Minnesota snow melt in early March resulted in rising river levels along the Des Moines River and ultimately a short time in minor flood stage in Estherville on March 9th.
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The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.
Minnesota snow melt in early March resulted in rising river levels along the Des Moines River and ultimately a short time in minor flood stage in Estherville on March 9th.
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 Mar 9, 5:30 AM CST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 630 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2020 .DISCUSSION.../Today through Sunday/ Issued at 435 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2020 Today will be vastly different from the weekend. A strong shortwave will lift out the the central/southern Plains across the region today while at the surface, a cold front which is currently from Albert Lea, MN to Webster City to Omaha, NE will make its way across Iowa bringing in cooler temperatures. Rain began lifting thorugh southern Iowa overnight and will continue to spread north this morning. Rainfall will be light north but central and southern Iowa could easily see between a half inch to one inch of rain. Additionally weak instability and impressive lift associated with a weak wave lifting across the area ahead of the main wave brought a couple of rumbles of thunder across northern Missouri, southern Iowa and into east central Iowa. There is some indication that a second area of instability tied to the frontal passage will bring an isolated rumble of thunder possibly to southeast Iowa but the main threat area for this second area is Missouri. For now I mention slight chance for thunder over a small potion of southern Iowa. Across the north, soundings show a bit of a warm nose aloft from Sioux City eastward towards Algona exists with surface temps below freezing. However whether we will see precip that far northwest is somewhat in question. The forecast right now calls for a brief period of a wintry mix across the northwest changing back to rain before the precip ends. Low clouds will also sock in today so the low clouds and rain and cooler temps will make for a dismal Monday. High pressure builds into the state tonight and Tuesday bringing drier conditions and some sun to the state at least for Tuesday morning. Tuesday afternoon another shortwave, this one weaker than the one today, will push in from the northern Plains increasing clouds north and west and introducing some chance for rain across the area by late Tuesday afternoon but especially Tuesday evening. This system clears out Wednesday morning bringing clearing skies and a dry rest of the day. Temperatures while cooler than what we have seen, will still be rather mild with daytime highs in the 40s and 50s and lows mainly in the 30s. Beginning Thursday, model agreement and consistency are not good causing low confidence in the forecast. The Euro is a little stronger with shortwaves passing through and a little more bullish on QPF as well. Timing and targeted precip areas also vary from model to model. Another shortwave is progged to pass through Iowa Thursday and while most of the area will be dry the Euro hints at northern Iowa seeing some better precip while the GFS hints at light precip across the south. All models are consistent with dry conditions Thursday night and Friday. Colder air will be pushing in along with a little stronger shortwave for Friday night and the weekend. Precip chances return for the weekend with rain during the day and snow or a rain/snow mix at night. Again, confidence is low in location and timing that far out but this will be something to watch as we head through the week. && .AVIATION.../For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Tuesday morning/ Issued at 630 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2020 Periods of rain are expected through 10/00Z. Widespread IFR with some LIFR cigs are forecast today and into the evening southeast before improving to VFR after 06Z. ISOLD TSRA are possible INVOF KOTM mainly 18Z-21Z. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && DISCUSSION...FAB AVIATION...FAB
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Des Moines IA 406 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2020 IAZ004-101100- Emmet- 406 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight A River Flood Warning is in effect for the West Fork Des Moines River at Estherville due to upstream snowmelt. Please refer to the National Weather Service website for more details at weather.gov/desmoines. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday A River Flood Warning will remain in effect early this week for the West Fork Des Moines River at Estherville due to upstream snowmelt. Please refer to the National Weather Service website for more details at weather.gov/desmoines. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters will not be needed at this time. IAZ005>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>059-101100- Kossuth-Winnebago-Worth-Palo Alto-Hancock-Cerro Gordo-Pocahontas- Humboldt-Wright-Franklin-Butler-Bremer-Sac-Calhoun-Webster- Hamilton-Hardin-Grundy-Black Hawk-Crawford-Carroll-Greene-Boone- Story-Marshall-Tama-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas- 406 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters will not be needed at this time. IAZ060>062-070>075-081>086-092>097-101100- Polk-Jasper-Poweshiek-Cass-Adair-Madison-Warren-Marion-Mahaska- Adams-Union-Clarke-Lucas-Monroe-Wapello-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur- Wayne-Appanoose-Davis- 406 AM CDT Mon Mar 9 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight An isolated non severe thunderstorms is possible today. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters will not be needed at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The Des Moines River at Estherville was in flood stage from 8am 1400 UTC to 1930 UTC including a crest of 10.69 at 1715 UTC.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, March 2020
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: 882951.