Dec 27, 2008
Very strong warming took place during the day on the 26th into the early morning hours of the 27th. Rapid melting took place and the water ran off into the Raccoon River. The river was ice covered and the ice became mobile. As it did, the ice jammed in many locations along the river with river levels rising to bank full quite rapidly. Water levels in the Des Moines area rose 7 feet in less than 3 hoiurs. The ice jam moved down the river slowly and became caught in western Polk County. Floo
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 139070). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.
This event is one of many recorded floods in Polk County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.