This warning does include the entire Des Moines metro area!

BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
300 AM CDT SUN JUL 18 2010

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR…
EASTERN DALLAS COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA…
NORTHEASTERN MADISON COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA…
NORTHERN WARREN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA…
POLK COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA…

* UNTIL 900 AM CDT

* AT 259 AM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING RAINFALL IN EXCESS OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES PER HOUR.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE…DES MOINES…ALTOONA…ANKENY…BONDURANT…CARLISLE…CLIVE…
DALLAS CENTER…GRIMES…JOHNSTON…NORWALK…PLEASANT HILL…POLK CITY…URBANDALE…WAUKEE…WEST DES MOINES…WINDSOR HEIGHTS AND WOODWARD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS…URBAN AREAS…HIGHWAYS…STREETS AND UNDERPASSES AS WELL AS OTHER DRAINAGE AREAS AND LOW LYING SPOTS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS SAFELY. TURN AROUND…DONT DROWN.

BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGERS OF FLOODING. IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED ACT QUICKLY. DO NOT ENTER THE WATER. TURN AROUND AND MOVE UP TO HIGHER GROUND TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.