A series of severe storms affected eastern Iowa on July 11, bringing very heavy rainfall, flash flooding, large hail, and damaging winds. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued multiple warnings, including a rare Flash Flood Emergency for parts of the Quad Cities Metro area.
This elevated warning level is reserved for situations where flash flooding poses a severe and immediate threat to life and property. Unlike standard Flash Flood Warnings, an Emergency designation is only issued when rapidly rising water inundates structures, strands vehicles, and overwhelms drainage systems. In recent decades, while the region has experienced urban and river flooding, formal Flash Flood Emergencies remain rare.
“Rainfall totals exceeding 51 mm (2 inches) fell in less than 4 hours in several locations, creating widespread flash flooding. A Flash Flood Emergency was issued for portions of the Quad Cities Metro on the evening of July 11 due to rapidly rising water inundating homes and businesses,” meteorologists at the NWS office in Quad Cities said…