4,632 first-hand accounts of flood events in Iowa, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.
A warm front extended from a low pressure area over northeast Nebraska, southeast through central into southeast Iowa. A cold front extended south from the low into Kansas. South of the warm front, dew point temperatures were in the low 70s.
Read the full account →A very active weather pattern was in place over the central U.S. A strong west-northwest wind flow was in place over the state. Meanwhile a warm front was lifting north from the southern Plains.
Read the full account →Another round of convection developed over Iowa during the afternoon hours as warm and unstable air was drawn north over the top of the outflow boundary left behind from convection during the mid day hours. Very heavy rain fell along the arc of the outflow boundary.
Read the full account →The Cedar River experienced record flooding due to excessive rainfall amounts. On the 19th, the river crested at 18.26 feet at Charles City (Floyd County). Two days later on the 21st, the river had an all-time record crest at Charles City of 22.80 feet.
Read the full account →A strong low pressure developed over eastern Colorado and moved southeast into northern Oklahoma by the 24th. Deep moisture was pulled north ahead of the low with surface dew points in the low 70s reaching northern Oklahoma.
Read the full account →Heavy rain-producing showers and thunderstorms moved across much of eastern Iowa and northwest and west central Illinois from the evening of May 25th to the early morning of May 26th. Some of the stronger storms also produced tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail.
Read the full account →Heavy rains during the last week of August resulted in the Wapsipinicon River near De Witt going above the moderate flood stage level of 11.5 feet around 145 am on August 27.
Read the full account →Heavy rains during the last week of August resulted in the Wapsipinicon River near De Witt going above the moderate flood stage level of 11.5 feet around 145 am on August 27.
Read the full account →A very warm and humid airmass was in place over Iowa on the 11th. During the previous two days, strong capping was in place across the state. A cold front began to move into the state on the 11th as upper level heights and temperatures began to fall.
Read the full account →Deep moisture moved into Iowa as a strong shortwave moved into the central U.S. Moisture from former hurricane Norbert moved into the central U.S. as a low pressure system developed over Kansas.
Read the full account →A very dynamic weather pattern was in place over the central U.S. on the 3rd. A strong short wave moved out of the Rockies onto the Plains during the day. Thunderstorms formed early in Nebraska and South Dakota.
Read the full account →A record rain event in May in eastern Montana combined with high water from other storms in April and May and brought high water to the Missouri River chain of reservoirs. Water levels were further increased by the melting of a above normal snow pack in the northern Rockies.
Read the full account →A record rain event in May in eastern Montana combined with other storms in April and May plus early spring snow melt and brought record high water to the Missouri River chain of reservoirs.
Read the full account →Flooding continued along a large part of the Des Moines River Basin from the previous month. The flooding ended in the Stratford area by the afternoon of the 1st, however releases from Saylorville and Red Rock Reservoirs maintained river stages above flood stage through the…
Read the full account →Heavy rain that fell across the state in mid-December led to river flooding at many locations across central and southern Iowa. The ground was already saturated from a wet fall, with new rainfall of one to 3 inches fell across the area in a two-day span.
Read the full account →Heavy rain that fell across the state in mid-December led to river flooding at many locations across central and southern Iowa. The ground was already saturated from a wet fall, with new rainfall of one to 3 inches fell across the area in a two-day span.
Read the full account →Heavy rain that fell across the state in mid-December led to river flooding at many locations across central and southern Iowa. The ground was already saturated from a wet fall, with new rainfall of one to 3 inches fell across the area in a two-day span.
Read the full account →Heavy rains during the second and third weeks of June resulted in the Skunk River at Sigourney going above the moderate flood stage level of 18 feet on June 12 around 11 pm. It crested above major flood stage around 22.2 feet at 7 am June 16.
Read the full account →The outflow boundary from the previous night's convection was draped across southern Iowa east to west. As the low level jet increased to 30 kts during the evening, thunderstorms broke out north of the boundary and moved across central and southern Iowa.
Read the full account →A mesoscale convective complex developed over eastern Nebraska and advanced into Iowa during the early morning hours. The problem was with the heavy rainfall. A narrow band of heavy rain fell across parts of central Iowa.
Read the full account →Another round of convection developed over Iowa during the afternoon hours as warm and unstable air was drawn north over the top of the outflow boundary left behind from convection during the mid day hours. Very heavy rain fell along the arc of the outflow boundary.
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 →The pattern remained much unchanged from what it was the previous day. The dynamics were a bit weaker than the previous night, but high precipitable water values remained with about 1.75 inches indicated.
Read the full account →The pattern remained much unchanged from what it was the previous day. The dynamics were a bit weaker than the previous night, but high precipitable water values remained with about 1.75 inches indicated.
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