Severe thunderstorms are coming to Iowa on Monday, April 28, bringing threats of large hail, damaging winds and the possibility of strong tornadoes.
Central and northeastern Iowa are expected to receive the worst of the storm, with a level 4-out-of-5 risk for severe weather, the National Weather Service said. The rest of Iowa — northwestern, southwestern and southeastern Iowa — sits at a slightly lower risk.
Here’s what you need to know about the severe thunderstorm expected to come through and how to stay safe if the worst comes to worst.
NWS forecast: Intense storms could bring hail, tornadoes to Iowa on Monday
Thunderstorms starting Sunday night are just a taste of what is to come on Monday, April 28.
While Monday is expected to start off partly sunny with a high around 82 degrees, starting at around noon, Iowans can expect thunderstorms to begin rolling in while winds are blowing up to around 34 mph from the southeast.
A weather briefing from the National Weather Service in Des Moines on April 25 forecasts one or two rounds of severe storms, with the more intense storms occurring in the afternoon and evening.
Most of Iowa should expect a chance of severe storms that bring hail, high winds and tornadoes, on Monday, April 28.
Central Iowa, including Des Moines and Ames, all the way to northeastern Iowa, including Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Mason City, Decorah and even Dubuque, are all in the “moderate” risk of severe storms.
Expect large hail, strong and damaging winds and the possibility of strong tornadoes touching down.
Areas in a slightly lower severe storm risk: northwestern Iowa, including Spencer and Storm Lake; southwestern Iowa, including Council Bluffs, Atlantic and Greenfield; and southern Iowa, including Osceola and Ottumwa; and southeastern Iowa, including Davenport and Burlington, even as far north as Iowa City.
A small section of northwestern Iowa, including Sioux City, is in an even lower risk area.
Storms are expected to continue into the night, moving into northeastern Iowa, southeastern Minnesota and Wisconsin.
In central Iowa, the storms are expected to clear around 1 a.m. on Tuesday, April 29.
What to do if a strong tornado touches down in Iowa
A chance of strong tornadoes touching down is expected in Monday’s storms. The National Weather Service in Des Moines advises Iowans to review their safety plans, including where to shelter in case of a tornado, ahead of the storms.
The best places to shelter are in tornado shelters, but basements or an innermost room in your home are good options to stay safe. The NWS advises against staying in mobile homes, vehicles or under highway overpasses. It also suggests against sheltering in open rooms, such as a gymnasium.
The last round of severe storms that came through Iowa on April 17 knocked out power for thousands in Storm Lake, brought up to softball-sized hail, and brought two tornadoes in southwestern Iowa: an EF0 near the small town of Tabor, and an unusually wide EF1 near the small towns of Imogene and Essex.
What is the Des Moines forecast for the rest of the week?
The rest of the week will be much milder, and a much-welcomed warm-up as the beginnings of summer approach, according to the forecast from the National Weather Service.
Tuesday, April 29: Sunny with a high near 67 degrees during the day and a mostly clear evening with a low of 44.
Wednesday, April 30: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69 degrees during the day, with a chance of showers in the evening and a mostly cloudy low of 52.
Thursday, May 1: A chance of showers, but will be partly sunny with a high of 71 degrees during the day and a partly cloudy low of 49 in the evening.
Friday, May 2: Sunny with a high near 70 degrees.
Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: NWS Iowa forecast: Severe storms with hail, tornadoes likely on Monday