With a move towards more near-normal temperatures and near-normal to above-normal precipitation for the month of July, drought status reductions from D2 - Severe Drought to D1 - Moderate Drought or D0 - Abnormally Dry were experienced across portions of central and western Iowa. While streamflow also remained below normal, improvement was experienced in many of the area streams and rivers.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
With a move towards more near-normal temperatures and near-normal to above-normal precipitation for the month of July, drought status reductions from D2 - Severe Drought to D1 - Moderate Drought or D0 - Abnormally Dry were experienced across portions of central and western Iowa. While streamflow also remained below normal, improvement was experienced in many of the area streams and rivers.
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 Jun 30, 10:33 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1133 PM CDT Wed Jun 30 2021 ...Aviation Update... .DISCUSSION.../Tonight through Wednesday/ Issued at 250 PM CDT Wed Jun 30 2021 Key Points: -Isolated showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening -Drier through the holiday weekend with warming and thunderstorm chances returning early next week Details: Today has been similar to the proceeding few days with continued shower and thunderstorm activity focused over southern Iowa. With the trough axis shifting east some, southeast Iowa has not seen the widespread precipitation shield that was in place yesterday, however scattered convection has bubbled within the weak convergent zone across the south. Once again the lower level conditions exhibit 100-200 J/kg of MLCAPE with decent surface vorticity, supporting funnel cloud development with any convective activity. By Thursday the trough retreats towards the great lakes region, removing much of the convective focus. A few diurnally driven showers or thunderstorms are possible east tomorrow afternoon, however with the main impetus for forcing east of the confidence in development towards central Iowa is fairly low. High pressure builds into the area for the end of the week and into the holiday weekend. Initial northeast flow will allow for low dewpoints and afternoon highs in the low to mid 80s. The large thermal ridge translates east later in the weekend, increasing southerly flow and moisture transport back into the state. By early next week humidity and heat return to the area and with it additional chances for thunderstorms activity. The warm and humid airmass will be supportive of convective development, however within the weak flow regime the severe threat will be limited. Storm motion would typically be very slow in this set up, so localized heavy rain could be a concern. && .AVIATION.../For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night/ Issued at 1131 PM CDT Wed Jun 30 2021 Latest observations and model guidance suggest the potential for some pockets of fog/visby reductions across far southern Iowa tonight into Thursday morning. Included mention of MVFR conditions at KOTM to highlight the fog potential, although confidence in coverage is not overly high at this time. Otherwise VFR conditions prevail through the TAF period. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && DISCUSSION...Hagenhoff AVIATION...Martin
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Des Moines IA 246 PM CDT Wed Jun 30 2021 IAZ057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097-011115- Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Polk-Jasper-Poweshiek-Cass-Adair-Madison- Warren-Marion-Mahaska-Adams-Union-Clarke-Lucas-Monroe-Wapello- Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-Wayne-Appanoose-Davis- 246 PM CDT Wed Jun 30 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...Tonight Isolated thunderstorms are possible over far southern Iowa into the evening. However, severe weather is not anticipated. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Thunderstorms return to the state by next Monday and Tuesday. However, the probability of severe weather is low at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed. IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-011115- Emmet-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- 246 PM CDT Wed Jun 30 2021 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Thunderstorms return to the state by next Monday and Tuesday. However, the probability of severe weather is low at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
A return to near-normal temperatures and near to above-normal precipitation allowed areas of central and western Iowa to see drought reductions from D2 - Severe Drought to D1 - Moderate Drought or D0 - Abnormally Dry conditions.
A return to near-normal temperatures and near to above-normal precipitation allowed areas of central and western Iowa to see drought reductions from D2 - Severe Drought to D1 - Moderate Drought or D0 - Abnormally Dry conditions.
A return to near-normal temperatures and near to above-normal precipitation allowed areas of central and western Iowa to see drought reductions from D2 - Severe Drought to D1 - Moderate Drought or D0 - Abnormally Dry conditions.
A return to near-normal temperatures and near to above-normal precipitation allowed areas of central and western Iowa to see drought reductions from D2 - Severe Drought to D1 - Moderate Drought or D0 - Abnormally Dry conditions.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, July 2021
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: 976723, 976724, 976725, 976726.