Severe drought persisted into the first half of July across a broad area of central Iowa. However, decent rainfall in mid month helped to alleviate conditions.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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.
Severe drought persisted into the first half of July across a broad area of central Iowa. However, decent rainfall in mid month helped to alleviate conditions.
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, 10:54 PM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Des Moines IA 1154 PM CDT Fri Jun 30 2023 ...Updated for the 06z Aviation Discussion... .DISCUSSION.../Tonight through Friday/ Issued at 259 PM CDT Fri Jun 30 2023 FORECAST HIGHLIGHTS: --Scattered storm chances tonight through Saturday. --Drier, warmer into Monday. --Storm chances return towards Tuesday/Wednesday. DISCUSSION: Yet another busy morning with storms moving across the area, the strongest of which were over southern Iowa with the Lamoni ASOS observing a 67 mph wind gust for the second day in a row. Unlike yesterday, storms lost their strength fairly quickly this morning with the end result being some much-needed rain with only some isolated strong wind gust or wind damage reports. Rainfall reports as of 18Z, for those that saw rain/storms, varied from a couple hundredths to over an inch at Lamoni! Behind the rain this morning, temperatures have been slower to recover with midday temperatures only in the upper 70s to low 80s across much of the area. Did lower max temps today a few degrees because of this. As we get into the rest of the short term forecast, there will be continued chances for scattered showers and storms through the day Saturday, with some showers/storms lingering into early Sunday for areas southeast. The associated cloud cover and shower/storms themselves will help keep temperatures a little cooler on Saturday, towards the upper 70s into the mid 80s, with overnight lows remaining more mild and in the 60s. Upper level trough that will help drive our Saturday precipitation chances lifts out of Northern Rockies and into the Upper Central Plains tonight before continuing eastward through the Central Midwest during the day Saturday. Ahead of this wave, a boundary sits along the IA/MN border this afternoon with a pool of moist, unstable air over northern Iowa where SPC Mesoanalysis shows MLCAPES of up to around 500 J/kg. Could see some scattered storm development in northern Iowa with various CAMS highlighting time frames of anywhere from 22/23Z to about 02/03Z tonight. Any storms that do form are not expected to be severe, but a stronger storm could have some lightning, a nice rainfall, and potenitial a few gusty winds. Do also want to point out that offices to our west have had some funnel cloud reports in parts of western Iowa early this afternoon, so don't want to complete rule out an isolated funnel report this afternoon as well. As we get towards later tonight - nearing the 06Z time frame and after, yet another round of storms look to develop and move into southern Iowa in the warm sector ahead the mid-level wave and with the left exit region of a roughly 30 knot LLJ nosing into northern Missouri. These storms look to gradually propagate east/northeast through the overnight hours with most CAMS gradually developing showers/storms through central Iowa into the morning hours Saturday. At this point, forecast reflects near-widespread low to moderate precipitation chances over much of the area with coverage expected to be scattered, and the higher/better chances closer to the location of the remaining (albeit weak) surface boundary. Severe weather chances look low at this point overnight, with better chances on Saturday afternoon southwest of the area since atmosphere recovery behind the storms through southern/central Iowa overnight into the morning hours Saturday will be challenging to come by. Won't completely rule out a scattered stronger storm with some gusty winds or maybe small hail. Will also be monitoring the landspout potential in northern Iowa again, as discussed in the previous discussion. Conditions start to dry out and gradually warm up again on Sunday behind the departing trough. There may be some wrap around showers/storms on Sunday in far southeast areas, but most will gradually clear up through the day. Surface high moves through on Monday keeping conditions quiet to start the week with storm chances returning to the forecast on Tuesday into Wednesday. Details remain limited at this point, but will be monitoring for stronger storm potential to end the 4th of July holiday as outlined in the CIPS/CSU Severe Weather outlooks. Temperatures increase into Tuesday before decreasing again Wednesday behind the cold front that will help spark our Tuesday/Wednesday precipitation chances. && .AVIATION.../For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Saturday night/ Issued at 1154 PM CDT Fri Jun 30 2023 Scattered thunderstorms will move across about the southern half of Iowa overnight into Saturday morning, and should diminish in coverage later in the morning before increasing again and a bit further north on Saturday afternoon. However, confidence in the details of timing and location of highest coverage is seasonably low. Have included VCTS lines in the 06Z TAFs, except for MCW where probability is lower, but amendments are likely overnight and Saturday based on short-term/radar trends. Outside of areas in and near thunderstorms, VFR conditions should prevail. && .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && DISCUSSION...KCM AVIATION...Lee
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Des Moines IA 239 PM CDT Fri Jun 30 2023 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075- 081>086-092>097-011945- 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-Audubon-Guthrie-Dallas-Polk-Jasper- Poweshiek-Cass-Adair-Madison-Warren-Marion-Mahaska-Adams-Union- Clarke-Lucas-Monroe-Wapello-Taylor-Ringgold-Decatur-Wayne- Appanoose-Davis- 239 PM CDT Fri Jun 30 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Iowa. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight Scattered thunderstorms are expected to redevelop this evening into tonight. The severe weather potential is low, although a few funnel clouds may be spotted. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Additional thunderstorms are likely Saturday and into Sunday morning, mainly central and south. At this time the severe potential remains low. Periodic chances for thunderstorms remain in the forecast for next week. At this time the most likely period is Tuesday night into Wednesday. The threat of severe weather is uncertain at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought conditions in Franklin County eased with decent mid month rainfall.
Severe drought conditions in Butler County eased with decent mid month rainfall.
Severe drought conditions in Bremer County eased with decent mid month rainfall.
Severe drought conditions in Grundy County eased with decent mid month rainfall.
Severe drought conditions in Black Hawk County eased with decent mid month rainfall.
Severe drought conditions in Tama County eased with decent mid month rainfall.
Severe drought conditions in Carroll County eased with decent mid month rainfall.
Severe drought conditions in Adams County eased with decent mid month rainfall.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, July 2023
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: 1108439, 1108440, 1108441, 1108442, 1108443, 1108444, 1108445, 1108446.