Where were you ten years ago? It might help if you were reminded the Great Flood of ’93 was just starting to wash over Iowa. Jeff Johnson is the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in metro Des Moines. For people who weren’t here, Johnson says that flood a decade ago was a doozy. Johnson says the flood of ’93 caused two-point-seven billion worth of damage statewide, causing problems in every one of the 99 counties. On this tenth anniversary, the National Weather Service is reminding people about the potential severity of flooding and flash flooding. Johnson says this year, it’s likely Iowans will -not- see rivers at the levels they were in 1993. He says this spring’s flood outlook is -not- as bad as ten years ago. Johnson says people should always be aware of potential flash flooding in low-lying areas after storms with heavy rainfall. He says motorists should never try to drive across a flooded road as only six inches of running water is enough to wash a vehicle away.The National Weather Service has put together a comprehensive review of the 1993 Flood and how it impacted Iowa. That can be found on the Internet at www.crh.noaa.gov/dmx.
