Flash Flooding and Flood in Iowa, June 22 to 24, 2013

Name: Flash Flooding and Flood in Iowa, June 22 to 24, 2013
Start: 2013-06-22T05:00
End: 2013-06-24T13:00
Location: Iowa

June 22 to 24, 2013 · NWS ARX · 8 events in 5 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: $7.3 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 ARX wrote it up.

For the second night in a row, thunderstorms with very heavy rain rolled across northeast Iowa producing widespread flash flooding during the evening of June 22nd. At least three rounds of thunderstorms moved across the area dumping another 3 to 4 inches of rain on ground that was saturated from heavy rains that fell less than 24 hours before. Numerous mudslides occurred across Allamakee County, a campground had be evacuated near Bluffton (Winneshiek County) and water along the Upper Iowa River closed several roads in Howard County. Officials also had to evacuate around 80 people from a campground south of Harpers Ferry (Allamakee County). With the repeated episodes of severe weather with flash flooding, the Governor of the State of Iowa declared disaster proclamations for Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Mitchell and Winneshiek Counties. FEMA declared a federal disaster area for the following counties: Allamakee, Clayton and Winneshiek.

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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 22, 2:49 AM CST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 22, 2:49 AM CST, 2 hours 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
349 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

.SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY)
ISSUED AT 349 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS THIS PERIOD...SHRA/TSRA CHANCES...HEAVY RAIN
AND SEVERE THREATS THRU THE PERIOD...TEMPERATURES.

DATA ANALYSIS AT 06Z HAD LOW PRESSURE OVER EASTERN CO WITH A
TROUGH TO THE NORTHEAST INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. SEVERAL WEAKER WAVES
OF LOW PRESSURE ALONG THIS TROUGH/FRONT INTO WI/MI. TROUGH AND OLD
OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES REMAIN THE FOCUS FOR SHRA/TSRA DEVELOPMENT AGAIN
EARLY THIS MORNING AS THE LOW LEVEL JET AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT PUSH
AN AIRMASS WITH 1.5 TO 2 INCH PW/S NORTH/NORTHEAST INTO IA/MN/WI.
RATHER MASSIVE CONVECTIVE COMPLEX EARLY THIS MORNING FROM SOUTHERN
LK MI TO SOUTHERN MN AND EASTERN NEB...AROUND THE EDGE OF THE
STRONGER MID LEVEL CAPPING. UNDER THE CAPPING...EARLY MORNING TEMPS
IN THE MID 70S TO NEAR 80 ACROSS MUCH OF IA.

