Latest news with #IowaEnvironmentalMesonet
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How much rain did Iowa get? See where rainfall totals topped 4 inches.
Plenty of rain, thunderstorms, strong winds and even hail passed through central Iowa Monday evening through early Tuesday morning. More rain is in the forecast for the state, but here's how much we've seen so far. Rounds of rain and thunderstorms moved across central Iowa during most of the day on Monday into Tuesday morning. Here are the top rainfall totals from 12 a.m. Monday, May 19, through 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, according to the Iowa Environmental Mesonet: Des Moines: 4.92 inches Ames: 3.95 inches Ankeny: 3.56 inches Boone: 2.57 inches Osceola: 2.33 inches More: Will storms bring relief to western Iowa residents under a water conservation warning? Monday's recorded rainfall of 3.74 inches was not only the most reported on any May 19, but of any calendar day in Des Moines' May history, according to NWS. Before this, May 27, 1915, had the record for most rainfall in a calendar day in May at 3.48 inches. The previous record for any May 19 was 1.14 inches set in 1937. Some locations in Iowa saw large hail Monday evening as the National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings. Across central Iowa, golf-ball and baseball-sized hail was recorded. Here are the places in Iowa that got the largest hail: Grand Rive and Osceola: 2 inches Maxwell, Nevada, Bondurant: 1 inch Ankeny, Des Moines: 0.75 inches Thunderstorms across central Iowa contributed to hefty winds throughout Monday and into Tuesday morning. Gusts of more than 60 miles per hour were seen across the state. Here's where it was the windiest: Maurice, Blairsburg, Perry: 66 miles per hour Sibley, Sioux Center: 63 miles per hour Lester: 61 miles per hour More: How has the warm Iowa weather affected dryness? Check the latest US Drought Monitor map Rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue across the state on Tuesday, May 20, mainly over the northeastern portion, the NWS said online. In Des Moines, there are high chances of showers and thunderstorms before 1 p.m. with slight chances between 1 and 3 p.m. It will remain mostly cloudy throughout the day, NWS says. (This story was updated to add new information.) Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@ or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa rainfall totals top 4 inches Monday. See how much rain we got.
CBS News
09-05-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
What's the windiest month in Minnesota?
If it's felt pretty breezy lately, you're not imagining it. Spring and fall tend to be Minnesota's windier seasons. So, which month is Minnesota's windiest and what's the science behind it? April ranks No. 1 as the windiest month in Minnesota, with the average wind speed of 11.7 miles per hour, according to the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. March, May and November are also quite windy, with average wind speeds over 10 mph. It should be noted that these are non-thunderstorm winds. If you factor in severe weather, which tends to target spring and summer, the gusts can be much faster. In 2024, the fastest wind gust clocked at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 62 mph on July 14. Meteorologist Caleb Grunzke of the National Weather Service says clashing warm and cold air during the spring season creates strong pressure systems that fuel gusty winds. "Wind is basically higher pressure moving to lower pressure," he said. However, Grunzke notes that data show it is getting less windy in the Twin Cities area. "Being that your poles are warming up compared to what the equator is, you are decreasing the temperature gradient across the northern hemisphere, so you're basically decreasing the pressure difference, which in theory you decrease the winds," Grunzke said. That being said, there have been more wind advisories this time of year in Minnesota than usual. So far this spring, the NWS has issued 29 wind advisories, meaning winds above 35 miles per hour. The average is 23 advisories. The least windy time of year in Minnesota occurs during the state's hot summers. So, enjoy the breeze while you can.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Early April Tornado Outbreak Spawned EF3s in Five States: 110 Twisters Confirmed In South, Midwest
