Iowa enjoyed a welcomed period of dry weather from February 21 through March 5.   Unfortunately, temperatures remained too low to allow substantial melting of the considerable Iowa snowpack during this dry spell.   Rain, mostly in the light to moderate category, was frequent and widespread from the 6th through the 13th.   The rain was accompanied by much warmer temperatures and resulted in rapid snowmelt.   Snow cover, which ranged from 1 to 7 inches along the Missouri border to as much as 30 inches in northwest Iowa at the beginning of the month, was gone by March 17 (with the exception of some drifts).   The combination of snow melt and rainfall pushed nearly all Iowa rivers above flood stage with major flooding reported at some northern Iowa locations.   Despite much drier weather during the second one-half of March, flooding continued at month���s end along the Des Moines River, the Mississippi River below Muscatine and over parts of northwest Iowa.    Rainfall amounts for the month were generally above normal over southern Iowa and well below normal over the northeast.   Rain totals varied from 0.58 inches at Waukon to 4.09 inches at Beaconsfield.   There was only one snow event of consequence during the month.   Snow fell over all but far northern Iowa on the 19th-20th with greatest amounts in the south where 6 or more inches fell at Murray, Lacona, Indianola, Newton, and Des Moines.   The statewide average snowfall was 2.0 inches for the month, or 2.8 inches less than normal.   This ranks as the 23rd lowest March total among 123 years of record.   However, the meager March snowfall was enough to push the statewide average seasonal snowfall total to 47.7 inches or seventh highest of record (greatest total since 1978-1979 winter).  With the month starting out with an extensive snow and water content in the snow pack of 2 to as much as 10 inches, flooding was a virtual certainty across the CWA.  Due to the slow melt, most rivers crested on the high end of moderate intensity, with a few reaching major flood stage.  Initially, ice jamming was a significant problem.  Some of the worst occurred on the Raccoon west of Des Moines, resulting in flash flooding.  Flash flooding also occurred in the the Fort Dodge area with considerable flooding in the town of Fort Dodge.  Scattered ice jams also occurred in north central and northwest Iowa in the Mason City and Estherville areas.  Much of the flooding was to agricultural lands for much of the period, however cities along the rivers were inundated by the flood waters.  It was fortunate that heavy rainfall did not occur during the melting process.  Much of Iowa avoided what could have been a major disaster.

Flood in BUTLER, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 18:16:00 to 16-MAR-10 08:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: NEW HARTFORD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WARREN, IOWA
From 10-MAR-10 11:22:00 to 15-MAR-10 17:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: CHURCHVILLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in MARION, IOWA
From 10-MAR-10 00:05:00 to 11-MAR-10 19:18:00 (CST-6)
Location: BUSSEY
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in LUCAS, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 02:06:00 to 12-MAR-10 06:33:00 (CST-6)
Location: RUSSELL
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in STORY, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 02:06:00 to 12-MAR-10 06:33:00 (CST-6)
Location: AMES ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in MAHASKA, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 08:21:00 to 21-MAR-10 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: PEORIA
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in STORY, IOWA
From 10-MAR-10 09:00:00 to 10-MAR-10 10:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: AMES
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BLACK HAWK, IOWA
From 12-MAR-10 07:54:00 to 22-MAR-10 23:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENSON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BLACK HAWK, IOWA
From 12-MAR-10 19:00:00 to 20-MAR-10 16:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENSON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WEBSTER, IOWA
From 14-MAR-10 17:50:00 to 18-MAR-10 07:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: DUNCOMBE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in CERRO GORDO, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 13:44:00 to 23-MAR-10 06:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: PORTLAND
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WEBSTER, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 09:53:00 to 26-MAR-10 21:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: FT DODGE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 200.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in HAMILTON, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 13:41:00 to 31-MAR-10 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: STRATFORD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in POLK, IOWA
From 12-MAR-10 00:36:00 to 29-MAR-10 20:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: DES MOINES
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WAPELLO, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 06:49:00 to 31-MAR-10 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: CHILLICOTHE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WAPELLO, IOWA
From 13-MAR-10 11:00:00 to 26-MAR-10 10:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: EDDYVILLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WRIGHT, IOWA
From 12-MAR-10 21:35:00 to 23-MAR-10 05:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: BELMOND
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in MARSHALL, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 12:16:00 to 20-MAR-10 06:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: MINERVA
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BLACK HAWK, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 19:35:00 to 22-MAR-10 09:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: FINCHFORD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in DALLAS, IOWA
From 12-MAR-10 14:42:00 to 25-MAR-10 12:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: DAWSON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BREMER, IOWA
From 14-MAR-10 00:40:00 to 15-MAR-10 13:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: BABCOCK
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in KOSSUTH, IOWA
From 14-MAR-10 12:15:00 to 31-MAR-10 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: BURT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in POLK, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 05:00:00 to 25-MAR-10 20:21:00 (CST-6)
Location: (DSM)DES MOINES INTL
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in DALLAS, IOWA
From 11-MAR-10 12:25:00 to 16-MAR-10 01:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BOUTON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WARREN, IOWA
From 10-MAR-10 00:12:00 to 12-MAR-10 05:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: HARTFORD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WAYNE, IOWA
From 10-MAR-10 00:25:00 to 21-MAR-10 14:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: CONFIDENCE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in DECATUR, IOWA
From 09-MAR-10 21:22:00 to 12-MAR-10 07:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRAND RIVER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BUTLER, IOWA
From 12-MAR-10 05:45:00 to 21-MAR-10 17:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: PACKARD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BREMER, IOWA
From 13-MAR-10 08:30:00 to 16-MAR-10 07:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: PLAINFIELD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain / Snow Melt
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations