Today in Weather History has been active, anything from Record Flooding to a lot of Severe Weather. In 2008, Record Flooding continued  along the Cedar River where it reached an all-time record crest at Waterloo. Cedar Rapids and Several Smaller communities  also found themselves in a huge swell of water causing devastating flooding. Later that night, tornado produced EF3 damage as it struck the Little Sioux Boy Scout Camp in far southern Harrison County, killing three scouts and injuring dozens of others. In 2004, a significant severe weather outbreak produced 25 weak tornadoes across Iowa, making it the second-largest single day total. In 1881, powerful F4-F5 tornadoes struck Iowa causing with two killed.

On This Day in Iowa Weather History

June 11

2008: Iowa continued to be pummeled by severe weather and record flooding. In northeastern Iowa the Cedar River reached an all-time record crest at Waterloo, with the flow rate about 50 percent higher than the next-highest on record which occurred in 1961. This huge swell of water would make its way down river causing devastating flooding at Cedar Rapids and several smaller communities over the following several days. Meanwhile on the evening of the 11th multiple severe thunderstorms struck about the northwestern half of Iowa producing numerous tornadoes and reports of large hail and very strong straight-line winds. One tornado produced EF3 damage as it struck the Little Sioux Boy Scout Camp in far southern Harrison County, killing three scouts and injuring dozens of others. Further east wind gusts as high as 75 mph were reported in Carroll and Webster counties.

2004: A significant tornado outbreak occurred across Iowa with 25 tornadoes touching down which is the second-largest single day total in state history. Fortunately most of the tornadoes were relatively weak and there were no injuries.

1881: Severe weather and several violent tornadoes struck Iowa. One tornado produced F3 damage in Hancock County, killing one person and injuring eight others on a path from just east of Britt to near Miller. A stronger tornado produced F4 damage at times as it cut a path through Warren, Polk, and Jasper counties just missing Des Moines to the southeast. This tornado first touched down just south of Norwalk and moved east northeast to near Colfax before lifting. As it crossed the Des Moines river water was lifted more than 100 feet into the air. Two people were killed and six others injured as several homes were completely annihilated with nothing remaining but open basements. About a dozen homes were destroyed or severely damaged on the edge of Colfax just before the tornado lifted.