240 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

TORNADO WATCH 539 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS….IOWA COUNTIES INCLUDED ARE: FREMONT HARRISON MILLS MONONA MONTGOMERY PAGE POTTAWATTAMIE SHELBY WOODBURY

SEVERAL TORNADOES LIKELY WITH A FEW INTENSE TORNADOES POSSIBLE SEVERAL VERY LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE SEVERAL DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WITH A FEW SIGNIFICANT GUSTS TO 75 MPH POSSIBLE.THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 65 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES WEST OF FALLS CITY NEBRASKA TO 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF NORFOLK NEBRASKA.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

REMEMBER…A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

1249 PM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013

…SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT…

AT 1245 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL ADAIR COUNTY…MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL…WINDS GREATER THAN 30 MPH…ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. EXPECT THE STORM TO MOVE THROUGH
GREENFIELD AROUND 1 PM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…
GREENFIELD…         ADAIR…              STUART…

GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS
PASSED.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES SAYS TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE BY LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING IN THE KJAN LISTENING AREA.

Iowa Storm Chasing Network graphic of Tornadic/Severe Storm threat.

IN THEIR HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK ISSUED AT AROUND 12:10-P.M., THE WEATHER SERVICE SAID THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EVENING.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND 60 MPH WINDS POSSIBLE. MORE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE STORMS ARE THEN POSSIBLE LATER TODAY DURING THE MODERATE RISK TIME FRAME. VERY LARGE HAIL…GOLF BALL SIZED OR LARGER…70 MPH WINDS AND TORNADOES ARE ALL POSSIBLE. A STRONG TORNADO MAY OCCUR.

A moderate threat of severe weather, including tornadoes, remains in place for later this afternoon and this evening. The threat has shifted slightly to the south and west toward the Missouri River as well. Large hail, damaging winds, locally heavy rains and tornadoes are all possible. Some tornadoes may be strong and long lived.

Folks with early weekend activities, including high school football games, should monitor the weather closely. Have severe weather action plans in place beforehand being ready to seek shelter on short notice.

1153 AM CDT FRI OCT 4 2013
COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE

THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT….

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF EXTREME EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REST OF THE OUTLOOK AREA.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INITIALLY DEVELOP IN EASTERN NEBRASKA AFTER 3 PM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA AND INTO WESTERN IOWA THROUGH 7 PM. THE MAIN THREATS INITIALLY FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. AS THE LINE OF STORMS PUSHES TOWARD THE MISSOURI RIVER STRONGER INSTABILITY AND WIND SHEAR WILL ENHANCE STORM DEVELOPMENT WITH THE  POTENTIAL FOR TORNADO DEVELOPMENT FOR AREAS ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER INTO WESTERN IOWA.

THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE FAST MOVING AND PUSH EAST OUT OF THE AREA AFTER 9 PM.

The Iowa Storm Chasing Network says a “Very dangerous situation” could be in the works for this afternoon and this evening, where the development of destructive tornadoes is concerned. The enhanced risk exists over a large portion of Iowa.

Thunder and lightning awakened many Iowans this morning (Friday) as a potent, large storm system began to bear down on the state. Numerous thunderstorm watches and warnings were issued in the wee hours. Meteorologist Brad Small, at the National Weather Service, says the next several hours will be an active period for weather across much of the state. “The potential is still there for more activity later in the day,” Small says. “There’s a moderate risk of severe weather over northern Iowa and into parts of central Iowa. That would mean all kinds of severe weather, large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes are all possible in that area.” To the west, Small says it’s much less like early fall and much more like the dead of winter as Blizzard Warnings and Winter Storm Watches are in effect in South Dakota, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming.

“There’s heavy snow in the Black Hills, thankfully we’ll miss out on that but temperatures will be sharply colder by tomorrow,” Small says. “It’s a big change from what we’ve seen the past few days. Highs will only be in the 50s and 60s.” Iowans can count their blessings as some states to the west have a forecast that includes 12 to 20-inches of snow and strong winds, bringing white-out conditions.

(Radio Iowa/Iowa Storm Chasers Network)

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Strong thunderstorms moving through Iowa are leaving tree branches scattered and in some locations breaking through power lines causing outages.  MidAmerican Energy reports 1,640 customers without power with most of them located in the Des Moines area but dozens in Council Bluffs and Sioux City.  Alliant Energy says it has 350 customers out mostly around Boone.  No injuries have been reported.

The storms packed winds estimated at 70 miles per hour as they moved through central Iowa. Tree branches as large as 7 inches in diameter were knocked from trees. Hail at least  3/4 of an inch around was reported in some locations. Storms moved quickly across the state but a strong system with the potential for high wind and possible tornado activity will arrive Friday afternoon and evening.

COUNTIES: SAC-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND THROUGH THE EVENING. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS
MORNING THROUGH MID AFTERNOON WITH QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND 60 MPH
WINDS POSSIBLE. SIGNIFICANT SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATER TODAY
DURING THE MODERATE RISK TIME FRAME. VERY LARGE HAIL GOLF BALL
SIZED OR LARGER…70 MPH WINDS AND A FEW TORNADOES ARE ALL
POSSIBLE. A STRONG TORNADO MAY OCCUR.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY FROM 3 PM TO MIDNIGHT TODAY.

COUNTIES: CASS-ADAIR-MADISON-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD–

ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH MID AFTERNOON
TODAY WITH QUARTER SIZED HAIL AND 60 MPH WINDS. A GREATER RISK FOR
SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED AFTER 5 PM THROUGH MIDNIGHT AS A LINE
OF STORMS DEVELOP OVER WESTERN IOWA AND RACE EAST THROUGH THE
EVENING. HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL…65 MPH WINDS AND AN ISOLATED
TORNADO OR TWO MAY OCCUR WITH THIS ACTIVITY.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY BETWEEN 5 PM AND MIDNIGHT.

The National Weather Service says a moderate risk for severe weather is in place across northern Iowa this afternoon and evening while a slight risk encompasses much of the remainder of the state. Scattered thunderstorms will linger across the area this morning. An isolated severe storm with quarter sized hail and 60 mph winds are possible with this activity. A line of strong to severe storms is expected to develop over western Iowa by this afternoon.

(Graphic) – NWS Severe Weather potential.

That activity will race northeast and into the area from late afternoon through mid-evening. Very large hail, damaging winds and a few tornadoes are likely, especially over the moderate risk region. A few severe storms with a heightened risk for damaging winds are likely over central and northern Iowa along with an attendant large hail and isolated tornado threat. This could become a potentially dangerous situation.

Be prepared to take appropriate actions if severe weather approaches your location. The storms will begin to weaken after midnight. By Saturday, a strong cold front will be passing through the area, ushering in much colder temperatures. Thunderstorm chances will pass to the east with dry and windy conditions in place by the afternoon.

COUNTIES: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE-

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL IOWA, TODAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REST OF THE OUTLOOK AREA.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INITIALLY DEVELOP IN NORTHEAST
NEBRASKA NEAR AND AFTER 2 PM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND INTO WEST CENTRAL IOWA THROUGH 7 PM. THE  MAIN THREATS FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE VERY LARGE
HAIL…SOME GREATER THAN 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER…STRONG WIND GUSTS
AND TORNADOES.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND EAST OF A
LINE FROM NEAR FREMONT, NE, TO BEATRICE, NE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP AFTER 4 PM AND MOVE EAST THROUGH EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA BY 7 PM…AND ACROSS SOUTHWEST IOWA THROUGH 10 PM. LARGE HAIL…DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY.