Des Moines, Iowa – Heavy rain and isolated severe storms are expected to hit Iowa starting Friday evening, with back-to-back overnight systems continuing into Sunday morning. The biggest threats include damaging wind gusts and torrential rainfall, raising concerns for flash flooding across central and southern parts of the state.
According to the National Weather Service in Des Moines, storm chances begin Friday afternoon and increase into the night, with the highest risk concentrated across Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Ames, and Fort Dodge. A marginal risk (Level 1 of 5) for severe weather is in place Friday night into Saturday morning and again Saturday evening into Sunday. Thunderstorms could bring hail and cause rivers and streams to rise rapidly in low-lying areas.
Localized flooding is possible across roads and rural areas, especially in regions that see repeated rounds of rainfall. Residents in counties including Polk, Story, Pottawattamie, and Warren should avoid travel during heavy rain and monitor creek levels closely.
With storms arriving mainly overnight, NWS advises Iowans to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts. Charge devices, secure outdoor items, and plan for potential power outages.
Storms are expected to continue intermittently through Sunday. Additional advisories may be issued as rainfall totals increase and ground saturation worsens.
