May 2013 was a wet month across the state.  The heavy rainfall brought relief across the state from the drought of the preceding year.  The month began with a May record snow event. Snow began in northwest Iowa early on the morning of the 1st with six inches reported at Sibley. Heavy snow shifted to north central Iowa on the night of the 1st into the morning of the 2nd with Forest City and Britt setting state records for one day May snowfall of 11.0 inches (old record 10.0 inches at Le Mars on May 28, 1947). The heavier snow began to shift southward on the night of the 2nd into the morning of the 3rd but not before Osage set a state record for May total snowfall of 13.0 inches. Southern Iowa snow totals included 7.5 inches at Indianola by the morning of the 3rd and 8.0 inches near Promise City in Wayne County. The winter storm system slowly moved back to the west with a few snow flurries persisting into the afternoon of the 4th.  The snowfall contained a large amount of water.  As it melted, soils were replenished with the stage set for run-off and flooding later in the month.  Rain occurred somewhere in the state every day from the 19th through the end of the month. Widespread rain fell on the 19th-20th with heavy rain in Mitchell County where Saint Ansgar reported 5.34 inches. However, the wettest weather in most areas came over the Memorial Day weekend.  Heaviest rains were centered over northwest Iowa on the 25th-26th with 8.10 inches at Sioux Center, 8.83 inches near Cleghorn and 8.25 inches at Cherokee. Another area of torrential rain occurred over central Iowa with 8.17 inches at Zearing, 7.44 inches at Marshalltown and 8.04 inches at Grinnell. Flooding was widespread over the state and numerous records for rainfall were set. Rain totals for the month ranged from 3.34 inches at Clinton (0.59 inches below normal) to 16.63 inches at Zearing. Two locations set records for wettest calendar month: Grinnell 16.16 inches this May (old record 14.17 inches in June 1924 among 130 years of record) and Toledo with 14.89 inches (old record 14.73 inches in August 1977 among 119 years of record).   The heavy rainfall caused flooding in several areas of central into southeast Iowa.  Flooding took place along the Des Moines and Raccoon River basins.  Though fairly widespread, the flooding was not major.  Several locations remained above flood stage into June.

Flood in WEBSTER, IOWA
From 27-MAY-13 10:00:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: FT DODGE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in DALLAS, IOWA
From 27-MAY-13 08:15:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: DAWSON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 200.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in DALLAS, IOWA
From 30-MAY-13 13:45:00 to 30-MAY-13 23:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: VAN METER
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in POLK, IOWA
From 31-MAY-13 06:00:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: WINDSOR HGTS
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 25.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in POLK, IOWA
From 30-MAY-13 22:45:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: (DSM)DES MOINES INTL
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in POLK, IOWA
From 28-MAY-13 10:00:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: DES MOINES
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WAPELLO, IOWA
From 28-MAY-13 19:20:00 to 29-MAY-13 13:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: EDDYVILLE
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 150.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in STORY, IOWA
From 27-MAY-13 16:30:00 to 28-MAY-13 03:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: AMES
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in STORY, IOWA
From 27-MAY-13 13:15:00 to 28-MAY-13 16:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: AMES ARPT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in POLK, IOWA
From 29-MAY-13 06:30:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: BONDURANT
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 100.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in WRIGHT, IOWA
From 27-MAY-13 05:15:00 to 28-MAY-13 11:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: BELMOND
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BUTLER, IOWA
From 27-MAY-13 06:15:00 to 28-MAY-13 07:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: NEW HARTFORD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BLACK HAWK, IOWA
From 28-MAY-13 07:00:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENSON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 500.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in LUCAS, IOWA
From 29-MAY-13 06:30:00 to 29-MAY-13 13:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: RUSSELL
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in BLACK HAWK, IOWA
From 27-MAY-13 08:45:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENSON
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Flood in MARSHALL, IOWA
From 26-MAY-13 15:00:00 to 31-MAY-13 23:59:00 (CST-6)
Location: MINERVA
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations