Weather Headlines
- NEXT 9 HOURS: Strong to severe storms develop
- SHORT TERM: A break from storms overnight
- LONG TERM: More storms Friday, drying Saturday
Latest Forecast
KCRG-TV9 News First at 4
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The first of two rounds of strong to severe storms develops by mid-afternoon.
Tornado Watch in effect until 8 PM(KCRG-TV9 First Alert Storm Team)
It’s a First Alert Day today and tomorrow due to the potential for two separate rounds of strong to severe storms from two separate storm systems. The first is pushing through today, bringing a window of opportunity for storm activity to the afternoon and evening hours.
Scattered strong to severe storms are possible today and tomorrow.(KCRG)
Areas of widespread, chilly rainfall are likely ahead of this chance, with this lasting into at least the early afternoon. Grab the umbrella if you’re headed out early, though watch out for a stiff easterly wind that’s been so persistent over the last day or more.
The latest scan from Pinpoint Doppler Radar.
(KCRG)
After this round, it’s looking likely that we’ll see a bit of a break, which is evident in portions of Missouri and Kansas as of early afternoon. Enough of a break will allow temperatures to surge into the 60s to near 70 degrees near and south of a warm front this afternoon. Dew points will also climb there, potentially reaching the low to mid 60s by the middle of the afternoon.
It’s this same area where the threat of severe storms will be at its highest for today. If you’re north of the warm front today, experiencing clouds and chilly conditions, the risk will be substantially less. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted the area with that risk in orange below, also known as an enhanced risk area.
The latest severe weather outlook for today from the Storm Prediction Center.
(KCRG)
An arc of scattered storms is likely to move through the area between 2:00 p.m. in the west, to around 8:00 p.m. in the east at the latest. The maximal time for storms to be intense here in eastern Iowa falls right around 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Storms will be fast-moving today, likely going at least 50 to 60 mph in forward speed. That means they’ll affect a given location for only a brief period, but it also means that your time to react to warnings could be lower than usual. Make sure to take action as soon as you get the alert.
Scattered storms will move through this afternoon, potentially bringing severe weather with them.(KCRG)
If a storm approaches your area, seek shelter indoors. If a warning is issued, get to the lowest floor of your home, away from windows. In the event of a tornado warning, put as many walls between you and the outside as possible, like in an interior closet or bathroom. A basement is best if you have one. Cover your head and neck with pillows or blankets, or a bike helmet if you have one. If you’re in a mobile home, abandon it for more substantial shelter. If caught outdoors, try to get to an indoor shelter. As a last resort, lay flat in a ditch while protecting your head and neck. Don’t seek shelter under bridges or overpasses.
It’s important to make sure to have multiple ways to receive warnings. A NOAA Weather Radio is a great tool in this case. Make sure it’s plugged in and turned on, ready to receive warnings, before you head to bed. We also recommend the KCRG-TV9 First Alert Weather App, which can give you customized alerts for your location. Of course, we’ll also provide updates on KCRG.com and KCRG-TV9 as conditions warrant.
We’ll see another potential round of strong to severe storms on Friday, but it doesn’t come with the prelude of widespread rain during the day. After a dry night, we’ll keep it dry until about mid-afternoon on Friday. Temperatures will vary, like today, with 40s in the far north and 70s in the far south. A warm front will separate the two, and will be critical to where the strongest storms set up later in the day.
Near and south of that front, an area of unstable air will be present, combined with other ingredients favorable for severe weather. Even north of that front, on the cool side, those ingredients will be present higher up in the atmosphere, keeping a chance for storms to produce hail at the least. The Storm Prediction Center shows the difference between theshe two areas in their severe weather outlook, with those in the orange (enhanced risk) area being near or south of the warm front. The yellow (slight risk) area would be on the cool side.
The latest severe weather outlook for tomorrow from the Storm Prediction Center.
(KCRG)
Storms develop anew around 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., though the chances for more widespread storms increase by evening and after dark. Scattered storms are likely initially, but they may congeal into a line. The more individual storms would have higher chances for large hail and a few tornadoes, while the line would increase the risk for damaging winds.
More storms are likely later in the day.(KCRG)
Like today, storms will be moving quickly. React quickly when warnings are issued, taking steps to seek safe shelter no matter where you are.
Some rain and a few storms linger into Friday night, and a few showers are possible. Most of the weekend is dry, though, and temperatures will stay on the cool side. Cooler weather hangs around into early next week, too, with highs generally in the 40s and 50s.
Some warming is possible late next week, with showers back in the picture by the end of it.
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