Strong storms that rolled through western Iowa overnight Thursday into early this (Friday) morning, caused damage to trees in Adair and Guthrie Counties. The National Weather Service says Emergency Management officials for the two counties reported that between 1:30-and 1:35-a.m., numerous tree branches ranging from four- to 6-inches in diameter fell in Adair and Guthrie Center, and there were scattered power outages affecting parts of both towns.

Additional damage reports may be forthcoming, once officials get a better look, after sunrise. The Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for the KJAN listening area at around 8:20-p.m., Thursday. A portion of the Watch area in far west/southwest Iowa was replaced by a Tornado Watch about an hour later.  The first severe thunderstorm warnings issued for southwest Iowa came in at around 11:45-p.m., and it affected Mills County. Additional warnings were issued throughout the night, for Montgomery, Pottawattamie, Guthrie and Adair Counties.

CORNING, Iowa (AP) — Famed late-night TV host Johnny Carson’s birthplace in the southwest Iowa city of Corning will reopen later this month. The Des Moines Register reports the tiny house will reopen for visitors Oct. 23, the day Carson was born in Corning in 1925. The house has been closed during a restoration effort to return the house to its 1925 appearance.

Carson lived in Corning and other southwest Iowa cities before moving to Norfolk, Neb., at age 8. He hosted “The Tonight Show” on NBC for three decades. He died in 2005 at age 79.

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An unusual strong storm front is threatening the Midwest from the central Plains to the Mississippi Valley over the next several days. National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center meteorologist Gregory Carbin says about one-third of Iowa and parts of southern Minnesota have a 45 percent chance of severe storms. Parts of Nebraska, Missouri and Wisconsin are also on the storm front’s path.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowans wanting to get signed up for health care insurance under the nation’s historic health care overhaul aren’t deterred by a third day of technical glitches with the federal government’s computer system. At Broadlawns Hospital in Des Moines 12 certified financial counselors have been helping applicants attempting to get signed up for insurance. Betty Spratt the financial counselor supervisor says 128 people sought assistance Tuesday and 123 on Wednesday.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A coalition of advocacy groups is defending its decision to exclude Des Moines police from interviews with the public aimed at documenting cases of alleged racial profiling. Ben Stone, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa, says police presence at the upcoming clinics could deter and intimidate people from sharing their experiences.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Case McCoy scored on a 1-yard plunge with 51 seconds left and Texas rallied to win at Iowa State 31-30 last night. Sam Richardson had 262 yards passing and Aaron Wimberly had 117 yards rushing and a touchdown for Iowa State in Ames.

915 PM CDT THU OCT 3 2013

TORNADO WATCH 538 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM CDT FRIDAY,  FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS IN IOWA: FREMONT MILLS MONTGOMERY PAGE AND POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTIES.

Iowa National Guard spokesman, Col. Greg Hapgood announced Thursday night, that as a result of the continuing federal government shutdown, additional actions will be executed by the Iowa National Guard.

Beginning Friday, Oct. 4th, 16 full-time State of Iowa employees working for the Iowa National Guard will be temporarily laid off for up to 20 days. An additional 95 State employees will be temporarily laid off for up to 30 days beginning Oct. 18th. Currently, more than 1,000 full-time federal technicians of the Iowa National Guard are on  furlough  and will remain furloughed until the shutdown is resolved.

Furloughed/laid off employees will not receive pay for the duration of the furlough, may not be in a paid leave status, but will retain and accrue benefits. Approximately 1,000 full-time employees remain on duty for the Iowa National Guard, including Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) military personnel and federal technicians.

In addition, the 185^th Air Refueling Wing in Sioux City has cancelled drill scheduled for Oct. 5-6. Training and drill for all other Iowa National Guard units and personnel scheduled for Oct. 1-10 was previously cancelled. Rescheduling of all cancelled training assemblies will be announced at a later date after the shutdown has ended.

The Iowa National Guard will continue to provide periodic updates as this situation unfolds.

The National Weather Service at 8:20-p.m. Thursday, issued SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #537, which is in effect until 5-a.m. Friday. Area Counties included in the SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH: ADAIR  ADAMS  AUDUBON CARROLL  CASS  CRAWFORD DALLAS   FREMONT HARRISON GUTHRIE   MADISON   MILLS  MONTGOMERY PAGE  POTTAWATTAMIE   RINGGOLD   SAC  SHELBY  TAYLOR AND UNION.

PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE…
NUMEROUS LARGE HAIL EVENTS LIKELY WITH A FEW VERY LARGE HAIL    EVENTS TO 2.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE;  SEVERAL DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE; A FEW TORNADOES POSSIBLE

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA IS APPROXIMATELY ALONG AND 140 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF A LINE FROM 10 MILES WEST    SOUTHWEST OF FALLS CITY NEBRASKA TO 70 MILES NORTH OF DES MOINES,  IOWA.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE STORMS 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. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES.

The City of Atlantic’s Parks and Recreation Department Board of Directors will formally open the newly resurfaced tennis courts at Sunnyside Park Sunday afternoon, with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The public event takes place at 1-p.m., weather permitting, and is expected to last about 45-minutes.

The program will include dignitaries from the United States Tennis Association, and a brief explanation of the 10 and under Tennis Program that will be in place during next summer’s park and rec tennis program.

Authorities in Montgomery County are investigating a property damage accident that occurred Thursday afternoon. The Sheriff’s Department says a 2004 Nissan Sentra owned and operated by 21-year old Chelsee L. Morris, of rural Red Oak, was traveling west on 130th Street, a gravel road, when Morris overcorrected and lost control of the vehicle, about 1.5-miles east of Highway 48.

The car entered the south ditch and came to rest on its side. The accident happened at around 2:50-p.m. Damage to the vehicle was estimated at $4,000. No injuries were reported, and no citations were issued while the accident remains under investigation.

The Iowa Storm Chasing Network (http://iowachase.com) reports the Severe Storm Prediction Center (SPC) is currently watching parts of southwestern Iowa for the probability of issuing a severe thunderstorm watch. It appears more robust storm initiation will occur over the next hour or two across south central Iowa. A large hail and perhaps an isolated tornado threat may develop over the next several hours as attempts are made for storms to increase in coverage and intensity across central Iowa