It’s been a crazy weekend here for all of us that live in NE Iowa. It started with 2″ of rain early in the week….and escalated from there!!
First off let me tell you we live in a little town. There is a river that runs through town and periodically it floods. The last time it flooded was 2016. It seems every five or so years this happens. We know it…we prepare for it.
Typically after several large bouts of rain, we might think of flooding, then it doesn’t happen. Some years it rains north of us and the rain they got ends up flooding the river. It’s all really a strange working of the right circumstances for us to get rain and for the river the rise.
This time, it was different. As I said earlier in the week we got 2″ of rain. That is nothing and would never make it flood.
But Friday morning I woke up after a long night of thunderstorms and looked out my upper sewing room window. I knew we must have gotten a lot of rain. This was the neighbor’s yard. Off in the distance, you can see the bridge that goes over the river in town.
I checked the rain gauge. YOWZA!! Almost 4″ of rain. UGH.
The worst news is that north of us, we heard they got even more rain. This still is not the recipe for flooding but it was closer.
Later on Friday night, Kalissa and Craig’s family were here for supper. As we were eating we started hearing talks of storms. Pretty soon we heard the storms were 45 minutes away at Craig’s parents’ place and they were headed our way.
I ended up with Carver and Gannon in the basement while parents Craig and Kalissa were out spotting for tornadoes. We were in a tornado warning. UGH.
We grabbed some essentials and hung out in the basement just in case. My essential, cross stitch.
After we got the all clear, I went to my upstairs window. The neighbor’s yard was flooded with rain again.
I checked the rain gauge…oh my, in a quick 45 minutes we got 2″ of rain. WOW.
Look at my poor garden. UGH.
Friday night into Saturday we were hammered with thunderstorm after thunderstorm. I can say I think I experienced my biggest thunder ever. The house shook from it!
I got up that morning and took a picture from the window. I zoomed the camera in. Oh my! The river was really, really up. I was immediately worried. This is how it starts to look on my side of the bridge when it floods.
I went to check the rain gauge…Holy Crap!! Look…7″ of rain overnight. That means in 36 hours we had almost 13″ of rain.
I called Kalissa and we planned to meet to check out the town. Yep, flooded.
It was already bad and was rising.
Can you see that little branch on the road? Someone put that there to watch the height of the water.
We walked around town and check everything else out. Water everywhere.
We went back to the park and water was past the branch. UGH.
We order breakfast pizza for the firemen and workers at the fire station, then went to pick it up. Here is the scene at the station when we got there. Workers had organized to fill sandbags. I’m not sandbagging material anymore. My shoulder just couldn’t take it and they had enough help. I ended up taking Kalissa’s boys and some other firemen kids to my house. This way they could play and their parents could help without worrying about them.
I just adore our little town. Here’s the sign the local bar put out…
The bar not only has good food but there are also great people who own and work there. If you’re ever in town, eat at the local bar on the corner.
Once I got home with all of the kids I snuck upstairs. It had started to rain again. Insult to injury. I took a picture of the same spot I had shown you earlier. The floodwaters from the north are pouring into town.
The bad news is that all of our local towns are in the same predicament. Kalissa has to work an hour away at the hospital for the overnight shift tonight. She is watching and rerouting a plan to try to get there as all of the little towns along the way are experiencing exactly what we are.
More bad news. We are expecting storms across NE Iowa again tonight. They said the storms have the potential for training across the same area again. Oh my….and now the sun is out baking up another batch of storms.
Kalissa, Karl, and I all live in town. All of us are good as far as flooding goes. We might get a little moisture in our unfinished basements but it’s not a danger at all. We have sump pumps and are watching them.
I’ll break in and let you know if things here change. I’m sure this will hit some news channels and some of you might get worried. I wanted you to all know we are just fine.
What is the cross stitch pattern you are working on. Every time I see a small area of it I like it more. I’d love to get the pattern.
Oh my goodness how terrible for your part of the state of Iowa. Here in my Southwest part of the state it is very, very dry and we could use some rain. The ground is like cement.