22.00Z MODELS LOOK TO HAVE INITIALIZED WELL...THOUGH NOT AS
SIMILARLY AS ONE WOULD LIKE. AS EXPECTED IN A FORECAST DOMINATED BY
MESO-SCALE FORCINGS AND CONVECTION ACROSS THE REGION...SOLUTIONS
OFFERING A VARIETY OF SENSIBLE WEATHER OUTCOMES FOR THE NEXT FEW
DAYS. DPROG/DT OF 500MB HGTS AT 22.00Z SHOWED THE MODEL RUNS OF
20.00Z AND 21.00Z VERIFIED QUITE WELL WITH THE LARGER SCALE FEATURES
OVER NOAM/EASTERN PAC. MOST OF THE EARLIER RUNS WERE A BIT WEAK WITH
SHORTWAVE FEATURES OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS TO GREAT LAKES AND WERE A
BIT HIGH WITH 500MB HGTS OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST. MODELS TRENDING
TOWARD A TIGHTER CONSENSUS TODAY THRU SUN...AT LEAST WITH THE
NORTHERN ROCKIES TROUGH AS IT LIFTS INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS. TREND
IS A BIT STRONGER WITH TROUGHING AS IT LIFTS ACROSS THE NORTHERN
PLAINS TOWARD NORTHERN MN/WESTERN ONT TONIGHT/SUN. PLENTY OF DETAIL
DIFFERENCES WITH SMALLER SCALE FEATURES THRU THE SOUTHWEST FLOW
ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS INTO UPPER MIDWEST AHEAD OF THE TROUGH.
CHECK OF OBS VS. MODEL DATA AT 06Z SHOWED MODELS TO BE REASONABLE
WITH THE SFC MASS FIELDS OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS...BUT SFC PRESSURE
FIELDS QUITE DISTURBED FROM EASTERN NEB TO WI BY ALL THE ONGOING
CONVECTION. PER WV IMAGERY...ECMWF LOOKS BEST WITH THE CENTRAL CONUS
SHORTWAVE DETAILS. MOST OF THE OTHERS LOOK TO SUFFER SOME FORM OF
CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK WITH COMPACT/STRONG VORTICITY MAXIMA OVER THE
NORTHERN PLAINS/UPPER MIDWEST. ECMWF/GEM/SREF LOOKED BETTER WITH
THE 00-06Z PRECIP OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST...NAM/GFS WERE TOO FAR
SOUTH WITH CONVECTION OVER IA. LOCAL/REGIONAL WRF MODELS CATCHING
ONTO CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION EARLY THIS MORNING. FIRST TO CATCH IT WERE
THE ARX-WRF AND EAST-ARW. GIVEN THE MODEL DIFFERENCES AND THEIR
IMPACTS ON THE SENSIBLE WEATHER THRU THE WEEKEND...SHORT TERM FCST
CONFIDENCE IS BELOW AVERAGE. GENERALLY FAVORED A MODEL/ENSEMBLE
CONSENSUS...WEIGHTED TOWARD THE NON GFS/NAM MODELS.

FAVORING THE SUITE OF LOCAL/REGIONAL HIGH-RES WRF MODELS...CONVECTION
WILL BE ONGOING ACROSS AT LEAST PORTIONS OF THE AREA THIS MORNING AS
THE LOW LEVEL JET/MOISTURE TRANSPORT/THETA-E CONVERGENCE VEERS ACROSS
MN/IA/WI. TRENDED SHRA/TSRA CHANCES TOWARD 70-80 PERCENT ACROSS MUCH
OF THE FCST AREA AT 12Z...THEN TRENDING DOWNWARD THRU THE MORNING.
ONLY CARRIED 20-40 PERCENT SHRA/TSRA CHANCES ACROSS MAINLY THE
NORTHWEST/NORTH PARTS OF THE FCST AREA THIS AFTERNOON...CLOSER TO THE
MAIN TROUGH/FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND THE MID LEVEL WARMING/CAPPING
BUILDING OVER THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE FCST AREA. WITH WHAT LOOKS
TO BE A BREAK LATER THIS MORNING/AFTERNOON...WILL NOT EXTEND FLASH
FLOOD WATCH BEYOND ITS CURRENT 17Z END TIME. MOISTURE TRANSPORT
INCREASES INTO THE AREA AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON WITH 2K-3K J/KG OF
CAPE AND SOUNDINGS SHOWING MINIMAL CAPPING...WILL LEAVE A 20-40
PERCENT SHRA/TSRA CHANCE THRU THE AFTERNOON. GIVEN THE /FAT/ CAPES...
STORMS THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY THIS EVENING WOULD POSE A THREAT OF
LARGE HAIL. APPEARS AREA MAY GET MORE OF A BREAK FROM THE WIDESPREAD
CONVECTION TONIGHT/EARLY SUN AS THE MAIN TROUGH/FRONT WITH ITS
CONVERGENCE/LIFT MOVE NORTH OF THE AREA. LEFT SHRA/TSRA CHANCES
TONIGHT MAINLY IN THE 20-40 PERCENT RANGE. DAY CREW WILL HAVE TO RE-
EVALUATE THE HYDRO SITUATION...WATCH TRENDS THRU THE DAY AND SEE
WHICH IF ANY OF THE MODELS ARE MORE CORRECT WITH CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION
THE NEXT 24-36HRS.

