A strong southerly flow developed over Iowa as a cold frontal boundary slid southeast into the state.  Low level winds of 30 to 45 kts impinged on the front during the late afternoon and into the night.  Dew points rose into the low 70s, with surface temperatures in the mid to upper 80s.  CAPE values were around 1500 J/kg with lifted indices in the -4 to -5 C. range.  Plenty of moisture was drawn into the state with precipitable water values in the 1.5 to 2 inch range.  Thunderstorms formed during the late afternoon and evening hours and produced three quarter to one inch diameter hail in west central into parts of northwest Iowa.  A few storms produced high winds that blew down trees and broke power lines as well.  Heavy rainfall fell over northern Iowa.  The rain fell in areas that had about 1.5 inches of rain the previous night.  As the additional 3 to 4 inches of rain fell in Kossuth County, flash flooding was reported in the northern part of the county near the intersection of U.S. Highway 169 and Iowa Highway 9.  Three to five inches of rain fell in southern Winnebago County.  Flash flooding occurred north of Forest City with U.S. Highway 69 flooded and closed at 380th Street two and one half miles north of Forest City.  Damage was also reported in the Thompson area and toward Lake Mills.  Six to twelve inches of flowing water washed out gravel roads in the area.  The same situation occurred in Worth County, where 8 inches of rain washed out roads in the Joice area.  The heaviest rainfall occurred in the northwest part of the state with officials reporting 4 to 9 inches of rainfall overnight in Kossuth County, and 6 to 12 inches in Emmet County.  In Emmet County, 5 to 6 feet of water was reported in several homes and there were numerous washouts of gravel roads.  Highway 4 in Emmet County was closed with water running over the highway one quarter of a mile wide.  Some of the areas were hit by two rounds of heavy precipitation.  One flash flooding event occurred around midnight, the second from heavy rainfall shortly before dawn.

Hail in CRAWFORD, IOWA
From 14-SEP-04 16:55:00 to 14-SEP-04 16:55:00 (CST)
Location: CHARTER OAK
Magnitude: 0.75 
Crop damage: 2K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in CRAWFORD, IOWA
From 14-SEP-04 17:11:00 to 14-SEP-04 17:11:00 (CST)
Location: SCHLESWIG
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 1K
Crop damage: 5K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in CRAWFORD, IOWA
From 14-SEP-04 17:46:00 to 14-SEP-04 17:46:00 (CST)
Location: DELOIT
Magnitude: 0.88 
Crop damage: 2K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Flash Flood in EMMET, IOWA
From 15-SEP-04 00:00:00 to 15-SEP-04 06:00:00 (CST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 200K
Crop damage: 50K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Flash Flood in WORTH, IOWA
From 15-SEP-04 00:30:00 to 15-SEP-04 04:30:00 (CST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 100K
Crop damage: 25K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Flash Flood in PALO ALTO, IOWA
From 15-SEP-04 05:00:00 to 15-SEP-04 08:00:00 (CST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 10K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Flash Flood in PALO ALTO, IOWA
From 15-SEP-04 01:30:00 to 15-SEP-04 04:30:00 (CST)
Location: EMMETSBURG
Property damage: 25K
Crop damage: 5K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in CRAWFORD, IOWA
From 14-SEP-04 17:52:00 to 14-SEP-04 17:52:00 (CST)
Location: KIRON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Crop damage: 2K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in CRAWFORD, IOWA
From 14-SEP-04 18:22:00 to 14-SEP-04 18:22:00 (CST)
Location: DOW CITY
Magnitude: 0.75 
Crop damage: 1K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Flash Flood in KOSSUTH, IOWA
From 14-SEP-04 18:30:00 to 14-SEP-04 22:45:00 (CST)
Location: BURT
Property damage: 25K
Crop damage: 10K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Thunderstorm Wind in CRAWFORD, IOWA
From 14-SEP-04 18:45:00 to 14-SEP-04 18:45:00 (CST)
Location: DELOIT
Magnitude: 50 EG
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Thunderstorm Wind in WINNEBAGO, IOWA
From 14-SEP-04 19:12:00 to 14-SEP-04 19:12:00 (CST)
Location: LAKE MILLS
Magnitude: 50 EG
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Flash Flood in WINNEBAGO, IOWA
From 15-SEP-04 00:00:00 to 15-SEP-04 02:30:00 (CST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 50K
Crop damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT