4,632 first-hand accounts of flood events in Iowa, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.
A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa during the late afternoon and evening of the 22nd. Surface temperatures warmed into the upper 80s to low 90s over much of the state with dew point temperatures rising into the mid 70s to low 80s.
Read the full account →A nearly stationary front was located across southeast Iowa. A strong upper level low pressure system lifted northeast across the central U.S. An area of thunderstorms developed along the front and trained northeast across southeast Iowa.
Read the full account →A very unstable atmosphere was in place over Iowa with CAPE values around 2000 J/kg and lifted indices in the -8 to -10 C range. Precipitable water increased to around 2.25 inches along a boundary that extended from northeast into west central Iowa.
Read the full account →An extremely unstable airmass remained in place over Iowa on the afternoon of the 26th. Low pressure was over southeast South Dakota, with a warm front extending east-southeast into east central Iowa and a cold front extending southwest into northwest Kansas.
Read the full account →An extremely unstable airmass remained in place over Iowa on the afternoon of the 26th. Low pressure was over southeast South Dakota, with a warm front extending east-southeast into east central Iowa and a cold front extending southwest into northwest Kansas.
Read the full account →A nearly stationary front was located across southeast Iowa. A strong upper level low pressure system lifted northeast across the central U.S. An area of thunderstorms developed along the front and trained northeast across southeast Iowa.
Read the full account →An extremely unstable airmass remained in place over Iowa on the afternoon of the 26th. Low pressure was over southeast South Dakota, with a warm front extending east-southeast into east central Iowa and a cold front extending southwest into northwest Kansas.
Read the full account →A nearly stationary front was located across southeast Iowa. A strong upper level low pressure system lifted northeast across the central U.S. An area of thunderstorms developed along the front and trained northeast across southeast Iowa.
Read the full account →An unstable airmass remained in place over Iowa. CAPE values were in the 3000 to 5000 J/kg range with lifted indices in the -5 to -10 C range. A frontal boundary shifted south during the late afternoon and evening.
Read the full account →Once again the atmosphere over Iowa became very unstable during the peak heating of the day. CAPE rose to 3500-4500 J/kg by the mid to late afternoon with lifted indices of -8 to -10 C.
Read the full account →Once again the atmosphere over Iowa became very unstable during the peak heating of the day. CAPE rose to 3500-4500 J/kg by the mid to late afternoon with lifted indices of -8 to -10 C.
Read the full account →Once again the atmosphere over Iowa became very unstable during the peak heating of the day. CAPE rose to 3500-4500 J/kg by the mid to late afternoon with lifted indices of -8 to -10 C.
Read the full account →Once again the atmosphere over Iowa became very unstable during the peak heating of the day. CAPE rose to 3500-4500 J/kg by the mid to late afternoon with lifted indices of -8 to -10 C.
Read the full account →Once again the atmosphere over Iowa became very unstable during the peak heating of the day. CAPE rose to 3500-4500 J/kg by the mid to late afternoon with lifted indices of -8 to -10 C.
Read the full account →Once again the atmosphere over Iowa became very unstable during the peak heating of the day. CAPE rose to 3500-4500 J/kg by the mid to late afternoon with lifted indices of -8 to -10 C.
Read the full account →Once again the atmosphere over Iowa became very unstable during the peak heating of the day. CAPE rose to 3500-4500 J/kg by the mid to late afternoon with lifted indices of -8 to -10 C.
Read the full account →A cold front entered the state from the northwest. The atmosphere became very unstable with CAPE rising to near 5000 J/kg and lifted indices falling to around -10 C.
Read the full account →An unstable airmass remained in place over Iowa. CAPE values were in the 3000 to 5000 J/kg range with lifted indices in the -5 to -10 C range. A frontal boundary shifted south during the late afternoon and evening.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. Afternoon temperatures warmed into the upper 80s to mid 90s, with dewpoint readings in the upper 70s to low 80s. A weak boundary extended out of eastern Nebraska across northern Iowa. This boundary helped to focus moisture.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. Afternoon temperatures warmed into the upper 80s to mid 90s, with dewpoint readings in the upper 70s to low 80s. A weak boundary extended out of eastern Nebraska across northern Iowa. This boundary helped to focus moisture.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. Afternoon temperatures warmed into the upper 80s to mid 90s, with dewpoint readings in the upper 70s to low 80s. A weak boundary extended out of eastern Nebraska across northern Iowa. This boundary helped to focus moisture.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. Afternoon temperatures warmed into the upper 80s to mid 90s, with dewpoint readings in the upper 70s to low 80s. A weak boundary extended out of eastern Nebraska across northern Iowa. This boundary helped to focus moisture.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. Afternoon temperatures warmed into the upper 80s to mid 90s, with dewpoint readings in the upper 70s to low 80s. A weak boundary extended out of eastern Nebraska across northern Iowa. This boundary helped to focus moisture.
Read the full account →A very unstable airmass was in place over Iowa. Afternoon temperatures warmed into the upper 80s to mid 90s, with dewpoint readings in the upper 70s to low 80s. A weak boundary extended out of eastern Nebraska across northern Iowa. This boundary helped to focus moisture.
Read the full account →