4,632 first-hand accounts of flood events in Iowa, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.
A considerable amount of snow had accumulated during the previous winter across northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. As the snow melted, river levels rose across northern Iowa with numerous sites reaching minor to moderate flood levels.
Read the full account →As has been the case in recent months, Iowa saw many large variations in temperature. The first six days of the month were much cooler than usual with temperatures falling to 20�� at Sibley and Spencer on the 3rd.
Read the full account →As has been the case in recent months, Iowa saw many large variations in temperature. The first six days of the month were much cooler than usual with temperatures falling to 20�� at Sibley and Spencer on the 3rd.
Read the full account →Relatively dry weather prevailed for the first week of June allowing the completion of nearly of all of the corn and soybean planting. However, rainfall was frequent and sometimes excessive from the 8th through the 22nd.
Read the full account →Unseasonably cold weather prevailed for the first ten days of the month with temperatures averaging 11.4�� below normal. However the second ten days of the month averaged 11.6�� above normal with daily maximum temperatures reaching into the mid 50���s or higher…
Read the full account →A warm front remained in place to the south of Iowa during the overnight hours of the 13th into the morning of the 14th. The airmass was very unstable to the south of the front with CAPE around 3500 J/kg and lifted indices of -7 to -9 C.
Read the full account →A strong upper level trough of low pressure moved out of the western U.S. into the central states on the morning of the 1st of October. A large area of rain and thunderstorms developed ahead of this trough on the north/cool side of an approaching warm frontal boundary located…
Read the full account →Intense thunderstorms developed in a very unstable atmosphere. Precipitable water values were over 2 inches, with K indices in the lower to middle 40s. Surface temperatures warmed into the lower 80s with dew point readings in the lower to middle 70s.
Read the full account →A major wind and significant flash flooding event took shape across Iowa during the afternoon and evening of the 25th. A dynamic upper level system approached Iowa from the northwest during the afternoon.
Read the full account →A major wind and significant flash flooding event took shape across Iowa during the afternoon and evening of the 25th. A dynamic upper level system approached Iowa from the northwest during the afternoon.
Read the full account →A major wind and significant flash flooding event took shape across Iowa during the afternoon and evening of the 25th. A dynamic upper level system approached Iowa from the northwest during the afternoon.
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 →After a brief break of about five hours, thunderstorms began to erupt in Iowa once again. As had been the case over the course of the previous several days to the north and west of Iowa, thunderstorms developed during the mid afternoon and became supercells within a short…
Read the full account →After a brief break of about five hours, thunderstorms began to erupt in Iowa once again. As had been the case over the course of the previous several days to the north and west of Iowa, thunderstorms developed during the mid afternoon and became supercells within a short…
Read the full account →Warm and moist air streamed into Iowa on 20 to 35 MPH surface winds from the south. By the late afternoon, temperatures over the southwest half of the state warmed into the mid 80s to around 90 with surface dew point temperatures in the low 60s.
Read the full account →The synoptic situation was very similar to what it was the previous day. A complex weather situation was in place due to the convection from the previous night. An outflow boundary extended east to west across northern Missouri.
Read the full account →A strong southerly flow developed over Iowa as a cold frontal boundary slid southeast into the state. Low level winds of 30 to 45 kts impinged on the front during the late afternoon and into the night.
Read the full account →A cold frontal boundary, which actually is the same boundary as had been over the state for the past several days, began to move southeast across the state during the late afternoon of the 23rd.
Read the full account →A cold frontal boundary, which actually is the same boundary as had been over the state for the past several days, began to move southeast across the state during the late afternoon of the 23rd.
Read the full account →A very strong upper level low pressure trough had carved out over the western U.S. Iowa was in the strong southwest flow on the front side of this system. A surface warm front lifted north into southwest Iowa during the evening of the 5th.
Read the full account →A very strong upper level low pressure trough had carved out over the western U.S. Iowa was in the strong southwest flow on the front side of this system. A surface warm front lifted north into southwest Iowa during the evening of the 5th.
Read the full account →A very strong upper level low pressure trough had carved out over the western U.S. Iowa was in the strong southwest flow on the front side of this system. A surface warm front lifted north into southwest Iowa during the evening of the 5th.
Read the full account →A rather complex weather situation unfolded during the day on the 22nd. The situation was complicated by the convection that occurred during the previous night.
Read the full account →Low pressure developed over Kansas with a strong southerly flow of very moist air streaming into Iowa ahead of it. Surface temperatures warmed into the 80s with dew point readings in the low to mid 70s.
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