The image above shows a wide view of when the water level of the Cedar River measured just over 20 feet, which is 8 feet above flood stage, near Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

(NASA)

At a Glance

Images from NASA's Earth Observatory show Iowa's unseasonal flooding from space.The Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, crested to its second-highest level on record.

Earlier this month, heavy rainfall pummeled parts of the Midwest, triggering floods that inundated homes, washed out roads and caused the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to crest at its second-highest level on record.

Images captured by NASA’s Operational Land Imager show Iowa’s swollen Cedar and Wapsipinicon rivers.

, and its waters flowed between 84,000 to 85,000 cubic feet per second, much faster than the typical 24,000 cubic feet per second. Thousands of residents in Cedar Rapids were urged to evacuated their homes.

The image above shows a detailed view of flooding in the vicinity of Palo, Iowa. When this image was acquired, the water level at this part of the Cedar River was 16.5 feet.

(NASA )

The images a light blue color, according to NASA's Earth Observatory. During a flood, disturbed sediment colors rivers brown, which makes it difficult to distinguish flood water from land.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, . Flooding is more typical in the spring and summerwhen the heavy rains occur.