An outbreak of severe thunderstorms spawned over 100 tornadoes in 14 states over several days from the South into the Midwest in early April. The National Weather Service confirmed 110 tornadoes occurred in a six-day period from April 2-7. Over 60% of those (69) did so from Wednesday into early Thursday morning, April 2-3. Indiana led the way with 18 tornadoes, followed by Illinois with 16, Mississippi with 13 and Tennessee with 11. Damage surveys will continue for the next several days so that tornado the tally will go higher. In addition to the tornadoes, there were over 830 reports of large hail, severe thunderstorm wind gusts and damage over those six days. . Over a 24-hour period ending at 8 a.m. EDT April 3, the National Weather Service issued 728 severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings combined, third most of any 24-hour period since 1986, according to the Iowa Environmental Mesonet. Of those, 32 were categorized as "strong" tornadoes, those that produced at least EF2 damage on the Enhanced Fujita scale from which tornadoes are rated and peak winds are estimated. April 2-3 In southeast Missouri, an EF3 tornado damaged or destroyed homes near the town of Latty, about 55 miles southwest of St. Louis during the April 2 outbreak. That evening, another EF3 tornado demolished homes in Lake City and Monette, Arkansas, about 50 miles north-northwest of Memphis. And just after midnight, an EF3 tornado embedded in a line of severe thunderstorms carved a 10-mile-long path through the eastern side of the Louisville, Kentucky, metro area. Since 1950, the only other tornado to receive that high a rating in Jefferson County was an F4 during the April 3, 1974, Super Outbreak. Two other EF3 tornadoes struck after midnight in Selmer, Tennessee, and from Slayden, Mississippi, to Grand Junction, Tennessee. The latter tornado killed one when a mobile home was destroyed. It went on to damage numerous homes in Grand Junction, including City Hall. One of the longest tracks of this outbreak was a 49-mile-long tornado rated EF2 from extreme southeast Illinois to just north of Terre Haute, Indiana. April 3-7 Over the following five days, multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms and flooding rain hammered parts of the South and Midwest. Eight of the tornadoes during that stretch were rated EF2. Five of those were in Mississippi on April 6, including one near the town of Stringer which "launched" and "destroyed" a mobile home onto two nearby vehicles, killing one person inside the mobile home. Other EF2 tornadoes in this stretch included a pair of Texas twisters on April 4 in Morris and Red River Counties, and an April 5 tornado in Cross County, Arkansas. Staff at the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, was forced to take cover on the evening of April 2 as a tornado later rated EF2 just missed the office. An EF1 tornado sliced through Cape Girardeau, Missouri, on April 2. Fortunately, damage to trees, homes and businesses was considered minor by the National Weather Service on its track through the city's downtown, then across the Mississippi River. In the northwest Indianapolis suburb of Brownsburg, a tornado tracked through parts of the city's downtown, with mainly scattered, minor damage. But it injured one person when a warehouse wall caved in. Finally, an EF1 tornado in Branch County, Michigan, was a bit tougher for National Weather Service staff to survey. That's because less than 48 hours after the tornado, affected residents of an Amish community had already repaired the damage, as senior meteorologist Chris Dolce explained. Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Flash Flood Emergency Warnings: 4 Things To Know About This Dire, Rare Alert That Signals Imminent Danger
Flash flood emergency warnings are dire alerts issued by the National Weather Service in high-impact situations that warn potentially destructive and life-threatening flooding is imminent or ongoing. Flash flood warnings are common: The NWS issues these by the thousands each year. Typically, at least some streets and roads will be flooded in areas covered by a flash flood warning, which can be dangerous for motorists. Some of these warnings cover events in which a few low-lying properties have taken on some water. Flash flood emergency warnings are rare: Given the large number of flash flood warnings issued, just over 20 years ago the NWS begun issuing a more extreme alert, called a flash flood emergency, to highlight rare occasions when there is a major threat to life or potential for catastrophic damage. When issued, these flash flood emergencies are embedded within existing flash flood warnings as a headline near the top of the warning. They can cover parts of one or more counties, like the example below from West Virginia in February 2025. According to NWS guidelines, situations that may trigger a flash flood emergency include: A local or state emergency manager has confirmed that rapidly rising water is placing, or will place, people in a life-threatening situation. Water is expected, or has already rapidly risen, to levels where people in typically safe locations during other flash flood events