Significant Coastal Impacts to the Eastern Seaboard; Hurricane Nolo to Impact Hawaii

A Nor'easter will bring significant coastal impacts to the Mid-Atlantic and New England through the weekend. Moderate to major coastal flooding, heavy rain, strong winds and high surf expected. Hurricane Nolo is expected to stay just south of the Big Island of Hawaii. However, strong winds and heavy rainfall may bring life-threatening, catastrophic flooding and mudslides through the weekend. Read More >

Overview

An active stretch of weather was seen throughout eastern Iowa and Illinois with several rounds of thunderstorms producing heavy rain, especially for areas along and north of Interstate 80. While a few heavy rainfall events impacted parts of our forecast area throughout the week of September 14, the heaviest and most widespread event occurred late on September 19th and lasted into the 20th. Repeating rounds of strong thunderstorms, with isolated severe, moved in just prior to midnight and continued throughout the night. An anomalously moist atmosphere was in place, with our evening weather balloon measuring moisture content above the daily record! Thus, the showers and thunderstorms produced very heavy rainfall throughout our area, with the highest totals being noted along the Interstate 80 and Highway 30 corridors.

In the end, areas along/north of Interstate 80 saw around 2-4" of rain, with several areas seeing 4-6" through the overnight period. This heavy rainfall resulted in flash flooding, where several creeks rose out of their banks and led to road closures. Along with the flash flooding, rises were noted along many area rivers, resulting in several locations reaching Minor Flood Stage. A few of the hardest hit locations reached Moderate to Major Flood Stage as well.

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Stats

Here are some notes on Dubuque, IA (records dating back to 1873), which was under many of the repeated rainfall rounds.

Ten consecutive days with measurable precipitation from September 13-22.
- Tied for 6th longest stretch on record (record is 12 days set in 1985 and 1880)
- Longest stretch since June 2-12, 2008.
- Longest stretch in or including September since August 23-September 3, 1880.
7.76" of rain in the one week from September 14-20.
- 4th wettest September week on record after weeks in 1967, 1965, and 1961.

Here are some notes on Moline, IL (records dating back to 1871).

Eight consecutive days with measurable precipitation from September 15-22.
- Longest stretch since February 3-11, 2018.
- Longest stretch in or including September since September 14-22, 1965.
- Tied for 11th longest stretch on record with numerous weeks (record is 12 days from May 21-June 1, 1903).

Here are some notes on Cedar Rapids, IA (records dating back to 1893).

Six consecutive days with measurable precipitation from September 17-22.
- Longest stretch since May 14-28, 2021 (longest on record - 15 days).
- Longest stretch in or including September since August 25-September 1, 2014.

For more on day to day amounts and records, visit our Climate Page. For historical periods of record for our climate sites, see here.

Rain Reports

Location                     Amount    Time/Date       Provider

...Top 10 Rainfall Reports...

Cedar Rapids 5.8 N           5.68 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
MAQUOKETA                    5.59 in   1008 AM 09/20   CWOP
Iowa City                    5.40 in   1007 AM 09/20   CWOP
Elizabeth                    5.04 in   0630 AM 09/20   COOP
North Liberty 1.0 ENE        4.95 in   0655 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Solon 0.3 ESE                4.91 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Ainsworth 7.4 N              4.90 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Robins 0.8 SE                4.88 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Swisher                      4.82 in   0850 AM 09/20   COOP
Solon 0.4 WNW                4.76 in   0630 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Illinois...

...Bureau County...
Walnut 5.3 ENE               3.29 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Princeton 1.0 SSW            2.01 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Spring Valley Airport        1.10 in   1015 AM 09/20   AWS

...Carroll County...
Lanark 5.3 N                 4.21 in   0858 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Lanark 0.3 SSW               3.87 in   0500 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Lanark 6.0 E                 3.48 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Henry County...
Colona 0.5 ESE               4.22 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Green Rock                   3.70 in   0900 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
2 SSE Osborn                 3.48 in   1006 AM 09/20   CWOP
Atkinson 2.6 NNE             3.41 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
New Windsor 2.0 N            2.61 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Coal Valley 2.6 E            2.30 in   0900 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Kewanee 1 E                  1.82 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
Galva                        1.26 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Galva 2.7 NE                 1.13 in   0600 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Jo Daviess County...
Elizabeth                    5.04 in   0630 AM 09/20   COOP
Hanover 0.2 NW               4.34 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
East Dubuque 1.7 SE          3.90 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Stockton 3.4 NNE             3.76 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Stockton 3 Nne               3.74 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
Mount Carroll                3.64 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Stockton                     3.51 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Middleburg                   3.42 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Galena 0.8 WSW               2.83 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Mercer County...
Viola 0.4 E                  3.06 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Aledo                        2.93 in   0800 AM 09/20   COOP
Illinois City 6.7 NW         2.35 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
0.9 W Keithsburg             1.30 in   0930 AM 09/20   HADS

