Strong winds, hail, tornadoes possible across Iowa today

Strong winds, tornadoes and hail all are possible today as severe weather moves toward Iowa.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the state with the most severe weather expected to hit sometime between 2 and 10 p.m.

'The possible threats being just about everything,” said Alex Gibbs, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities. 'Severe wind, hail and tornadoes are possible today.

'We are in the outlook phase where we've got most of the state of Iowa, at least the central and eastern part of the state of Iowa, under an enhanced risk for severe weather.”

Gibbs said there could potentially be a couple waves of thunderstorms - and they'll be moving quickly. Wind speeds could reach 70 mph.

'We are expecting fast thunderstorm motion today,” he said. 'What that means is that people will have less time to respond. A lot of people wait to hear thunder and then take shelter. Today's going to be one of those cases where if you hear thunder it's already gonna be too late if the storms are strong because they are going to be on top of you really fast.”

Gibbs continued: 'Today is the type of day where it is important when the warnings come out - respond, take shelter and don't go look at stuff because it is going to be moving really quick.”

According to Gibbs, the formation of the storm is expected in the southern part of the state with movement north to northeast throughout the day.

The forecast already has led to the rescheduling of at least one event. The annual Co-op to Co-op Ride, held in conjunction with National Bike to Work Month, has been pushed ahead one day. The ride now takes place beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Participants for the family friendly event are to meet at College Green Park, 600 E. College St., about one block east of New Pioneer Food Co-op in Iowa City.

The ride is free and helmets are required. Participants are to ride across the river to New Pioneer Food Co-op in Coralville, 1101 Second St., where food and drinks are to be served and live music is on tap from Cedar County Cobras. The ride typically draws about 200 people. Participants are encouraged to watch New Pi's Facebook page for updates.

On Tuesday, storms across the Midwest resulted in two fatalities and injuries.

Five to eight tornadoes formed in Oklahoma, according to preliminary data from the National Weather Service office in Norman. One person died in a storm that hit Elk City, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Daryl Williams.

Another person was killed in the Chetek area of Wisconsin when storms hit the Prairie Lakes Estates mobile home park.

'The most significant damage we've heard of so far was in that mobile home park where approximately 50 units were damaged or destroyed,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Tom Hultquist.

The extended forecast for the Cedar Rapids area calls for partly sunny skies with a high temperature of 67 degrees on Thursday and a low of 46 degrees on Thursday night with a slight chance of showers.

Beyond that, 'the weekend looks wet,” Gibbs said, noting Friday's forecast calls for a high of 60 degrees and 40 percent chance of rain.

'Friday night into Saturday looks like the most rain with a 70 percent chance,” Gibbs said, adding Saturday's high is expected to be 72 degrees.

The National Weather Service also is forecasting a 30 percent chance of showers on Sunday with a high of 65 degrees.

l Comments: (319) 368-8538; elianna.novitch@thegazette.com