Record heavy rain, hail, tornado warnings to start October in Iowa

Hail west of Winterset October 1 photo from Iowa Storm Chasing Network by Austin Grapp

DES MOINES, Iowa - Much of the state of Iowa remains under a flash flood watch Wednesday morning after a day and night of heavy rain.

2-4” is reported in the Cedar Rapids area. Mason City set a new record for rain on October 1, with 1.94 inches.

Des Moines International Airport, the official reporting station for the City of Des Moines measured record rainfall.

"3.59 inches of rain." Says National Weather Service Meterologist Mindy Mindy Behrends. "This is a new record, beating the old record set in 1883, of 1.75 inches of rain."

There were numerous reports of large hail, as large as 2 to 2.75 inches.

There's likely no more severe weather today, but that doesn't mean we won't get more rain.

"We could see some isolated thunderstorms and showers late this morning and through the afternoon and evening hours." Behrends says.

The Missouri River on the Western Iowa-Nebraska border is near or at Minor Flood Stage.

The Mississippi River on Iowa's Eastern border with Illinois and Wisconsin is flooding. From Davenport to the south, the Mississippi is in Moderate Flood Stage. North of Davenport, the Mississippi is near or at Minor Flood Stage.

Rivers in the Des Moines, Mason City, and Waterloo areas are near Flood Stage.

Photos by permission Iowa Storm Chasing Network. Hail west of Winterset by Austin Grapp. Storm clouds near Grinnell by Kaelen Kephart.

USGS National Weather Service River Gauge Map

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