BY SUN AFTERNOON THE MAIN MID LEVEL TROUGH LIFTING INTO NORTHWEST MN
PUSHES THE SFC-850MB FRONT/TROUGH BACK TO THE SOUTHEAST. FORCING/
LIFT AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE PUSHING INTO THE AIRMASS OVER THE AREA
WITH SOME 2K-3K J/KG MU CAPE AND PW VALUES OF 1.5 TO 2 INCHES SHOULD
IGNITE ANOTHER ROUND OF SHRA/TSRA WITH HEAVY RAIN AND SEVERE
POTENTIAL. GIVEN THE RECENT RAINS APPEARS ANOTHER FLASH FLOOD WATCH
MAY BE NEEDED SUN AFTERNOON/EVENING.

HIGH TEMPERATURES TODAY/SUN REMAIN TRICKY...BASED ON WHEN CONVECTION
WOULD CLEAR THE AREA AND HOW QUICKLY CLOUDS THIN/CLEAR AND ALLOW
FOR SOME SUNSHINE. GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTIES...STAYED NEAR THE MODEL/
ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS FOR HIGHS/LOWS TODAY THRU SUN.

.LONG TERM...(SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 349 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

MODEL CONSENSUS CONTINUES TO IMPROVE FOR SUN NIGHT THRU MON NIGHT AS
THE MID LEVEL TROUGH LIFTS INTO ONT AND HGTS RISE OVER THE REGION.
HOWEVER THE LOWER LEVEL PATTERN REMAINS ACTIVE/UNSETTLED...WITH
PLENTY OF MODEL DETAIL DIFFERENCES. FCST CONFIDENCE IN THIS PERIOD
REMAINS BELOW AVERAGE. THE PASSING MID LEVEL TROUGH PUSHES THE WEAK
SFC TROUGH/FRONT INTO ACROSS THE AREA SUN NIGHT. SHRA/TSRA CHANCES IN
THE 50-70 PERCENT RANGE SUN NIGHT LOOK REASONABLE. GIVEN THE
FORCING...STRONG INSTABILITY AND INCREASED WINDS/SHEAR ALOFT...TSRA
SUN NIGHT COULD BE SEVERE WITH THREATS OF WINDS AND HAIL. THE
TROUGH/FRONT FROM SUN/AFTERNOON/EVENING LIFTS BACK NORTH ALREADY ON
ON MON...PROVIDING FOCUS FOR CONVERGENCE/LIFT AND SHRA/TSRA
FORMATION...THIS AS MODELS SHOW POTENTIAL FOR ONE OR MORE SHORTWAVES
TO BE RIPPLING THRU THE FLOW AND ACROSS THE REGION. CONTINUED 20-40
PERCENT SHRA/TSRA CHANCES MON. LOW LEVEL JET/MOISTURE TRANSPORT/
THETA-E CONVERGENCE INCREASE INTO THE AREA MON NIGHT AS THIS BOUNDARY
LIFTS NORTH ACROSS THE AREA. CARRIED 30-50 PERCENT SHRA/TSRA CHANCES
MON NIGHT.

GIVEN THE LOWER CONFIDENCE ON THE CONVECTIVE DETAILS...USED A
MODEL/ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS FOR LOWS/HIGHS SUN NIGHT THRU MON NIGHT.

WITH ALL THE SHORT TERM CONCERNS AND UNCERTAINTIES...NOT MUCH TIME
SPENT LOOKING AT THE DAY 4-7 PERIOD. MEDIUM RANGE MODEL RUNS OF
22.00Z DO OFFER SOME CONSENSUS FOR A FLAT WEST TO SOUTHWEST FLOW
ALOFT OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS TUE/WED...WITH SHORTWAVES TO BE
RIPPLING THRU THIS FLOW AND ACROSS THE REGION. LONGER TERM FCST
CONFIDENCE AVERAGE. WITH THE MOIST/UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE AND ONE
OR MORE BOUNDARIES FLOATING AROUND THE REGION...SHRA/TSRA CHANCES
LOOK TO CONTINUE TUE THRU AT LEAST WED NIGHT. BY THU MODELS POINT TO
RIDGING BUILDING OVER THE WESTERN CONUS AND THE FLOW ALOFT OVER THE
UPPER MIDWEST BECOMING NORTHWEST FOR THU/FRI. THIS NORTHWEST FLOW
WOULD DRIVE SOME DRIER/COOLER AIR FROM SOUTH CENTRAL CAN/NORTHERN
PLAINS...AND DECREASING SHRA/TSRA CHANCES...INTO THE AREA FOR THE
LATER PARTS OF THE WEEK. MODEL/ENSEMBLE CONSENSUS HIGHS/LOWS FOR
TUE THRU FRI LOOK WELL TRENDED FOR NOW.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY NIGHT)
ISSUED AT 1212 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

