FLOOD WATCH/NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA – 301 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013

…MORE HEAVY RAIN EXPECTED LATER TODAY AND THIS EVENING..ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL IOWA AGAIN TODAY AND PERSIST THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. HEAVIER RAIN IS POSSIBLE LATER THIS MORNING AND THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OVER ALREADY SATURATED AREAS WILL LEAD TO MORE FLASH FLOODING THROUGHOUT CENTRAL IOWA.

AREA COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION- TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT- PAGE-

….FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS EVENING…

* WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINFALL HAS IMPACTED MUCH OF IOWA OVER THE PAST 5 DAYS. CURRENT CONDITIONS INCLUDE EXTREMELY SATURATED SOILS…SIGNIFICANT PONDING OF WATER IN FIELDS AND STREAMS RUNNING AT BANKFULL OR ARE CURRENTLY IN FLOOD. ADDITIONALLY…THUNDERSTORMS LATER TODAY MAY PRODUCE ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE AREA THROUGH LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING.

* SIGNIFICANT AND LIFE THREATENING FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE SHOULD HEAVY RAINFALL OCCUR OVER AREAS HARD HIT OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. PERSONS LIVING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS! AS LITTLE AS 6 INCHES OF RUNNING WATER CAN SWEEP A VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. WITH MORE HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE…SIGNIFICANT RIVER FLOODING IS POSSIBLE AFTER THIS EVENT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED.