(Des Moines) — The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a Flash Flood Warning for Madison County in south central Iowa and northern Adair County in southwestern Iowa, effective until 9:15 a.m. Sunday.
At 3:13 a.m. Doppler radar indicated that severe thunderstorms were producing heavy rainfall across the affected area. Between 2 and 5 inches of rain had already fallen, with an additional 1 to 3 inches possible in the coming hours.
The heavy rainfall is causing or expected to cause flash flooding, especially in areas with poor drainage. The warning emphasizes potential hazards such as flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets, underpasses, and other low-lying regions.
Communities at risk include Winterset, Greenfield, Stuart, Adair, St. Charles, Truro, Patterson, East Peru, Bevington, as well as the Winterset-Madison County Airport and Greenfield Municipal Airport. The Avenue of the Saints Event Center is also in the warning area.
Residents are urged to take immediate precautions. The NWS advises drivers to avoid flooded roads with the message: “Turn around, don’t drown.” Most flood-related deaths occur in vehicles. Officials also caution that it is especially dangerous to travel at night when flooding is harder to recognize.
For updates and water level forecasts, visit: weather.gov/desmoines/water.