CONVECTION HAS BEEN STEADILY INCREASING SOUTH OF THE TAF SITES
THIS EVENING AS THE LOW LEVEL JET INTERSECTS THE SURFACE BOUNDARY
SITTING ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA. EXPECT TO SEE THIS AREA FILL IN
WITH CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AND LIFT TO THE NORTH AND THEN MERGE WITH
THE ACTIVITY COMING IN FROM SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. THIS ACTIVITY
SHOULD THEN PROGRESS EAST ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE LATE NIGHT
HOURS INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. CAN NOT RULE OUT SOME GUSTY
WINDS UNTIL THE MAIN BAND OF STORMS FROM THE WEST PASSES THROUGH
ALONG WITH IFR CONDITIONS IN THE RAIN. ONCE THE MAIN BAND GOES
THROUGH SHOULD CONTINUE TO SEE SOME SHOWERS AND OCCASIONAL
THUNDERSTORMS FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS WITH MVFR CONDITIONS POSSIBLE.
EXPECTING A RETURN TO VFR CONDITIONS ONCE THE RAIN ENDS AND THEN
THE QUESTION BECOMES WHEN AND WHERE THE NEXT ROUND OF CONVECTION
WILL FORM. THE 21.12Z HI-RES ARW HAS BEEN DOING A DECENT JOB IN
THIS PATTERN AND SHOWS THE SURFACE BOUNDARY REMAINING SOUTH OF THE
TAF SITES WITH ACTIVITY DEVELOPING IN THE LATE AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING AS THE NEXT SHORT WAVE TROUGH COMES
TOWARD THE AREA. CONFIDENCE ON THE TIMING AND PLACEMENT OF THIS IS
NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO GO BEYOND A VCTS AT THIS TIME.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...TONIGHT INTO SATURDAY
ISSUED AT 349 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH NOON TODAY. CONVECTION
SHOULD BE WANING/ENDING THRU THE MORNING...WITH PLENTY OF
UNCERTAINTY CONCERNING REDEVELOPMENT AND EVOLUTION THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. HEAVY RAINS FROM FRI EVENING/EARLY THIS MORNING WERE
NOT AS WIDESPREAD AS THE NIGHT BEFORE. CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON/
EVENING APPEARS AS THOUGH IT MAY BE MORE SCATTERED AND PROGRESSIVE
THUS WILL NOT BE EXTENDING THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME.

MAIN FORCING/LIFT LOOK TO LIFT NORTH OF THE FCST AREA FOR TONIGHT/
SUN MORNING...BUT STRONGER FORCING /IN THE FORM OF A PASSING MID
LEVEL TROUGH AND APPROACHING SFC-850MB TROUGH/FRONT/ MOVES BACK
INTO THE AREA SUN AFTERNOON/EVENING. MORE WIDESPREAD CONVECTION...
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...LOOKS LIKELY AS THESE FEATURES
PASS. APPEARS A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE NEEDED AGAIN SUN
AFTERNOON INTO SUN NIGHT.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL NOON CDT TODAY FOR WIZ017-029-032>034-
     041>044-053>055-061.

MN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL NOON CDT TODAY FOR MNZ079-086>088-
     094>096.

IA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH UNTIL NOON CDT TODAY FOR IAZ008>011-018-019-
     029-030.