...Rock Island County...
Moline 0.7 NNE               4.46 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
1 NNW Fruitland              3.85 in   0814 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Illinois City 6.7 SW         3.40 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Milan                        2.82 in   1008 AM 09/20   CWOP
Taylor Ridge 1.1 N           2.73 in   0900 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
SILVIS                       2.68 in   1006 AM 09/20   CWOP
0.9 E Fairport               2.52 in   0930 AM 09/20   HADS
Moline 0.8 NNW               2.30 in   0751 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Quad City Intl Arpt          2.20 in   0952 AM 09/20   ASOS
2.9 N Rock Island            2.13 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS
2.9 E Muscatine              1.76 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS
0.8 N Moline Quad-City Airpo 1.67 in   0930 AM 09/20   HADS

...Stephenson County...
Lena 0.3 SSE                 3.62 in   0600 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Davis 0.5 N                  3.61 in   0904 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Freeport                     2.96 in   1010 AM 09/20   CWOP
Freeport 4.3 W               2.81 in   0500 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Freeport Arpt                2.15 in   1015 AM 09/20   AWOS

...Whiteside County...
Morrison 3.2 E               4.45 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Sterling 5.9 NNE             4.25 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Prophetstown 0.2 SW          4.00 in   1000 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Coleta 1.4 SSW               3.83 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Sterling                     3.09 in   1010 AM 09/20   CWOP
Dam 13                       2.81 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS
Sterling 4.9 WSW             2.63 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Sterling/Rock Falls Arpt     2.49 in   1003 AM 09/20   AWOS

...Iowa...

...Benton County...
Van Horne 2.1 NNW            4.21 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Vinton                       4.09 in   0800 AM 09/20   COOP
SHELLSBURG                   3.78 in   1005 AM 09/20   CWOP
MOUNT AUBURN                 3.00 in   1010 AM 09/20   CWOP
Mount Auburn 0.1 SSW         2.94 in   0600 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
1 NE Watkins                 2.52 in   1010 AM 09/20   AWS
2 ENE Dysart                 2.42 in   1010 AM 09/20   AWS
Urbana                       1.43 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Iowa River                   1.05 in   0900 AM 09/20   HADS

...Buchanan County...
Independence                 2.17 in   0930 AM 09/20   CWOP
Winthrop 5.6 NNE             2.10 in   0930 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Independence 0.9 WNW         2.00 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Aurora                       1.92 in   0945 AM 09/20   CWOP
Independence 2.1 NNE         1.61 in   0705 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Fairbank                     1.25 in   1001 AM 09/20   CWOP
Independence                 1.09 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Independence                 1.07 in   0930 AM 09/20   HADS

...Cedar County...
Tipton 0.3 ESE               3.56 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Clinton County...
Camanche 1.2 W               4.69 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Charlotte 1.9 WNW            4.07 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Clinton 1.3 NNE              3.47 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
De Witt 5.4 ENE              3.46 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Calamus 2.0 NE               3.44 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
WHEATLAND                    2.86 in   1010 AM 09/20   CWOP

...Delaware County...
Hopkinton 5.4 WSW            3.75 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
MANCHESTER                   3.27 in   1008 AM 09/20   CWOP
MANCHESTER                   2.81 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Manchester                   2.58 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
2 NNW Manchester Airport     2.39 in   1010 AM 09/20   AWS
1 NE Dundee                  1.79 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Des Moines County...
2 WSW Yarmouth               2.01 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Danville 2.9 W               1.10 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS


...Dubuque County...
Bellevue 12.2 NW             4.53 in   0750 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Dubuque 1.0 SE               4.23 in   0650 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Asbury 0.4 SW                4.16 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Dubuque 1.4 WNW              3.91 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Dubuque Arpt                 3.63 in   0953 AM 09/20   ASOS
1.8 NW East Dubuque          3.01 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS
Dubuque 7 SSW                3.00 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
Waupeton                     2.66 in   0945 AM 09/20   HADS
Dubuque                      2.31 in   0956 AM 09/20   CWOP
Gordons Ferry                2.20 in   0945 AM 09/20   HADS
Dubuque                      1.97 in   1009 AM 09/20   CWOP

...Henry County...
Mount Union 3.6 S            1.87 in   0900 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Iowa County...
North English                3.28 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
Marengo 2.6 SSW              2.67 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Amana                        2.37 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Parnell 0.1 SSW              2.30 in   0557 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Williamsburg 0.6 SW          2.05 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
1 E Williamsburg             1.57 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
4.0 S Parnell                1.30 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS

