Much of the state came under an air quality alert Friday. The Iowa Department of natural Resources issued the warning over high ozone levels. Iowa D-N-R environmental specialist Sean Fitzsimmons says ozone levels rise with warm temperatures and clear skies.  “When we have an eight hour average when the ozone level exceeds 70 parts per billion that’s a level that falls in the sensitive groups category.”

Fitzsimmons says most people can go about their business without noticing any problem. “A typical person wouldn’t have difficulties at those levels but if you had an asthmatic child or elderly individual or people with respiratory problems, some of those large sensitive groups will start to have issues with breathing difficulties at those levels.”

He says ozone levels fall at night and when clouds move into the forecast.

(Radio Iowa)

Severe storms pummeled western and southwest Iowa with strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous cloud to ground lightning, early this morning. Here in Atlantic, winds at the airport gusted up to 66 miles per hour at around 1:55-a.m. There were also scattered power outages and numerous tree debris on the streets. A power line was on the ground at around 2:41-a.m. in the 600 block of Palm Street. Atlantic Fire responded to the scene. And, social media posts report a tree limb fell very close to the side of a house, landing on a set of steps.

Tree limbs were blocking some streets in Council Bluffs at around 12:50-a.m. today. In Monona County, a semi tractor-trailer was blown over on Interstate 29 at around 12:15.am., three-miles south/southwest of Blencoe. A 60-mph gust of wind was recorded near Little Sioux, in Harrison County, at about the same time. Thunderstorm wind damage was reported in Sarpy and Douglas Counties in Nebraska, between midnight at 1-a.m., as well. There were numerous other reports of high winds and damage scattered across Nebraska.  Mid-American Energy reported there were scattered power outages across southwest Iowa. The latest report indicated 313 residences were affected (as of 6:15-a.m.).  Nishnabotna Valley REC reports 113 people were without power in Pottawattamie County, 14 in Cass County, 8 in Shelby County, 1 in Audubon County, and seven others total in Montgomery, Adams and Taylor Counties.

No injuries were immediately reported.