&&

SHORT TERM...RRS
LONG TERM....RRS
AVIATION.....04
HYDROLOGY....RRS

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 22, 3:45 AM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
445 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-
032>034-041>044-053>055-061-231100-
ADAMS-ALLAMAKEE-BUFFALO-CHICKASAW-CLARK-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-DODGE-
FAYETTE-FILLMORE-FLOYD-GRANT-HOUSTON-HOWARD-JACKSON-JUNEAU-LA
CROSSE-MITCHELL-MONROE-MOWER-OLMSTED-RICHLAND-TAYLOR-TREMPEALEAU-
VERNON-WABASHA-WINNESHIEK-WINONA-
445 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
MINNESOTA...NORTHEAST IOWA...AND SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH NOON. THERE IS A SLIGHT
RISK OF SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG TO
DAMAGING WINDS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING. FLASH
FLOODING COULD RESULT. THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING
COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE
AREA SUNDAY AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 90 ON MONDAY.

PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN ARE
EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THE SEVERE RISKS SUNDAY AND
MONDAY WOULD MAINLY BE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THE
MAIN SEVERE THREATS WOULD BE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND THE
HEAVY RAINS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FLASH FLOODING. IT IS TOO EARLY TO
DETERMINE IF ANY THUNDERSTORMS ON WEDNESDAY OR THURSDAY POSE A
SEVERE THREAT.

AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES IN THE 90S ARE LIKELY EACH DAY. AS THE HEAT
INDICES INCREASE...SO DOES THE CONCERN FOR HEAT-RELATED ISSUES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED FROM TIME TO TIME FROM THIS
AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. RAINFALL REPORTS WOULD BE GREATLY
APPRECIATED THIS MORNING.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

NO WEBINAR IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED.

RRS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 22, 3:55 AM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
455 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

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

0454 AM     FLASH FLOOD      STEUBEN                 43.18N 90.86W
06/22/2013                   CRAWFORD           WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WATER OVER SOME ROADS AT TIMES NEAR STEUBEN. MUDSLIDES
            ALSO REPORTED AROUND COUNTY. SPORADIC TREE DAMAGE.

&&

SHEA

Special weather statement, Jun 22, 4:00 AM CST, 1 hour before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
500 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

WIZ054-221100-
CRAWFORD-
500 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING CRAWFORD COUNTY...

AT 456 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
FROM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF RUSH CREEK TO 13 MILES NORTHWEST OF PRAIRIE
DU CHIEN...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH MAY ACCOMPANY THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN.

PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER. MOVE INDOORS AND IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED...TAKE ACTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CRAWFORD COUNTY UNTIL
730 AM.

JW

Local storm report, Jun 22, 4:07 AM CST, 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
507 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

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

0506 AM     HEAVY RAIN       WAUKON                  43.27N 91.48W
06/22/2013  M1.50 INCH       ALLAMAKEE          IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            OVER PAST HOUR. CLOSE TO 3 INCHES SINCE MIDNIGHT AT
            COURTHOUSE.

&&

SHEA

Local storm report, Jun 22, 4:09 AM CST, 51 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
509 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

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

0508 AM     HEAVY RAIN       BOSCOBEL                43.14N 90.70W
06/22/2013  M4.90 INCH       GRANT              WI   PARK/FOREST SRVC

            SINCE MIDNIGHT

&&

SHEA

Special weather statement, Jun 22, 4:24 AM CST, 36 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
524 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

IAZ011-030-WIZ053>055-061-221130-
ALLAMAKEE-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-GRANT-RICHLAND-VERNON-
524 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

AT 520 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM
FAIRVIEW TO MOTOR...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WILL ACCOMPANY
THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN...GARNAVILLO...GUTTENBERG...BLOOMINGTON...CASSVILLE
AND BOSCOBEL.

HEAVY RAIN COULD LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. STAY CLEAR OF DRAINAGE
AREAS AND AVOID AREAS OF HIGH WATER.

