This is Severe Weather Awareness Week (SWAW) in Iowa with the topic for Friday being Flood Safety. Sadly, a number of preventable deaths happen every year nationwide as folks underestimate the danger flood waters pose. Flooding happens about every year in Iowa with the featured chart presenting observed and NWS forecast data for the flood of the Little Sioux River at Spencer, IA last June. The observed line shows how quickly the waters rose to record levels. Flood forecasting remains a significant challenge for smaller river basins as it requires extremely accurate precipitation forecasts. The lateral movement of a training line of thunderstorms just a handful of miles can have significant implications for which river basin those rains will drain out of. The NWS has an informative Story Maps page for SWAW in Iowa and Nebraska.

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Tags:   flood