DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Weather officials say a line of severe thunderstorms and high winds in central Iowa, Thursday, left thousands of customers without power. The National Weather Service says a severe thunderstorm warning was in effect several hours Thursday for various central Iowa counties. At one point, more than 38,000 MidAmerican Energy customers were without power, with a majority in the Des Moines area.

Meteorologist Kurt Kotenberg says winds from the storms reached up to 70 miles per hour, but tornadoes were not expected. The system hit the Des Moines area before heading northeast toward Ankeny, Elkhart, Altoona and Bondurant. Kotenberg says reported damage includes dime-size hail in Johnston and fallen tree limbs in Adel. He says minor flooding is expected in parts of Polk County.

In the KJAN listening area; Emergency Management officials reported a 12-inch diameter tree limb was downed by strong winds just after 3-pm Thursday, in Adair; A storm spotter in the Mills County town of Henderson reported 3.5-inches of rain had fallen by 5:30-p.m, Thursday;

photo by Shane Hunter.

Law enforcement in Ringgold County reported a semi tractor-trailer was blown over on Highway 169 about 2 miles north of Tingley, at around 4:15-pm, Thursday; and, a Ham Radio operator near Redfield reported 6-to 12-inch diameter tree limbs had fallen in and near Redfield between 3:10- and 3:30-pm, and there was significant crop damage in the area.