The National Weather Service in Valley, NE., has issued a Wind Advisory for parts of western and southwest Iowa, and eastern Nebraska, until 6-p.m.  In the KJAN listening area, the advisory includes: Monona, Harrison, Shelby, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont and Page Counties.

Strong winds are expected to last throughout the day, with gusts out of the south at up to 45-mph. Winds of that strength can make driving difficult, especially for light weight and high profile vehicles, and motorcycles. Use extra caution on the roads today.

A Wind Advisory means that sustained wind speeds of between 30-39 miles per hour or gusts of between 45-and 57-mph can be expected.

From the National Weather Service Offices in Des Moines & Valley, NE:

For Cass, Audubon, Crawford, Carroll and Guthrie Counties….Winds will increase out of the south today from 20-30 mph with gusts to near 45 at times. Thunderstorms will move into the area late this afternoon and tonight. Heavy rainfall is possible with some storms, which may also be severe. Large hail and damaging winds are the primary threat from these storms. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out initially.

For Monona, Harrison, Shelby, Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont & Page Counties…Thunderstorms are expected to develop after 3-p.mn. generally north of I-80, however the most likely area they will initially develop will be in northeast Nebraska. Throughout the evening, additional thunderstorm development is expected over much of eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. These storms could persist into the overnight hours. Any storms that do develop are capable of producing large hail and damaging winds, mainly during the late afternoon and evening hours. Later in the evening and overnight, the storms may produce locally heavy rain.

Spotter activation may be needed after 3-p.m. across the affected counties.

Here’s the (podcast) Freese-Notis forecast for Atlantic, and the KJAN listening area….

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401 AM CDT WED MAY 23 2012

TODAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. WINDY. HIGH IN THE MID 80S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH INCREASING TO 25 TO 30 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH.

TONIGHT…THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT. BREEZY. SOME THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE UPPER 60S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH. CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS 90 PERCENT.

THURSDAY…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH SHIFTING TO THE WEST IN THE AFTERNOON.

THURSDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. COOLER. LOW IN THE UPPER 50S. NORTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

FRIDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH AROUND 80. EAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOW IN THE UPPER 60S.

SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S. LOW AROUND 70.

Here’s the (Podcast) Freese-Notis forecast for Atlantic and the KJAN listening area….

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342 AM CDT TUE MAY 22 2012 Natl Weather Service – Des Moines

TODAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. BREEZY. LOW IN THE UPPER 50S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 80S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 35 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY THROUGH MIDNIGHT THEN BECOMING PARTLY CLOUDY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. BREEZY. LOW IN THE MID 60S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

THURSDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE MID 80S. SOUTHWEST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOW IN THE UPPER 50S.

FRIDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S.

FRIDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOW IN THE MID 60S.

Here’s the Freese-Notis (podcast) forecast for Atlantic and the KJAN listening area…

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TODAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 70S. WEST WIND NEAR 5 MPH.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE LOWER 50S. SOUTH WIND NEAR 10 MPH.

TUESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 80S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH.

TUESDAY NIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY. BREEZY. LOW IN THE LOWER 60S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 80S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. LOW IN THE MID 60S.

THURSDAY…PARTLY SUNNY WITH A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE MID 80S.

THURSDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A 30 PERCENT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. LOW IN THE LOWER 60S.

Today: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms.  Otherwise partly sunny, with a high near 86. Windy, with a south wind between 13 and 23 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.

Tonight: A good chance of showers and thunderstorms. Otherwise mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 75.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 77.

A bill awaiting Governor Branstad’s review would establish new requirements in hopes of cracking down on so-called “storm chasers.” Consumer complaints about contractors who ride into town after a tornado or other disaster, but provide substandard or no repairs at all prompted legislators to draft the bill. Senator Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, says if the bill becomes law, contractors will have to provide a written document to the home owner, spelling out how the deal may be canceled. “It requires contractors to provide notice to the person that is receiving the repair, the residential homeowner, prior to them entering into a contract,” McCoy says. The lettering on that document is to be “at least 10 points” high and in “bold” which means it can’t be tiny, unreadable type at the bottom of the page. Contractors could also get into trouble for misleading marketing to home owners. McCoy says there are some common tricks. 

“Misrepresenting themselves as a negotiator or an adjuster on a claim,” McCoy says. If the bill becomes law, it would be illegal for a contractor to offer a rebate or reduction on the cost of repairs that’s equal to the homeowner’s insurance deductible. The bill also stipulates a homeowner who receives notice from their insurance company that the repairs are NOT covered by their home owner’s policy have three days to notify the contractor they want to cancel the work. In some cases alleged “storm chasers” who quickly arrive on the scene after a calamity have convinced home owners their insurance will pay to replace their entire roof, only have the claim denied by their insurance company.

(O. Kay Henderson/Radio Iowa)