Severe Weather Update

5:13 AM
Flash Flood Statement (FFS) for Jackson [IA] till 5:21 AM CDT

4:09 AM
THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN for Johnson, Cedar, Clinton, Muscatine, Scott, Louisa, Des Moines, Lee [IA] and Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Mercer, Rock Island, Warren, Whiteside [IL] till 5:30 AM CDT

2:06 AM
Maquoketa [Jackson Co, IA] law enforcement reports HEAVY RAIN of M4.80 INCH at 02:15 AM CDT -- rainfall continues at time of report...but has ended now.

2:04 AM
Maquoketa [Jackson Co, IA] law enforcement reports FLASH FLOOD at 02:55 AM CDT -- highway 64 closed with 3 ft water over road on east side of maquoketa. water over top of squad car hoods with major flooding in maquoketa.

7:57 PM
expires Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Crawford [WI]

7:57 PM
Flood Advisory (FLS) for Crawford, Richland, Vernon [WI] till 10:00 PM CDT

7:46 PM
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH for Dubuque, Jackson [IA] and Carroll, Jo Daviess, Stephenson [IL] till 9:00 PM CDT

7:26 PM
Seneca [Crawford Co, WI] amateur radio reports HAIL of golf ball size (E1.75 INCH) at 07:25 PM CDT --

7:11 PM
Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Crawford [WI] till 8:00 PM CDT

Less Humid But Still Warm

The latest surface map showing something more common in Texas than Iowa...a "Dry Line". This separates a very moist atmosphere with dew points in the upper 60s to the east of the dry line while to the west of it the dew points drop off into the 30s and 40s. The air temperatures are still warm with readings in the 80s. The cold front with the cooler air is located just west of the Missouri River. This will cross the area over night and tomorrow temperatures will be in the 70s compared to the upper 80s of today. This dry line still could set of an isolated t-storm this evening.

Severe Weather Risk Updated 8:00 AM

Eastern Iowa is in a MODERATE to HIGH risk area for severe weather this afternoon.

Current Surface Map

This morning, an area of low pressure is located along the North Dakota/South Dakota state line and it will be moving northeast today. Iowa is south of the warm front which pushed through the area yesterday. Today it will be humid with south winds 20-30 mph and gusty. The cold front just west of the Missouri river will move into central Iowa early this afternoon. At this point thunderstorms will develop.

Severe Weather Expected

The Storm Prediction Center is forecasting a major severe weather outbreak today and/or tonight.

There is a MODERATE RISK for severe weather today. The storms will develop rapidly around 2 pm. Although there is the potential for tornadoes and large hail as the storms first develop, the main threat will transition into damaging winds as the storms form a line and move east this afternoon and this evening. The storms should exit the area around 8 PM. Stay tuned to your surroundings this afternoon. This could be a DANGEROUS situation. Click here to break down the threat for Tornado...Hail...Wind. I will have updates throughout the day.

Severe Weather Potential 11:35 AM

TRENDS ARE BEING MONITORED FOR AN INCREASING SEVERE THREAT AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A WEATHER WATCH...WHICH COULD BECOME NECESSARY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. STAY TUNED....

Radar Update 10:56 AM

10:56 AM Radar & Satellite

A large area of showers and an embedded line of thunderstorms continues to move northeast. Heavy downpours are possible with some lightning. I will last about 2 hours before a short break in the the rain with the potential for a little sunshine.

A Slow Mover

500 mb & Water Vapor Satellite

A large area of low pressure in the upper levels of the atmosphere will creep across the Midwest all weekend long. There will be showers and thunderstorms scattered about through the weekend with the potential to have some heavy downpours at times with the thunderstorms.

7:56 AM Radar & Satellite

Showers and thunderstorms in central Iowa are moving northeast this morning. There are some areas of eastern Iowa where fog is more of issue right now with visibilities at times less than one mile. There is also a slight risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon.

