Heavy Weekend Rains, But Not Close to Charles City, New Hampton Levels of July 21, 1999
An intense line of showers and severe thunderstorms brought measurable rainfall across much of northern and eastern Iowa early Saturday (07.19) morning.
Buffalo Center saw the highest totals with nearly 3 inches of rain, while lighter amounts were reported to the east in New Hampton.
Buffalo Center
Saturday – 2.91″
Forest City
Saturday – 2.28″
Maquoketa
Saturday – 1.30″
Mason City
Saturday – 1.29″
Manchester
Saturday – 1.22″
Cedar Falls
Saturday – 1.20″
Charles City
Saturday – 1.06″
New Hampton
Saturday – 0.47″
Rains of the weekend pale in comparison to This Date in Weather History…(from the National Weather Service in Des Moines)
July 21, 1999: Several rounds of thunderstorms dropped heavy rain across portions of northeastern Iowa from July 18-20 and into early morning on the 21st.
Rainfall totals during this time included 10.75 inches at Osage, 11.81 inches at Charles City, and 11.85 inches at New Hampton. In just 24 hours ending on the morning of the 21st New Hampton recorded 7.10 inches of rain, while Charles City received 6.65 inches which is just 0.01 inches shy of the all-time 24 hour record at that location.
Nearly all creeks, streams, and rivers in Chickasaw, Floyd, Mitchell, and Howard counties were sent above bankfull with record flooding occurring at some locations. The Cedar River inundated more than 100 homes in Charles City, washed out many roads across the area, and closed down portions of Highway 218.
The river gauge at Charles City even went underwater with the river cresting at an estimated 22.80 feet on the 21st, making it the highest crest on record at that location until the record shattering floods of June 2008.
Additional flooding occurred further downstream at Nashua where the water topped the dam at Cedar Lake flooding nearby homes and parts of the downtown area.
Elsewhere the Wapsipinicon River expanded to nearly a mile wide in some places, closing sections of several state highways.
