This is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Iowa as residents statewide are encouraged to be prepared for spring and summer storms. Each day of the week will focus on a different severe weather topic, and Mike McClure with the National Weather Service says today (Monday) they’re calling attention to the dangers of flash flooding. “In any poor drainage areas or near creeks, streams and rivers, it’s one of those great ideas to be prepared ahead of time. What would you do in case of flash flooding? Where would you go? Get your preparedness in order right now, ahead of time.” Other topics on the calendar for this week include severe thunderstorms, family preparedness and tornadoes, with a statewide tornado drill on Wednesday morning.

McClure says this is also the time to refresh yourself on the difference between a warning, which means severe weather is occurring or imminent, versus a watch, which means conditions are favorable for the development of severe weather. “It’s not an exact science, so the goal here is to not get locked in on the counties that are in a watch, because severe weather doesn’t fall nicely and neatly, unfortunately, as we’d like it to and that’s why we say, if you’re in or near a watch area be prepared and stay alert.”

The first tornado reported in Iowa last year happened in late March causing minor damage in Clarke County, with a statewide total last year of 55 tornadoes, the highest since 2008.

(Iowa News Service)

516 AM CDT SUN MAR 22 2015

TODAY…SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 60S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT…PARTLY CLOUDY IN THE EVENING THEN BECOMING MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF LIGHT SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS BEFORE MIDNIGHT. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE UPPER 30S. SOUTHEAST WIND AROUND 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE EAST AFTER MIDNIGHT. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 30 PERCENT.

MONDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. COOLER. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE MID 30S. EAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

TUESDAY…LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS LIKELY AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS IN THE MORNING…THEN THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE LOWER 50S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 90 PERCENT.

TUESDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE MID 30S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 50 PERCENT.

WEDNESDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGH IN THE MID 50S.

402 AM CDT SAT MAR 21 2015

EARLY THIS MORNING…CLEAR. NOT AS COOL. NORTH WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TODAY...SUNNY. HIGH IN THE LOWER 60S. EAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE MID 30S. EAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. SOUTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN THROUGH MIDNIGHT…THEN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE MID 30S. EAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH. CHANCE OF RAIN 30 PERCENT.

MONDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. COOLER. HIGH IN THE MID 50S. NORTHEAST WIND 10 TO 15 MPH.

MONDAY NIGHT…CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF LIGHT SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. LOW IN THE UPPER 30S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 50 PERCENT.

TUESDAY…LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS LIKELY AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS. HIGH IN THE MID 50S. CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION 70 PERCENT.

The Freese-Notis forecast and Weather information for Atlantic.

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AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-CASS-ADAIR-ADAMS-UNION-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD COUNTIES…518 AM CDT FRI MAR 20 2015

…DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DES MOINES HAS ISSUED A DENSE FOG
ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING.

* VISIBILITY…VISIBILITY WILL BE BELOW A QUARTER MILE TO NEAR
ZERO IN AREAS OF DENSER FOG.

* IMPACTS…VERY LOW VISIBILITY WILL MAKE DRIVING HAZARDOUS.
PLEASE DRIVE SLOWLY AND CAUTIOUSLY.

SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE COUNTIES…506 AM CDT FRI MAR 20 2015

…DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CDT THIS MORNING…

* VISIBILITY…ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.

* IMPACTS…TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S. THIS COULD RESULT IN SOME SLICK ROADS…ESPECIALLY BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A DENSE FOG ADVISORY MEANS VISIBILITIES WILL FREQUENTLY BE REDUCED TO LESS THAN ONE QUARTER MILE. IF DRIVING…SLOW DOWN… USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS…AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU.

346 AM CDT FRI MAR 20 2015

EARLY THIS MORNING…MOSTLY CLEAR. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

TODAY…SUNNY…WARMER. HIGH IN THE UPPER 60S. WEST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

TONIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 30S. SOUTHWEST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH SHIFTING TO THE NORTH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

SATURDAY...SUNNY. HIGH IN THE UPPER 50S. EAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH.

SATURDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLEAR. LOW IN THE UPPER 30S. EAST WIND 5 TO 10 MPH.

SUNDAY…MOSTLY SUNNY. A 20 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON. HIGH IN THE MID 60S. SOUTHEAST WIND 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH.

SUNDAY NIGHT…MOSTLY CLOUDY. A 40 PERCENT CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN THROUGH MIDNIGHT. LOW IN THE MID 30S.

MONDAY…PARTLY SUNNY. COOLER. HIGH IN THE MID 50S.

The Shelby County Emergency Management Agency says today (Thursday) will be a day of Moderated Fire Danger, with the risk still High due to abundance of fuel, and access issues. Drying conditions, with low relative humidity’s, poor overnight humidity recoveries, and winds will return Friday through Tuesday seeing a return of High to possibly Extreme conditions next week.

Authorities say residents should remain vigilant as there could still be some large fires. Other surrounding counties have been experiencing large fires, but officials say they are proud of Shelby County residents, as they have been helping keep firefighters safe by limiting burning, and being responsive to the fire danger announcements.

Today: Cloudy with a slight chance of rain, mainly this morning. High near 50. South winds at 10-15.  Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tonight: Fair to Partly Cloudy. Low around 30. South southwest wind at around 5 mph.

Friday: Areas of fog possible in the morning; Otherwise sunny. High near 67. Light west northwest wind becoming southwest at 5-to 15 mph, with gusts to around 20.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.

Saturday: Partly Cloudy. High near 57. Northeast wind 5 to 15 mph.

Sunday: Cloudy with a 20% chance of light rain and/or snow in the morning then a slight chance of rain. High near 48.

Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 52. Our Low this morning, 32.

The Freese-Notis forecast for Atlantic & the KJAN listening area, and weather data for Atlantic.

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