(Radio Iowa) – While tornadoes can strike in any season, any day of the year, today marks the last day of what’s considered the peak season for twisters in Iowa. Meteorologist Jim Lee, at the National Weather Service, says Iowa has seen very few tornadoes so far in 2025, especially when compared to last year’s multiple outbreaks that brought the annual tally to a stunning 125 tornadoes.

“We did have the most recorded tornadoes in Iowa history, although that comes with a big asterisk, but this year it’s been very quiet,” Lee says. “There’s been, I believe, fewer than 10 so far, confirmed in Iowa this year. The numbers are still preliminary.” That compares to more than 100 tornadoes by this date a year ago. Lee says there are several reasons for the smaller number of tornadoes this year statewide.

“Last year, we just had a very long and a very active tornado season. Obviously, it was well above normal and this year being well below normal. Part of that is just how the storm tracks set up, where the jet stream is for a lot of the spring in particular. We had somewhat cooler than normal weather, so that kind of cuts down on instability,” Lee says. “This summer, we’ve had plenty of heat so far, but we haven’t had a lot of wind shear in a lot of these events, so that cuts down on the tornado threat.”

While the main season for tornadoes in Iowa — April through June — is now coming to an end, Lee stresses that Iowans should not let down their guard, as twisters can form anytime, as they did on December 15th of 2021 when we saw 63 twisters in one day.

“Absolutely, which was a really extreme event. That was actually the most tornadoes in one day in Iowa history, and it was in December, so go figure,” Lee says. “They can happen at any time of year, and the peak historically has been particularly May and June, but it’s not a rapid drop off after that. It just slowly tapers off through the summer.”

During last year’s record-setter, 98 of Iowa’s 125 tornadoes struck during either April or May.

Atlantic (at KJAN), .11″

Earling, T (Trace of rain)

Hastings (Mills County), .02″

Logan, .13″

Massena, .18″

Missouri Valley, .10″

New Market (Taylor County), 1.94″

Today: Partly sunny w/a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11am. High near 82. Winds NW @ 5-10 mph w/gusts to near 20 mph this afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 58.
Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 84. Wind becoming northwest around 5-10 mph in the afternoon.
Tom. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 62.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87.
Wed. Night: A slight chance of showers & thunderstorms late, otherwise mostly clear. Low around 67.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 91.

Sunday’s high in Atlantic was 85. The Low was 66. We received .11″ of rain at KJAN Sunday morning. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 78 and the Low was 56. The Record High for June 30th in Atlantic, was 101 in 1933. The Record Low was 43 in 1940. Sunrise: 5:49; Sunset: 8:58.

Today: Partly cloudy to cloudy w/a 50%chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. A high near 88. S/SE winds 5 to 10 mph. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. Damaging wind gusts will be possible. Large hail and funnel clouds cannot be ruled out.
Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before midnight. A low around 65. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Monday: Mostly cloudy early w/a slight chance of showers & thunderstorms before 7am; Gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 83. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 85. Winds becoming west northwest around 5-10 mph in the afternoon.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.

Saturday’s high in Atlantic was 90. The Low this morning, was 70. We had received a Trace of rain at KJAN up until 7-a.m.  Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 80 and the Low was 55. The Record High for June 29th in Atlantic, was 102 in 1934. The Record Low was 46 in 1950. Sunrise: 5:48; Sunset: 8:58.

Today: Sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 6 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 70. South southeast wind 6 to 10 mph.
Tomorrow: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 1pm and 4pm, then showers and thunderstorms likely after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.Tom. Night: Partly cloudy w/a slight chance of showers & thunderstorms after midnight. Low around 70.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84. North northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.
Mon. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

Friday’s high in Atlantic was 87. The Low this morning, was 69. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 86 and the Low was 69. The Record High for June 28th in Atlantic, was 103 in 1936. The Record Low was 50 in 1896 & 2006. Sunrise: 5:48; Sunset: 8:58.

