Iowa, 2018

Flooding and Heavy Rain in Iowa, October 1 to 2, 2018

October 1 to 2, 2018 · NWS DMX · 9 events in 2 counties and zones

A frontal boundary resided predominantly right along the Iowa-Missouri border and remained relatively stationary throughout the event. Beginning on September 30th, 850mb flow rode over the front and helped initiated elevated showers and weak storms that persisted (scattered in nature) form the late afternoon of the 30th through the late afternoon on the 1st.

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
None recorded
Crop damage
$100,000
Events
9

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 DMX wrote it up.

A frontal boundary resided predominantly right along the Iowa-Missouri border and remained relatively stationary throughout the event. Beginning on September 30th, 850mb flow rode over the front and helped initiated elevated showers and weak storms that persisted (scattered in nature) form the late afternoon of the 30th through the late afternoon on the 1st. While no severe weather was recorded, weak instability (MUCAPE under 1000 J/kg) and consistent moisture flow overriding the surface boundary, was able to produce total rainfall in excess of 3 inches. As a result, flooding was seen with numerous road closures across Black Hawk County.

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 Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 30, 10:59 PM CST, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 30, 10:59 PM CST, 1 hour 1 minute before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 flood, 3 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Rain, Black Hawk

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where
Black Hawk County, 1.47 mi SSW of Hudson
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
42.400, -92.460

Trained spotter reported heavy rainfall of 3.25 inches for the event. Time estimated from September 30th 5pm through October 1st 5pm. Due to limitations in entry, beginning time entered as midnight CST, October 1st.

Heavy Rain, Grundy

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Grundy County, 0.69 mi S of Grundy Center
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
42.360, -92.770

Emergency manager relayed a report of 2.65 inches of heavy rainfall. This is a delayed report. Time estimated. Due to limitations in entry, beginning time entered as midnight CST, October 1st.

Heavy Rain, Grundy

When
October 1, 12:00 AM CST to 2:00 PM CST
Where
Grundy County, 0.69 mi S of Dike
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
42.460, -92.630

Emergency manager relayed a report of heavy rainfall of 3.60 inches. This is a delayed report. Times estimated. Due to limitations in entry, beginning time entered as midnight CST, October 1st.

Flood, Black Hawk

When
October 1, 11:20 AM CST to October 2, 11:30 AM CST
Where
Black Hawk County, 2.12 mi SW of Evansdale to 1.38 mi NNE of Orange
Cause
Heavy Rain
Crop damage
$50,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
42.449, -92.311

Black Hawk County EM reported flooded roads between Orange Rd. and Shaulis Road. Several gravel roads were closed due to flooding throughout the county.

Flood, Grundy

When
October 1, 11:25 AM CST to October 2, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Grundy County, 2.23 mi NNE of Dike to 1.63 mi NNW of Wellsburg
Cause
Heavy Rain
Crop damage
$50,000
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
42.500, -92.616

Emergency manager reported that several creeks were out of their banks across the county.

Flood, Black Hawk

When
October 2, 7:08 AM CST to 11:30 AM CST
Where
Black Hawk County, 1.01 mi WNW of La Porte City Arpt to 0.87 mi W of La Porte City Arpt
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
42.328, -92.297

Black Hawk County EM reported Reinbeck Rd closed between Dysart Rd and Hammand Ave, as well was Hess Rd between Rama Rd and Reinbeck Rd closed.

Flood, Black Hawk

When
October 2, 7:08 AM CST to 11:30 AM CST
Where
Black Hawk County, 2.35 mi S of Waterloo Flyers Arpt to 2.34 mi NNE of La Porte City Arpt
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
42.386, -92.245

Black Hawk County EM reported the following roads closed due to flooding: Eastman Rd between Cotter Rd and Foulk Rd, Cotter Rd between Miller Creek Rd and Ripple Rd, and Miller Creek Rd between Highway 218 and Cotter Rd.

Flood, Black Hawk

When
October 2, 7:08 AM CST to 11:30 AM CST
Where
Black Hawk County, 1.59 mi S of Dunkerton Davis Arpt to 1.98 mi NW of Dunkerton Davis Arpt
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
42.597, -92.215

Black Hawk County EM reported the following roads closed due to flooding: Gresham Rd between Elk Run Rd and Crane Creek Rd, and Bennington Rd between Crane Creek Rd and Raymond Rd.

Flood, Black Hawk

When
October 2, 8:00 AM CST to 11:30 AM CST
Where
Black Hawk County, 2.98 mi ESE of Boies to 2.34 mi E of Raymond
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
42.597, -92.331

Black Hawk County Sheriff's Department reported numerous roads closed due to flooding throughout the county.

What these are

Heavy Rain
Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
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

More

Every storm in Iowa in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, October 2018

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 787206, 787212, 787213, 789945, 789942, 787207, 787209, 787210, 787211.