Looking for today’s weather in Cedar Rapids? View the latest temperature, Cedar Rapids weather, 7 day forecast for Eastern Iowa and beyond. Also view our latest weather stories below from The Gazette’s newsroom.
Strong storms that brought hurricane-force winds to an area stretching from the Upper Plains to the Midwest have been preliminarily classified by the National Weather Service as a derecho, defined as a long-lived line of storms with extreme winds.
Significant rainfall this month has continued to deplete drought conditions across Iowa. On Thursday, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported nearly 96 percent of the state is without any drought or abnormally dry conditions.
The National Weather Service is warning Iowans of “dangerously hot and humid conditions” coming to the region this week, forecasting the heat index could reach 110 degrees Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Following the deadly July Fourth flash flooding in central Texas, The Gazette spoke with Johnson County Emergency Management Coordinator Dave Wilson about emergency communications and how people can prepare themselves for natural disasters.
At least nine tornadoes touched down in Iowa last week — including three in Linn County.
As cities, farmers and businesses plan for an uncertain future, researchers are attempting to determine how much weather history should be included when we’re assessing what constitutes drought.
After the 2008 floods, the Iowa Legislature set aside about $1.2 million a year for the University of Iowa to develop a statewide flood monitoring system. Now, the Iowa Flood Information System is considered one of the best flood warning systems in the country.
Iowa has recorded just seven confirmed tornadoes in the first six months of 2025, partly due to jet streams from the Gulf hitting neighboring states.
The National Weather Service, which is responsible for tracking storms and warning the public about them, has lost hundreds of employees to federal cuts and voluntary resignations. Five former NWS heads released a letter last month outlining their concerns regarding the cuts.
The National Weather Service on Wednesday issued an extreme heat watch, in effect from Saturday afternoon through Sunday evening for much of Iowa, as well as portions of surrounding states. It warns of “dangerously hot conditions.”
The National Weather Service on Sunday afternoon downgraded the risk of severe storms in Eastern Iowa on Monday, but the higher risk remains for much of the northern third of the state.
The northern lights, which can appear green, pink and blue, are the result of geomagnetic storms. The more severe the storm, the more likely you are to be able to see the lights in Iowa. So long as skies aren’t cloudy.
Nearly a year after Iowa saw historic flooding and fatal tornadoes, legislation proposed by Gov. Kim Reynolds that would help fund and streamline the assistance process for rebuilding after natural disasters is going to her desk for approval.
“Spring leaf out” is occurring earlier than average in northern states due to a warm March. In Iowa, in the Interstate 80 corridor and areas south, spring leaf out is occurring nearly two weeks earlier than normal.
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