4,632 first-hand accounts of flood events in Iowa, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.
A nearly stationary frontal boundary was located to the north of Iowa during the day on the 9th. Very rich air was pumped north into the state with surface dew point temperatures reaching the mid 70s to low 80s by the late afternoon and evening hours.
Read the full account →Rainfall of one to three inches on frozen ground and into a snow pack with between 1 and 3 inches of liquid water equivalent resulted in considerable areal flooding and flooding of small streams.
Read the full account →Several rounds of storms with heavy rain moved across parts of northeast Iowa during the morning of July 15th. Radar estimates indicate a band of 3 to 5 inches of rain fell across the northeast corner of Clayton County.
Read the full account →Significant record to near record heavy rainfall in North Central and Northeast Iowa from 21 to 23 September of 4 to over 10 plus inches caused major river flooding on many forecast points on the Iowa tributaries of the Wapsipinicon, Cedar, lower Iowa, and Maquoketa rivers.
Read the full account →Heavy rains from Tropical Depression Cristobal fell across northeast Iowa on June 9th. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches were common with locally higher totals of 4 to 5 inches. This heavy rain created flash flooding across portions of Fayette, Chickasaw and Howard Counties.
Read the full account →Repeated rounds of thunderstorms with heavy rains moved across portions of northeast Iowa during the evening of August 23rd into the early morning hours of the 24th.
Read the full account →Part I: Several rivers went into flood as heavy rainfall, heavy snow and resultant melting snow all led to higher streamflows in the latter half of April across portions of central and northern Iowa.
Read the full account →Increasingly humid conditions, a weak low pressure system, and an impinging northern weak cold front combined to create an environment ripe for strong to severe storms across northern and central Iowa, with much of the severe activity through central Iowa.
Read the full account →Increasingly humid conditions, a weak low pressure system, and an impinging northern weak cold front combined to create an environment ripe for strong to severe storms across northern and central Iowa, with much of the severe activity through central Iowa.
Read the full account →Strong to severe storms and heavy rainfall moved up into Iowa from northern Missouri during the late afternoon and evening hours of the 22nd of June.
Read the full account →The setup over Iowa was primed for a heavy rainfall event for a few reasons, including persistent SW 500 mb flow, a strong and SW oriented 850 mb jet, strong low level moisture transport, and elevated CAPE around 1000-2000 J/kg.
Read the full account →The setup over Iowa was primed for a heavy rainfall event for a few reasons, including persistent SW 500 mb flow, a strong and SW oriented 850 mb jet, strong low level moisture transport, and elevated CAPE around 1000-2000 J/kg.
Read the full account →A line of thunderstorms moved across northeast Iowa during the afternoon of September 12th. These storms produced a weak tornado in the vicinity of Ossian (Winneshiek County) that damaged some farm buildings and numerous trees.
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 →Reports from the 13h through the 19th in this entry. ||A relatively deep and widespread snowpack existed across the region during early to mid March.
Read the full account →Reports from the 13h through the 19th in this entry. ||A relatively deep and widespread snowpack existed across the region during early to mid March.
Read the full account →Reports from the 13h through the 19th in this entry. ||A relatively deep and widespread snowpack existed across the region during early to mid March.
Read the full account →The hits just kept on rolling, with yet another pair of rounds of strong to severe storms, heavy rainfall, and flooding. Through much of the end of May, the synoptic setup across the region remained relatively unchanged, including this event.
Read the full account →A slowly northward moving boundary/warm front was draped across the area throughout the day. By the evening vigorous storms fired up just north of the boundary and continued as the low level jet began to pick up. Numerous reports of large hail and damaging winds were reported.
Read the full account →Repeated rounds of thunderstorms with heavy rains moved across portions of northeast Iowa during the evening of August 23rd into the early morning hours of the 24th.
Read the full account →Rainfall of one to three inches on frozen ground and into a snow pack with between 1 and 3 inches of liquid water equivalent resulted in considerable areal flooding and flooding of small streams.
Read the full account →Without even looking at supporting variables, the setup for impactful weather could be gleaned from the general setup. A weak surface pressure system was slowly working its way across Iowa, situating its relevant boundaries primarily across southwest and southern Iowa.
Read the full account →Overall the pattern and antecedent environment were not extremely conducive to severe weather with an environment of around 1000 J/kg and effective shear under 30 kts, but it did not rule out the potential for periods of heavy rainfall.
Read the full account →Iowa remained entrenched in the relative ring of fire weather pattern. Morning convection lingered across southern Minnesota and northern Iowa through the morning, before generally subsiding.
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