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965 

RWUS32 KDSM 241959

FFSDSM

IAZ027-028-037>039-047>050-058>062-070>075-081>086-092>097-242130-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA

159 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001



ADVISORY INFORMATION--AN URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY

REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN...CENTRAL...AND

EASTERN IOWA UNTIL 600 PM.  THE ADVISORY IS ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF AN

ATLANTIC...TO BOONE...TO ALLISON LINE AND INCLUDES THE BIGGER CITIES

OF DES MOINES...AMES...WATERLOO...CRESTON...GRINNELL AND OTTUMWA.



RECENT REPORTS--OBSERVED RAINFALL AND NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

DOPPLER RADAR ESTIMATES INDICATE THAT ANYWHERE FROM A QUARTER TO

THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF RAIN HAS FALLEN ACROSS

CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IOWA SINCE 1000 AM.



FORECAST RAINFALL--NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADARS

CONTINUE TO INDICATE MORE RAIN HEADING TOWARD THE ADVISORY AREA

AS WIDESPREAD RAIN AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MOVE NORTHWARD FROM

MISSOURI.  RAINFALL RATES OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IOWA MAY CONTINUE

TO EXCEED A QUARTER INCH PER HOUR THIS AFTERNOON WITH WIDESPREAD

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES BY EARLY EVENING.  HIGHEST

AMOUNTS WILL BE OVER SOUTHWEST IOWA.  HEAVY RAINS ARE NOT

ANTICIPATED...BUT RATHER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF LIGHT TO MODERATE

RAIN.



METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS--RECENT RAINS FROM LAST NIGHT AND THIS

MORNING IN COMBINATION WITH MELTING SNOW AND ADDITIONAL RAINS THIS

AFTERNOON WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND

RISES IN SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS.  MODERATE RAINFALL RATES AND

SNOW CLOGGED DRAINS WILL MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR WATER TO DRAIN

FROM ROADS...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS.



THE RAINS WILL RUNOFF INTO SMALL STEAMS AND CREEKS AS WELL WHICH MAY

REACH BANKFULL WITH ICE PROHIBITING NORMAL DRAINAGE AND STREAMFLOW.



PRECAUTIONS--BE PREPARED FOR STANDING WATER ON ROADS AND HIGHWAYS.

STAY AWAY FROM SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS WHICH MAY FILL WITH WATER

QUICKLY.

$$



SMALL

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