Official NWS reports:

Atlantic (KJAN), .23″

Atlantic, (7.1 miles N/NE), Trace [T]

Creston, (8.3 miles W/NW), .11″

Earling (2.4 miles SE),  .41″

Elk Horn, .34″

Imogene (2.7 miles N/NE), .04

Massena, .29″

New Market (4.7 miles N), .71″

Pacific Junction (3.9 miles N), .18″

Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming south southwest around 5 mph this afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 67. South southeast wind around 5 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 90. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Tom. Night: Partly cloudy w/a slight chance of showers & thunderstorms after midnight. Low around 70.
Sunday: A 50% chance of showers & thunderstorms, mainly after 1pm, otherwise mostly sunny. High near 89.
Sun. Night: Showers & possible thunderstorms. A low around 66.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.

Thursday’s high in Atlantic was 87. We received .23″ Thu. afternoon. The Low this morning, was 61. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 78 and the Low was 64. The Record High for June 276th in Atlantic, was 103 in 1934. The Record Low was 43 in 1938, 1958 & 1968. Sunrise: 5:48; Sunset: 8:58.

(Radio Iowa) – The latest Drought Monitor shows continued improvement in the state following more rain. The monitor shows 45 percent of the state has no drought conditions, that’s up from 31 percent last week. Just 20 percent of the state was without drought at the start of this year.

Around nine percent of the state has moderate drought, down from around 12 percent. Nearly 55 percent of the state is listed as abnormally dry, which is down from nearly 69 percent last week. The driest conditions are on the east and western edges of the state, with the southeast and south-central areas with the most counties with moderate or abnormally dry conditions.

The data for the report is taken through Tuesday, and does not show the impact of the most recent rains.

(Radio Iowa) – Plenty of thunderstorms have rolled over Iowa lately and the experts at the National Weather Service are offering some reminders about the dangers of lightning. Meteorologist Ashley Bury says it’s a wise move to stay “weather aware,” especially when potentially severe storms may be moving in.

“Make sure that you have at least some sort of way to keep an eye on radar, just seeing if there’s any storms on the way, or if there’s anything at least expected,” Bury says. “Later on in the day, if you’re going to do something, make sure that you have an option or multiple options to find shelter.” In 2024, there were no reports of any lightning injuries in Iowa. Studies find there are about 25-million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes every year nationwide, while lightning kills an average of 51 people each year in the U-S.

Bury says most Iowans have a weather app on their phones that will help them to stay vigilant. “Keeping that awareness up is definitely very important and just to make sure that you’re not staying outside, don’t go under a tree. If there’s any lightning nearby, you don’t want to get under one of those because that actually attracts lightning,” Bury says. “Or the water, that’s another thing, too. You don’t want to be in the water as well.”

Other tips include: Don’t use corded phones. Stay away from windows and doors. Don’t touch electrical equipment or cords. Avoid touching metal plumbing. Also, water inside a house is a good conductor of electricity, so don’t wash your hands or dishes, take a shower or bath, or do laundry, during a thunderstorm.

The Weather Service says only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning die. The other 90% must cope with varying degrees of discomfort and disability, sometimes for the rest of their lives.

Today: Partly cloudy to cloudy w/showers & thunderstorms, mainly this afternoon. A high near 84. Winds S/SW @ 5-15 mph w/gusts to near 25. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tonight: A 50% chance of showers & thunderstorms, mainly before 9pm. A low around 64. W/NW winds 5-10 becoming calm after midnight. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy early, then gradually becoming sunny. A high near 85. Winds light and variable.
Tom. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 67.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 91.
Sat. Night: A slight chance of showers & thunderstorms after midnight. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.
Sunday: A 50% chance of afternoon showers & thunderstorms. A high near 91.
Sunday Night: A 60% chance of showers & thunderstorms through midnight. Low around 66.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Wednesday’s high in Atlantic was 88. The Low was 69. Last year on this date, the High in Atlantic was 88 and the Low was 61. The Record High for June 26th was 103 in 1934 & 1936. The Record Low was 43 in 1902. Sunrise: 5:47; Sunset: 8:58.