will be in danger. These include cases where water could encroach several feet above floor level in a home, requiring rescue and putting the entire home at risk. Several swift-water rescue teams have been deployed to a flash flood of unusual magnitude. River and stream gauges indicate water has risen to at least major or rarely seen flood levels. The complete failure of a large, high-hazard dam would have a catastrophic impact on downstream areas. This is a similar concept to tornado emergencies, which are issued in cases where catastrophic damage and a severe threat to life is imminent or ongoing with a confirmed tornado. This highest flash flood alert will trigger your smartphone to screech loudly, known as a wireless emergency alert. If you're in a flash flood emergency: Move to higher ground immediately. Do not travel unless you're either escaping a flooded area or are ordered to evacuate by local officials. Otherwise, avoid walking or driving through any flood water. You may not be able to tell how deep the water is and the road underneath could have been washed out. Even slow-moving water can knock you off your feet or float your vehicle, sweeping you away downstream. (MORE: Never Drive Through A Flooded Road. Your Vehicle Can Be A Trap.) According to the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, only 29 flash flood emergencies were issued across the country in 2023, comprising less than 1 percent of all NWS flash flood alerts. 2024 had a much higher number of emergency warnings, largely because of Hurricane Helene's flooding in the Southern Appalachians. Out of just over 90 flash flood emergencies issued in 2024, 34 of them were because of Helene's catastrophic flooding. Even with that, the number of flash flood emergencies issued in 2024 was just 2% of the total number of NWS flood alerts, which topped just over 4,400. (MORE: Most Shocking Things From Helene's Final Report)
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Storms, flooding risk remains for Middle Tennessee as officials warn: 'Don't let your guard down'
Heavy rains and flooding will continue to threaten Nashville and most of Tennessee heading into the weekend as a series of strong storms continues to make their way through the area. Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday night, flanked by emergency officials and forecasters during a news conference at the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Nashville, urged everyone to remain vigilant because there will be more possible tornado warnings, hail and flash flooding in the coming days. 'This storm is going to continue,' Lee said. 'There will be continued tornado warnings. There's continued flooding, and there's continued dangers for Tennesseans. The main message tonight is: 'Don't let your guard down.'' Deadly storms and tornadoes have ravaged West and Middle Tennessee. TEMA Director Patrick Sheehan on Thursday confirmed five storm-related deaths, but the number could grow, he said. The deaths include one person each in Carroll, McNairy and Obion counties and two people in Fayette County. National Weather Service Meteorologist Ryan Husted said West and Middle Tennessee could see some lull in activity on Friday afternoon and evening, but another set of severe storms is expected Saturday that could bring catastrophic flooding to an already saturated ground. 'Saturday is the day that concerns me the most right now,' he said Thursday night. 'Saturday is a dangerous day going into Saturday night for flash flooding.' Tennessee remains in a state of emergency, with the Trump Administration granting swift approval for a federal emergency declaration, Lee said. The governor said Tennessee is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for direct assistance and will determine what additional aid is necessary. Flood advisories have been issued for several counties in Middle Tennessee, including in Davidson County. Heavy rainfall Thursday exceeded more than 3.58 inches, twice as much as the previous record for April 3 of 1.54 inches in 1977, the National Weather Service Nashville reports. Nashville is expected to get between 5-6 inches of rain, while Clarksville is expected to get between 8-10 inches by the end of the weekend. Tennessee had more than 140 weather warnings issued from 7 a.m. Wednesday through 10 a.m. Thursday as severe weather blew through as rain, wind and hail pummeled the state. There were 53 tornado warnings issued throughout all of Tennessee, according to Iowa State University's Iowa Environmental Mesonet, which tracks weather warnings. There were 20 flash flood warnings and 70 severe thunderstorm warnings, according to the data. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Middle Tennessee storms, flooding risks remain, officials urge caution
