NWS Des Moines IAFL.W 0024October 1, 2026
Flood Warning: Polk, IA
The National Weather Service office in Des Moines issued a flood warning for Polk in Iowa, which was in force until 4:00 p.m. local time on October 5. It was the 24th river flood warning the NWS office in Des Moines issued in 2026. Iowa had 43 flood warnings in October 2026, against 10 in an average October of 2008-2025 (Iowa's flood warnings by year).
ExpiredWarning
In force for 4 days; it has expired. The agency may have replaced it with a new notice.
The notice
- Issued by
- National Weather Service, Des Moines IA
- Area
- Polk
- State
- Iowa
- Level
- Warning
- Issued
- 5:13 p.m. CDT, October 1, 2026
- In force from
- 11:00 p.m. CDT, October 1, 2026
- Expires
- 4:00 p.m. CDT, October 5, 2026
- CAP severity, certainty, urgency
- Severe, Observed, Immediate
- VTEC event
- KDMX FL.W 0024
- Official source
- National Weather Service: the notice at its source
Source: National Weather Service: the notice at its source. AreaZine rebuilds this page from the agency's record; the agency's page is the one to act on. A U.S. Government work, in the public domain.
The notice as issued
...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Iowa... Raccoon River at Des Moines Fleur Dr affecting Polk County. Raccoon River at Van Meter Hwy R16 affecting Polk and Dallas Counties. North Raccoon River near Perry affecting Dallas County. * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Raccoon River at Des Moines Fleur Dr, or from Walnut Creek to the Des Moines River. * WHEN...From this evening to Monday afternoon. * IMPACTS...At 15.5 feet, Water approaches Fleur Dr and affects the Grays Lake trails. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 4:47 PM CDT Thursday the stage was 10.7 feet, and rising. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage late this evening to a crest of 15.9 feet Saturday morning. It will then fall below flood stage late Monday morning. - Flood stage is 12.0 feet.
What the agency told people to do
Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. For the latest stream observations and forecasts refer to weather.gov/desmoines/water. River forecasts include observed precipitation plus forecast precipitation over the next 48 hours.
Source: National Weather Service: the notice at its source. The text is the agency's, unedited. A U.S. Government work, in the public domain.