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849 

RWUS32 KDSM 221635

FFSDSM

IAZ004>007-015>017-230900-



FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA

1115 AM CDT SUN APR 22 2001



WATCH INFORMATION-- A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT LATE THIS 

AFTERNOON AND OVERNIGHT MORNING FOR THE COUNTIES OF CERRO GORDO... 

EMMET...HANCOCK...KOSSUTH...PALO ALTO...WINNEBAGO AND WORTH. SOME 

CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WATCH ARE ALGONA...ESTHERVILLE AND MASON CITY.



THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN BEEN CANCELLED FOR THOSE COUNTIES 

ALONG HIGHWAY 20 AND HIGHWAY 3...OR THOSE COUNTIES ALONG AND SOUTH 

OF A LINE FROM POCAHONTAS...THROUGH DAKOTA CITY...CLARION AND 

HAMPTON...TO WAVERLY.



FORECAST RAINFALL-- RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL AVERAGE A QUARTER INCH IN 

THE WATCH AREA THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON. SOME ISOLATED 

HALF INCH AMOUNTS MAY OCCUR OVER AREAS FROM ALGONA TO ESTHERVILLE. 

HEAVIER RAINFALL IS FORECAST THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT WHEN 

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL AVERAGE ONE HALF TO ONE INCH. 

ISOLATED HEAVIER AMOUNTS COULD CAUSE SOME LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. 



RECENT REPORTS-- RAINFALL AMOUNTS FROM LAST NIGHT AND THIS MORNING 

HAVE AVERAGED AROUND A TENTH OF AN INCH OVER NORTH CENTRAL IOWA WITH 

SOME LOCALIZED REPORTS OF QUARTER INCH AMOUNTS.



METEOROLOGICAL COMMENTS-- AT APPEARS THE HEAVY RAIN THREAT IS 

SHIFTING FURTHER NORTH INTO EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHERN 

MINNESOTA. PERSISTENT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL OCCUR OVER 

THOSE AREAS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THIS RAINFALL 

WILL MOVE ACROSS FAR NORTHWEST IOWA THIS AFTERNOON. A LINE OF 

THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH NORTHERN IOWA THIS 

EVENING OR OVERNIGHT. DUE TO THE EXPECTED FAST MOVEMENT OF THE 

STORMS...A WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOOD THREAT HAS DIMINISHED. SOME 

LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING MAY STILL OCCUR WITH SOME OF THE HEAVIER 

RAINS...MAINLY OVER EXTREME NORTHERN IOWA WHERE SOIL MOISTURE 

CONTENT REMAINS THE HIGHEST.



PRECAUTIONS-- A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT FLOODING OF SMALL 

STREAMS, CREEKS AND OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS IS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE 

WATCH AREA. PEOPLE IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE 

WEATHER AND BE PREPARED FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION SHOULD HEAVY RAINS AND 

FLOODING OCCUR OR A FLASH FLOOD WARNING BE ISSUED. IF HEAVY RAINFALL 

DOES OCCUR, AVOID LOW LYING AREAS, AND BE CAREFUL WHEN APPROACHING 

HIGHWAY DIPS AND UNDERPASSES.

$$



JAW

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