DES MOINES, Iowa — Overnight rain and thunderstorms led to flash flooding in parts of west-central Iowa early Wednesday morning. Storms developed in southwest Iowa late Tuesday night and moved over the same locations all morning. Communities like Greenfield, Van Meter and parts of western Waukee saw 5 or more inches of rain this morning.
Here is a look at some of the overnight totals from Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning at 7 AM:
- Massena (Cass County) 5.57″
- Earlham 5.42″
- Van Meter 5.00″
- Fontanelle 4.33″
- Atlantic 4.21″
- Waukee 3.9″
- Adel 3.56″
- Urbandale 3.12″
- North Des Moines 2.29″
- Norwalk 1.73″
- Des Moines (Airport) 1.70″
- Altoona 1.58″
- Ames 1.18″
The flash flooding led to a quick rise of the Walnut Creek at I 80/35 in Clive, which is expected to crest around 13 feet this morning and will fall below flood stage this afternoon. It is part of a River Flood Warning until late this evening. You can keep track of the river levels here.
The rain will continue to push north with the warm front today. This will take the risk of storms further into northern and northwest Iowa later today through early Thursday morning.
A few storms may be severe in northern and northwest Iowa later this afternoon and evening.
The cold front swings through on Thursday and will lead to more scattered showers and thunderstorms, some of which again could be severe. Here’s a look at StormPath for this afternoon through Thursday evening.
An additional quarter inch to 2″, with some locally higher amounts, may fall across Iowa through late Thursday night. The highest amount of rain will fall in northwest and northern Iowa the rest of the week.
For a full look at the forecast, check out the WHO 13 Weather page here…