JW

Special weather statement, Jun 22, 4:50 AM CST, 10 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
550 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

MNZ088-096-WIZ041-042-053-221145-
HOUSTON-LA CROSSE-MONROE-VERNON-WINONA-
550 AM CDT SAT JUN 22 2013

AT 543 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM LA
CROSSE TO CALEDONIA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WILL ACCOMPANY THESE
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HOLMEN...BROWNSVILLE...ONALASKA AND FRENCH ISLAND.

LIGHTNING CAN BE A KILLER AND MAY STRIKE MILES AWAY FROM THE STORM.
MOVE INDOORS OR FIND A VEHICLE TO SHELTER IN.

JW

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy rain, 3 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Clayton

When: June 22, 5:00 AM CST to June 23, 5:00 AM CST
Where: Clayton County, 0.69 mi N of Guttenburg
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 42.790, -91.100

The COOP observer at the Guttenberg Lock and Dam reported 4.05 inches of rain.

Heavy Rain, Allamakee

When: June 22, 6:00 AM CST to June 23, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Allamakee County, 0.5 mi E of Chester
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 43.470, -91.510

The COOP observer in Dorchester reported 3.36 inches of rain.

Heavy Rain, Allamakee

When: June 22, 6:07 AM CST to June 23, 6:07 AM CST
Where: Allamakee County, 3.32 mi WNW of Waukon Jct
Reported by: Mesonet
Coordinates: 43.170, -91.240

The mesonet observing equipment near the Yellow River southeast of Waterville measured 4 inches of rain.

Heavy Rain, Winneshiek

When: June 22, 8:52 AM CST to June 23, 8:52 AM CST
Where: Winneshiek County, 0.86 mi NE of Calmar
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.190, -91.870

In Calmar, 3.5 inches of rain was reported.

Flash Flood, Allamakee

When: June 22, 11:25 PM CST to June 23, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Allamakee County, 1.2 mi SSE of Lansing to 3.87 mi E of New Albin
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $6.4 million
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.364, -91.219

Mudslides occurred over the eastern section of the county from Lansing to north of Harpers Ferry covering portions of County Road X52. Other flash flooding occurred over much of the county. A campground in the Yellow River State Forest had to be evacuated with 80 campers moved to community building in Harpers Ferry. No injuries occurred, but one car was swept away by flood waters on Little Paint Creek. In Waukon, a number of businesses had water up to two feet deep in them with basements completely filled with water. The flooding also caused the utility company to shut off natural gas service to about 60 customers to prevent the possibility of gas leaks to appliances that could have been submerged and pilot lights extinguished. Homes in the Lansing area were damaged by the mudslides with a least one home knocked off its foundation and evacuations of other homes were required along Wall Street.

Flash Flood, Howard

When: June 22, 11:50 PM CST to June 23, 6:00 AM CST
Where: Howard County, 5.21 mi NNE of Riceville to 7.56 mi SSE of Florenceville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.443, -92.525

Heavy rain pushed the Upper Iowa River and numerous smaller streams that drain into the Upper Iowa River out of their banks. The water covered several roads across the northern portion of Howard County.

Flash Flood, Winneshiek

When: June 23, 2:08 AM CST to 6:00 AM CST
Where: Winneshiek County, 4.95 mi ESE of Castalia to 2.67 mi NE of Highlandville
Cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: $900,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 43.097, -91.607

Heavy rain caused flash flooding to occur across Winneshiek County, especially the northern sections. Rapidly rising waters along the Upper Iowa River caused a campground in Bluffton to be evacuated and covered numerous roads in Burr Oak Township stranding residences.

Flood, Floyd

When: June 24, 3:15 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
Where: Floyd County, 0.79 mi E of Charles City to 1.67 mi ESE of Charles City
Cause: Heavy Rain
Reported by: River/Stream Gage
Coordinates: 43.069, -92.684

Runoff from heavy rain pushed the Cedar River out of its banks in Charles City. The river crested just over flood stage at 12.18 feet.

What these are

Heavy Rain: Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
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 2013 Every state in 2013 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, June 2013

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: 457743, 457745, 457746, 457748, 457696, 457725, 457728, 457923.