This is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa as residents statewide are encouraged to be prepared for spring and summer storms. Each day of the week will focus on a different severe weather topic, and Mike McClure with the National Weather Service says today (Monday) they’re calling attention to the dangers of flash flooding. “In any poor drainage areas or near creeks, streams and rivers, it’s one of those great ideas to be prepared ahead of time. What would you do in case of flash flooding? Where would you go? Get your preparedness in order right now, ahead of time.” Other topics on the calendar for this week include severe thunderstorms, family preparedness and tornadoes, with a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday morning.

McClure says this is also the time to refresh yourself on the difference between a warning, which means severe weather is occurring or imminent, versus a watch, which means conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather. “It’s not an exact science, so the goal here is to not get locked in on the counties that are in a watch, because severe weather doesn’t fall nicely and neatly, unfortunately, as we’d like it to and that’s why we say, if you’re in or near a watch area be prepared and stay alert.”

The first tornado reported in Iowa last year happened in late March causing minor damage in Clarke County, with a statewide total last year of 55 tornadoes, the highest since 2008.

(Iowa News Service)