4:39 pm CT
Why are the sirens going off?
Kate Kealey
If you are in the Des Moines metro, you may have heard some sirens sounding Friday afternoon. Don’t worry, it is not a tornado warning. Polk County Emergency Management sounds thesirens when gusts are over 70 mph. Western towns in the Des Moines metro are under a severe thunderstorm warning until 5 p.m.
4:28 pm CT
Parts of Des Moines metro under severe thunderstorm warning
Kate Kealey
Parts of the Des Moines metro, as well as other areas of central Iowa, are under a severe thunderstorm warning as of 4:30 p.m. The warning runs until 5 p.m. and could consist of wind gusts up to 70 mph. Impacted towns include Waukee, Perry and as far west as Monteith. Threats possibly include quarter sized hail.
3:41 pm CT
When will severe weather hit Iowa? See timing for Des Moines, Ames and Iowa City
Kate Kealey
Friday’s storm will travel across Iowa from 2 p.m.. to 10 p.m and move from the southwest to northeast. The highest risk for severe weather is between 4 and 10 p.m.
Thunderstorms are expected to reach the Des Moines area between 4 and 6 p.m. and arrive in Ames shortly after.
Iowa City, which is not currently in the severe thunderstorm watch, is expected to see storms arriving between 6 and 8 p.m.
3:33 pm CT
NWS issues severe thunderstorm watch for western, central Iowa
Kate Kealey
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for much of Iowa until 10 p.m. It stretches from Iowa’s southwestern corner up north toward Waterloo and Fort Dodge. Dallas, Polk and Story counties in the Des Moines metro are among the dozens of counties under watch.
The National Weather Service warns storms could develop and produce wind gusts up to 90 mph. A couple of tornadoes are possible along with scattered hail up to the size of a ping pong ball.
The total watch impacts 2.98 million people, 1,267 schools and 112 hospitals, according to the National Weather Service.
2:59 pm CT
Des Moines weather radar: Track storm’s progress across Iowa
Brian Smith
Rain and thunderstorms will lift from southwest Iowa and move across central Iowa on Friday afternoon. Heavy winds are expected during the storms.
Track the storm’s progress with the latest weather radar loop from the National Weather Service in Des Moines.
