including U.S. Highway 59 which was under much water, the state Highway 3 bypass, and several other roads. Up to 200 people were evacuated from the south side of Cherokee, where several businesses were flooded, and where access was cut off to areas not flooded. The river rose very rapidly and crested at a record 10.3 feet above flood stage at Cherokee on June 27th, which was the day after the flooding began.
Heavy rain caused minor to moderate flooding along the Ocheyedan River, with lowlands including some agricultural land along the river flooded. The river crested at 2 feet above flood stage near Spencer on June 28th.
Heavy rain caused minor to moderate flooding along the Little Sioux River, with lowlands including some farmland near the river flooded. The river crested at 4.79 feet above flood stage at Correctionville on June 28th.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, June 2010
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: 246939, 246962, 246971, 246942, 246972.