116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Threat of severe weather increases across east central Iowa
National Weather Service update puts the threat of severe weather at 4 on a 5-point scale
The Gazette
Jul. 15, 2024 11:59 am, Updated: Jul. 15, 2024 4:08 pm
Extreme heat will give way to potentially severe storms across Eastern Iowa this afternoon and into the evening.
Eastern Iowa was under “enhanced” warning of severe weather most of the day Monday, but a weather briefing released at about 3:20 p.m. increased that threat to “moderate,” according to the National Weather Service’s Quad Cities bureau.
That rating is level 4 on a 5-point scale used by the Storm Prediction Center. It means forecasters have “high confidence” that storms will contain damaging winds, severe hail, and/or tornadoes.
A heat advisory is in place statewide through the afternoon and early evening. Heat index readings were expected to exceed 100 degrees in the north, and could reach 110 degrees in the south, the NWS warns.
A storm is expected to begin pushing across the state in an east-southeast direction, traveling 45-60 mph, according to aNWS weather briefingissued Monday morning and updated at 3:20 p.m.
Chances for severe weather increase between 4 and 10 p.m.
There is at least a 60 percent chance of “organized severe storms,” according to the weather briefing. These storms are capable of producing damaging winds that can down trees, tornadoes, and periods of very heavy rainfall that may produce low visibility and some minor flooding.
The National Weather Service is projecting an enhanced risk of severe weather for a large portion of Eastern Iowa. That is the third-highest warning level on the five-level severe weather threat scale used by the Storm Prediction Center. Most of the state is under a slight risk of severe weather, except for far northwest Iowa, which is has just slight risk.
[07/15/24 2:49 pm]: Storms are starting to form over north-central Iowa and will continue to organize and spread eastward over the next several hours. Widespread damaging winds may occur. Remain alert for rapidly changing conditions and have multiple ways to receive warnings!pic.twitter.com/DqXiHUm57b
— NWS Quad Cities (@NWSQuadCities)July 15, 2024
Severe weather is most likely for Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and the Quad Cities between 5 and 9 p.m. Waterloo would see storms earlier — between 4 and 7 p.m.
In particular, forecast timing from the National Weather Service shows Cedar Rapids’ greatest risk of storms is between 6 and 8 p.m. Monday. The highest risk is for wind, which could reach speeds of 75 mph. Hail also is possible.