Thinking of every one in Northeast Iowa that people, animals and crops will be safe. Such a nice gesture for you to take the children of the sand baggers to your home for safety.
Poor Jo! Your poor garden! This is what we keep hearing about regarding climate change.
I, too, love your little town. Mine has a population of about four million, but we get clobbered by hurricanes.
Stay safe and dry!
Wow. And I thought the local prediction of 2 inches last night was a lot. Prayers for safety for all.
Stay safe Jo x Your town is full of such lovely people, it’s heartwarming to see everyone pull together. Thinking of you all and hoping this soon passes.
So kind of you to think of others at this stressful time. And I’m glad you got a bit of stitching time in! Keeping you all (and your garden) in my prayers!
Stay safe, I’m praying the rain in your area stops!
Prayers and thoughts to all. Part of NYS went through flooding last week.
Oh, goodness! I would not want to see flooding like that (or worse.) The power of water scares me.
Stay safe, please.
Oh my! It is another one of the happenings that we wonder why – why can’t the states that are so dry get some of the rain?! Good to hear that the you three will be safe from the flooding and are set for any water in your basement. I just love your community! Everybody just works for the good and help. So glad no tornado came into town. I just can’t imagine the devastation it causes when the rain by itself does enough. Your town will be in my prayers.
I wish our fires in the West and your rain in the East could meet in the middle and solve both problems.
Stay safe!
Amen!
Oh Jo, that is a lot of rain in a short time. I hope you and your family stay dry and safe. What a mess for those who get water in there homes or worse.
I feel for you and poor Louisiana. Looks like the hurricane might be a category 4 by the time it hits. And then it looks like its path will curve to the northeast. Hope y’all aren’t in for more rain from it. I live about 20 minutes southwest of Houston, Texas. Fairly familiar with flooding.
Oh my gosh, I hope everyone is safe and the rain lets up soon. I can’t imagine that kind of rain, where I live in the eastern part of Washigton state our average ANNUAL rainfall is about 10 to 12 inches.
You have to much rain andwe’re needing it. So. Missouri
Praying for Kalissa and a of that area.. take care. Thanks for keeping us posted.
Take care! Prayers sent for the safety of your family and community.
Thank you for keeping us informed about things in Waucoma. I’ve been thinking of you while watching the radar. It seems that all the Midwest storms have been going right through NE Iowa. Watching the river rise from your window must be very scary. Take care and know we are keeping you, your family, and your community in our prayers.
Paula, being so close to Houston you must be quite familiar with flooding. We’ve been grateful for the recent rains here, but bracing for what the rest of the season holds, and praying for New Orleans again.
Wow Jo, I’ve never even heard of so much rain! I’ve lived in Southern California all my life and we rarely get more than a couple of inches in an entire year! I’ve got family in the Midwest though- Missouri and Nebraska and we’d like to move out there but I think I’m a big chicken when it comes to dealing with the extreme weather out there. You all stay safe and dry, God bless!
We could sure use that rain in our part of the county.
So glad to hear you are surviving the storms and flooding – I looked at the pictures and remembered the little creeks and river in your area, especially that little campground and knew it was probably flooded too.
We’re in NE now and I’m wondering the storms that we’ve had will be coming your way. :-o
Praying the rain takes a break from your area.
Love and prayers
thanksful I love on the side of a hill. Good luck
Oh my gosh! I’m in Yakima Washington and we need rain so badly. We have a fire about 20 miles from us that has burned 77,000 acres. We wake up every morning to thick smoke. Most days most of it has moved on by noon and we get nice sunshine. The entire west coast is in a drought situation with so many fires burning.
Take care and stay dry.
Praying for you Jo. Lived out West during some horrific flooding in Missouri. We barely made it thru Tennessee last week. We decided to go a different route around. Prayers for you Your town and those in areas where the rain won’t stop. Hill country and north Dallas get those quick sudden floods. Hope the storms stop soon.
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