Severe Weather Update 4:00 PM

Looks like it won't be very active this evening. It appears the storms will remain below severe limits. The cold front is located in the western third of the state. You can see the wind shift from the SE to the SW. Just ahead of the front are is the line of showers and thunderstorms.

Severe Weather Risk Updated 12:07 PM

There is a slight risk of severe weather during the afternoon/evening hours. Stay tuned....

Weather Update 11:50 AM

Clouds will continue to build upward as the sun heats up the atmosphere making it more unstable. Isolated showers have developed in the last 30 minutes with a few more throughout the afternoon expected accompanied with thunder and lightning.

Weather Update 8:45 AM

8:15 AM Satellite

We are off to another nice start to the day with a mix of sun and clouds. This will continue though the day. This afternoon, with the daytime heating, an isolated t-storm or two is possible.

4AM Surface Map

The more active weather is along a cold front to our west. It is going to slowly move east through Thursday. As it move through Iowa Wednesday and Thursday the chance of showers and thunderstorms will be the highest. Also in advance of the front it will be muggy. The humidity level will go down behind the front Thursday afternoon/evening.

500 mb and Water Vapor Satellite

The upper level trough across the northern Rockies move through the Midwest Wednesday and Thursday. This will help produce showers and thunderstorms across the middle of the country.

A Beautiful Day

A beautiful day with a sunny sky and light winds. The clouds in the Dakotas are part of the next storm system expected here late tonight through tomorrow with showers and thunderstorms.

Severe Weather Update 12:05 PM

A cold front is moving through Iowa at this hour. Ahead of the front the temperatures (red numbers) are in the 80s with temperatures in the 50s behind it. Showers and thunderstorms are going to continue on and off for the rest of the afternoon hours. Ahead of the front will be the chance of severe weather. It looks like the best chance will now be located east of the Mississippi River. The wind will switch from the SW to the NW once the front passes.

T-Storms and Severe Weather Risk

The cold front we have been waiting for is now in the western part of the state. It will remain stationary this morning and wait for the low in Kansas to move northeast along the front. As the low and front move into eastern Iowa our shower/thunderstorm chance increases this afternoon. There is also a slight risk for severe weather.

Radar Update 10:07 AM

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA

1004 AM CDT WED MAY 23 2007

HAS ISSUED A* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... NORTHEASTERN JASPER COUNTY IN CENTRAL IOWA...* UNTIL 1045 AM CDT*

AT 1002 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR NEWTON...OR ABOUT 32 MILES EAST OF DES MOINES...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

Radar Update 9:39 AM

The leading storm has weakened to showers in the last hour. It continues to move northeast toward Allison. A few more storms have formed west of Eldora south to near Nevada. The arrows show the movement to the northeast as well.

You can also see the storm on the satellite photo. Notice the brighter white appearance to the clouds where the thunderstroms are.

Radar Update 8:38 AM

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DETECTED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF STATE CENTER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
ELDORA BY 905 AM CDT.
GRUNDY CENTER BY 930 AM CDT.
PARKERSBURG AND
APLINGTON BY 945 AM CDT.

SMALL HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

Wind Advisory

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A WINDADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON.

SOUTH WINDS 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH WILL OCCUR OVERTHE ADVISORY AREA THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. A TIGHT SURFACE PRESSUREGRADIENT BETWEEN LOW PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND HIGHPRESSURE OVER THE EAST COAST IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VERY WINDYCONDITIONS TODAY OVER IOWA. THE WIND WILL SUBSIDE SOME BY EARLY EVENING.

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 30 MPH AREEXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.

Weather Update 8:45 AM

The sky is clear across Iowa except for the north central part of the state. A few showers in southern Minnesota are responsible for the clouds drifting southeast. The below map, at 8:000 AM, shows the temperatures (red numbers), dew point (blue numbers), and wind direction from the south this morning. Since the air is so dry and the ground is dry the temperatures will be able to warm quickly this morning.