Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued for Iowa as Storms Approach

DES MOINES, Iowa — A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for nearly 40 counties in central, southern, and western Iowa. The watch lasts until 4 a.m. on Friday as storms packing heavy rain and damaging winds approach from the west.

According to the National Weather Service, a flood watch is also in effect for around a third of the state, including Polk County, through 7 a.m. Friday. Reports indicate that severe thunderstorms have already led to over 800 power outages across central Iowa.

As of 12:45 a.m., nearly 850 customers were without power, with the greatest disruptions reported in Madison County, where over 600 customers were affected, followed by Dallas County with around 200 outages. Other impacted areas include Council Bluffs and Sioux City.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for parts of four central Iowa counties including Polk, Madison, Dallas, and Warren, effective until 1:15 a.m. Residents in these areas are advised to stay indoors and seek shelter in interior rooms on the lowest floor of buildings.

Storms were detected along a line stretching from near Minburn to Jordan Creek Town Center, moving east at 45 mph. Wind gusts have reached up to 74 mph as reported by the Des Moines International Airport.

A tornado warning for southeastern Guthrie County originally set to expire at 12:15 a.m. was issued after a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was detected near Casey. This storm was moving east at 35 mph, with reports of heavy rain and wind gusts above 60 mph.

Emergency management officials in eastern Guthrie County reported trees and large limbs down, causing additional hazards. As the storms move towards the Des Moines metro area, additional warnings have been issued for parts of eight counties.

The Storm Prediction Center has placed most of western and northwestern Iowa under an Enhanced Risk (level 3 out of 5) for severe weather, with expectations of damaging wind and hail. Areas in western Iowa may experience between 2 to 5 inches of rain if storms train over the same locations.

The storms are expected to move out by early Friday morning, bringing with them slight temperature drops and a chance for more storms on Friday evening. Saturday should see clearer skies with a mild weekend ahead.