Des Moines, Iowa – Scattered flash floods are possible across southern Iowa Friday night into Saturday morning as heavy rainfall moves in, with some areas at risk of picking up as much as 4 to 6 inches of rain.
According to the National Weather Service in Des Moines, the heaviest rainfall is now expected to target the far southern tier of Iowa, including towns like Osceola, Ottumwa, and Lamoni. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches will be common, but narrow bands of stronger storms could lead to locally higher amounts. The Excessive Rainfall Outlook puts southern Iowa under a Level 2 out of 4 risk, with scattered flash flooding possible due to oversaturated ground and rising creeks.
Motorists should avoid driving through flooded roadways, especially along highways near the Missouri border. Cities like Council Bluffs and Red Oak could see street flooding or rising streams overnight. The threat will continue into Saturday morning, with storm cells pushing east toward Ottumwa and southeast Iowa.
Residents should monitor NOAA alerts and ensure devices are charged in case of outages. Flash Flood Watches may be issued if rainfall rates intensify.
More rainfall is expected through early Saturday, with additional updates likely overnight.