...Jackson County...
MAQUOKETA                    5.59 in   1008 AM 09/20   CWOP
Bellevue                     3.28 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS

...Johnson County...
Iowa City                    5.40 in   1007 AM 09/20   CWOP
North Liberty 1.0 ENE        4.95 in   0655 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Solon 0.3 ESE                4.91 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Swisher                      4.82 in   0850 AM 09/20   COOP
Solon 0.4 WNW                4.76 in   0630 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City 1.0 NE             4.74 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City                    4.70 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
West Branch 2.3 SSW          4.68 in   0825 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City 2.7 E              4.68 in   0701 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City 3.7 E              4.58 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
West Branch 2.0 NNW          4.37 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
University Heights           4.33 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City 1.2 WSW            4.25 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City 1.5 NNE            4.19 in   0715 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Riverside                    4.04 in   1006 AM 09/20   CWOP
Iowa City 2.8 WSW            3.94 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
North Liberty 0.7 SSW        3.92 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City 1.4 NNE            3.78 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Coralville 1.3 SE            3.66 in   0720 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Coralville 1.7 SSE           3.54 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
IOWA CITY                    3.49 in   1008 AM 09/20   CWOP
North Liberty 0.5 NW         2.75 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City                    2.50 in   1005 AM 09/20   CWOP
Clear Crk At Coralville      2.44 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS
Iowa City 1.5 ENE            2.35 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City 0.9 SW             2.20 in   0900 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Iowa City 1.3 ESE            2.16 in   0830 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
2.5 SW Newport               1.88 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS
4.0 N Iowa City              1.30 in   1000 AM 09/20   HADS

...Jones County...
Anamosa 3 SSW                4.46 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
Wapsipinicon River           4.19 in   0800 AM 09/20   HADS
Center Junction 2.6 W        3.97 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Livermore                    3.90 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Monticello                   2.42 in   0800 AM 09/20   COOP
Wapsipinicon River           2.36 in   0915 AM 09/20   HADS
Anamosa 0.6 ESE              2.15 in   0900 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Keokuk County...
Sigourney                    1.90 in   0600 AM 09/20   COOP

...Linn County...
Cedar Rapids 5.8 N           5.68 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Robins 0.8 SE                4.88 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Cedar Rapids 2.1 NW          4.74 in   0915 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Marion 1.6 WNW               4.67 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Cedar Rapids 4.1 NW          4.53 in   0600 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Marion 1.7 NNW               4.48 in   0733 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Ely 0.5 SE                   4.41 in   0715 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Cedar Rapids 2.7 NE          4.40 in   0550 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Marion                       4.40 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Marion 3.2 N                 4.30 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Cedar Rapids                 3.62 in   1008 AM 09/20   CWOP
Marion                       3.42 in   1005 AM 09/20   CWOP
Coggon 0.3 ENE               3.23 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Center Point 0.6 NNW         2.82 in   0600 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Center Point                 2.78 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Central City 6.7 W           2.67 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
CENTRAL CITY                 2.49 in   1010 AM 09/20   CWOP

...Louisa County...
Wapello 5.4 SE               2.22 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Morning Sun 1.7 E            1.92 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Muscatine County...
2 N Muscatine                4.58 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
Cedar River Tnc Swamp        4.09 in   0946 AM 09/20   RAWS
Nichols 3.6 WSW              3.65 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS

...Scott County...
Eldridge 0.7 SSW             4.75 in   0800 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
BETTENDORF                   4.64 in   1010 AM 09/20   CWOP
3.9 S Dewitt                 4.21 in   0930 AM 09/20   HADS
Davenport 0.9 WNW            4.20 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
1 NE Pleasant Valley         4.20 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
BETTENDORF                   3.93 in   1006 AM 09/20   CWOP
Davenport                    3.84 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Bettendorf 2.4 ENE           3.82 in   0730 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
3 S Mount Joy                3.74 in   1010 AM 09/20   AWS
BETTENDORF                   3.62 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Davenport 6 N                3.57 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
Davenport 4.3 NE             3.56 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
LECLAIRE                     3.20 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP
Flagstaff Cheshire           3.00 in   0946 AM 09/20   CWOP
Eldridge                     2.88 in   1007 AM 09/20   CWOP
BETTENDORF                   2.69 in   1000 AM 09/20   CWOP

...Washington County...
Ainsworth 7.4 N              4.90 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Kalona 2.6 WSW               3.99 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Wellman 4.0 E                3.69 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Washington 6.5 W             2.20 in   0700 AM 09/20   COCORAHS
Washington 2 SSW             2.17 in   0700 AM 09/20   COOP
Washington                   1.75 in   1015 AM 09/20   AWS

Flooding

Hydrographs - Tributary Rivers