DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Officials are monitoring severe weather in central Iowa that’s capable of producing tornadoes. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning Monday for parts of Adair, Dallas, Guthrie and Madison counties. The warning was allowed to expire at 1:15-p.m.

Officials say a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located four miles southeast of Earlham. Another severe thunderstorm was reported nine miles east of Roland. Officials say there’s the potential for 2-inch hail and strong winds.

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office reports two recent arrests. On Saturday, 34-year old Timothy Matthew Rasmussen, of Exira, was arrested on a charge of OWI 1st Offense. Rasmussen was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was released later that day on his own recognizance.

And last Thursday, Cass County deputies arrested 34-year old Leo Alan Edwards, of Pacific Junction,  on a District Court warrant for Probation Violation. Edwards was taken to the Cass County Jail where he was later released on $2,500 bond.

LECLAIRE, Iowa (AP) – A 7 1/2-ton rock has been lowered into place along the Mississippi River in LeClaire as residents work to establish another “freedom rock.” When it’s completed, it will be the 49th Iowa county with a rock covered by a patriotic mural painted by artist Ray Sorensen. He wants to paint such murals in each of Iowa’s 99 counties.

As a crane lowered the boulder into place Saturday, LeClaire resident Tonia Kennedy told the Quad-City Times it’s been a year since she began working to create a freedom rock in LeClaire. Kennedy and others who have joined the effort are trying to raise $15,000 to cover Sorensen’s expenses and other costs. Businesses have donated the cost of acquiring and delivering the boulder.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency warns residents Shelby County is experiencing a flash flood! Parents are warned not to allow children to play in or near flooded areas, as they could be swept into storm drains or larger bodies of water. Do not attempt to cross flooded roadways, turn around, don’t drown! Report water over the roadways or other damage to emergency management at 712-755-2124.

The flash flooding will persist through early afternoon.

Hail, strong winds and even a tornado has occurred in Shelby County while the rest of the surrounding area has dealt with much of the same the past two days and the weather continues to be a threat for much of today (Monday). The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency reports the heavy storm that came through western Iowa earlier this (Monday) morning produced quarter sized to baseball sized hail that fell near Prairie Rose State Park. Bob Seivert, EMA Coordinator, says the area isn’t in the clear.

“We have been placed in a tornado watch until 6 o’clock. We are actively watching storms forming from our northwest moving to the southeast and will be in our area in the next several hours.”
Sunday evening a tornado was spotted about five miles northwest of Harlan around 8:15pm. Seivert says the EMA had reports it was actually multiple tornadoes.

“There were reports of two brief touchdowns that were documented and we do have footage of them. Difficult sometimes when people are viewing one storm from many different angles to determine if that is the same tornado or different tornado.” Seivert said no damage has been reported from the tornadoes reported in the county. Sirens were howling in Shelby County during the tornado warning and Seivert says residents need to heed the warnings.

“These storms develop rapidly and become violent rapidly and most people are not able to respond and react if they are outside when these develop. The other thing most of these storms are accompanied with severe cloud to ground lightening. That can be devastating if you are struck by lightening. The bottom line is when a tornado warning is issued and the sirens are sounding, it is time to go inside and seek shelter, not stand outside and try to catch it on your cell phone.”

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency offers residents the availability of having warnings directly to your phone through the code red alerts. You can sign up online at www.shelbycountyema.com.

(Joel McCall/KNOD)

Officials with the National Service in Des Moines are warning Iowans to be prepared “For all modes of severe weather” across the state today. In their mid-morning web briefing, the Weather Service said tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds have occurred and can be expected to continue. The best threat for severe weather will be across the southern two-thirds of the state, with “Multiple waves” of severe weather possible.

3″ diameter hail in Harlan this morning. (Shelby County EMA photo)

In addition, heavy rainfall with areas of localized flooding is possible from mid-day through tonight. There is a 10-percent or greater chance of tornadoes today across western and central Iowa. The tornadoes may rate from EF-2 or higher on the Fujita scale, meaning winds could be well in excess of 115-miles per hour. An EF-2 tornado can cause considerable damage, with roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars overturned; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated; cars lifted off ground.

The greatest damaging wind threat will be over central and eastern Iowa. Most of central and western Iowa will also be impacted by large, damaging hail today. Stay tuned to KJAN for continued weather coverage.

The Atlantic Police Department reports one arrest and one accident took place last Friday. Officials say 35-year old Jennifer Lower, of Atlantic, was arrested for 5th Degree theft. Lower was booked into the Cass County Jail.

And, no injuries were reported following an accident at around 10:25-a.m., Friday. The accident took place in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Officials say Melissa Sarsfield, of Atlantic, was attempting to leave the parking lot traveling north in an aisle to drive toward an exit lane. With her windows were fogged over, Sarsfield was unable to see a parking light pole’s cement barrier. Her vehicle hit the barrier, causing $7,000 damage to the car and $50 damage to the pole/barrier.  No citations were issued.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) – A Denver-bound jetliner has landed in Sioux City after its pilot noticed a power warning light flashing in the cockpit. Southwest Airlines Flight 3809 landed without incident at 2:40 p.m. Sunday after leaving the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport about 90 minutes earlier. The Boeing 737 model carried 143 passengers and five crew members.

Southwest spokeswoman Michelle Agnew says the pilot took the cautious route even though the situation wasn’t dire. Agnew says the system that was involved powered such features as coffee pots and cabin lights and that backup power sources were available.

Sioux City airport operations manager John Backer says the passengers waited in the terminal for about three hours until a replacement plane arrived and they could board and resume their journeys.

w/ Ric Hanson

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CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) – Several tornadoes have been reported as heavy rain and hail fell on many parts of Iowa. At least six tornadoes were reported by spotters Sunday afternoon and evening, along with funnel clouds. Reports of deaths or serious injuries have not surfaced. Wind gusts of 60 mph were recorded in Madison County, and wind ripped off the roof of one building and damaged trees and a home on a farmstead near Otho in Webster County.

Baseball-size hail was reported near Magnolia in Harrison County. Firefighters in Morley evacuated residents because of flash flooding, and several motorists were stranded by street flooding in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Gauges say the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids rose more than 2 feet in a little more than three hours.