A swath of the state got much needed rain this weekend

JOHNSTON — Portions of Iowa got beneficial rainfall this weekend, while a few areas were hit with flash flooding, hail and wind damage. Around four inches of rain fell in Waukon in northeast Iowa AND in the central Iowa communities of Earlham and Gilbert from Saturday into early Sunday morning.

Meteorologist Ashley Bury of the National Weather Service office in metro Des Moines says the weather system that moved into the state Saturday encountered moisture in the air.  “Kind of started out in the late afternoon and late evening and multiple hours overnight, so  that helped us get that decent rainfall we really need here,” Bury said.

The heaviest rainfall amounts were recorded in Boone, Dallas and Story Counties. Far northwest and the southeast corner of the state didn’t see much, if any, rain. “And also some portions of western Iowa really didn’t get anything,” Bury says, “but the rest otherwise at least got maybe as much as half an inch to three-and-a-half to even the isolated four.”

On Saturday, hail of about an inch in diameter was reported in the Grinnell area and strong winds damaged buildings in the southwest Iowa town of Sharpsburg. On Sunday afternoon, a tornado warning was  issued for Jackson County along Iowa’s eastern border, but no damage was reported.