Fast-moving and severe storms expected Friday

Iowans should expect fast-moving, severe storms Friday between 2 and 8 p.m., with Eastern Iowa hit between 4 and 6 p.m.

Linn and Johnson counties are in the middle of the area identified in the warning from the National Weather Service’s Quad Cities bureau.

The outlook assigns the area as being at “moderate” risk of severe storms — the second highest level from the Storm Prediction Center.

The extreme weather is expected to travel from southwest to northeast at more than 50 miles per hour, giving unprepared residents little time to seek shelter.

The storms may bring strong winds of more than 45 miles per hour into Friday night, which could be accompanied by lightning, tornadoes and large hail. Temperatures will fall into the 30s and 40s overnight.

The bureau will issue another storm update Friday morning.

Brittney J. Miller is the Energy & Environment Reporter for The Gazette and a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Comments: (319) 398-8370; brittney.miller@thegazette.com