OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Baseball-sized hail is breaking windows and tearing the siding off homes in northeast Nebraska, and forecasters are warning residents across the nation’s midsection to brace for “life threatening” storms. The National Weather Service says at least three possible tornadoes were reported early Saturday in central Oklahoma, while hail and rain were pelting Nebraska by early afternoon. No injuries were immediately reported. But forecasters are expecting the most dangerous weather later in the day and are warning residents across the region of possible fast-moving overnight tornadoes. Officials say a large area spanning from Minnesota to Texas could be at risk. In Nebraska, Boone County Sheriff David Spiegel says large hail has damaged vehicles, shattered windows and ripped the siding off of houses in and around Petersburg, a town about 140 miles northwest of Omaha.

206 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…

NORTHEASTERN FREMONT COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…NORTHWESTERN PAGE COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA… UNTIL 230 PM CDT

* AT 203 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR FARRAGUT…OR 25 MILES NORTH OF TARKIO…AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…SHENANDOAH…ESSEX AND IMOGENE.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA

159 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR…

SOUTHEASTERN MILLS COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA…

* UNTIL 230 PM CDT

* AT 154 PM CDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL UPTO PING PONG BALL SIZE. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTH OF EMERSON…OR 33 MILES NORTH OF TARKIO…AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE…RED OAK AND COBURG.

MILLS IA-FREMONT IA-
134 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM
CDT FOR SOUTHEASTERN MILLS AND NORTH CENTRAL FREMONT COUNTIES...

AT 130 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL. THIS
STORM WAS LOCATED 7 MILES NORTH OF SIDNEY...OR 32 MILES NORTHWEST
OF TARKIO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
TABOR...RANDOLPH AND IMOGENE.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OMAHA/VALLEY NEBRASKA
125 PM CDT SAT APR 14 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN OMAHA HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  FREMONT COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA...
  SOUTHEASTERN MILLS COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN IOWA...

* UNTIL 200 PM CDT

* AT 121 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS
  INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE
  HAIL. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SIDNEY...OR 31 MILES NORTHWEST
  OF TARKIO...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  TABOR...THURMAN...RANDOLPH AND IMOGENE.

While no watches or warning are in effect for the KJAN listening area, the National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for much of Nebraska from Noon today until 7-p.m.   Stay tuned to KJAN.com for additional weather updates. Keep your radio or a Weather Alert radio handy today!

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/oax/

COUNTIES IN IA: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-

PAGE; COUNTIES IN NE: KNOX-CEDAR-THURSTON-ANTELOPE-PIERCE-WAYNE-BOONE-MADISON- STANTON-CUMING-BURT-PLATTE-COLFAX-DODGE-WASHINGTON-BUTLER- SAUNDERS-DOUGLAS-SARPY-SEWARD-LANCASTER-CASS-OTOE-SALINE- JEFFERSON-GAGE-JOHNSON-NEMAHA-PAWNEE-RICHARDSON-

1143 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE/VALLEY, NE

THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT: THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MOST OF EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA. THE MAIN THREAT FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE AFTER 3 PM AND BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE TORNADOES…VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS MORNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP TO THE NORTH WITH INDIVIDUAL CELLS TRACKING NORTHEAST WITH LARGE HAIL BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT.

A MORE POTENT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS STILL EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AFTER THE INITIAL MORNING THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OUT OF THE AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE FIRST EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AS WARM AND MOIST AIR RETURNS TO THE AREA…THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE STRONGLY UNSTABLE…THIS ALONG WITH VERY STRONG WIND SHEAR WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER…INCLUDING VERY LARGE HAIL…DAMAGING WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TORNADOES.

A dense fog advisory is in effect until 9 AM this morning for:
CARROLL,AUDUBON, GUTHRIE, CASS, ADAIR, ADAMS, UNION, AND TAYLOR COUNTIES.

Today: Areas of fog this morning.  Showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 74.  Southeast winds about 20 MPH.

Tonight: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

Sunday Night: A slight chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.

Tuesday:  Mostly sunny, with a high near 65.

COUNTIES IN IOWA: MONONA-HARRISON-SHELBY-POTTAWATTAMIE-MILLS-MONTGOMERY-FREMONT-PAGE 615 PM CDT FRI APR 13 2012 National Weather Service/Valley, NE

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST IOWA…WEST CENTRAL IOWA…EAST CENTRAL NEBRASKA…NORTHEAST NEBRASKA AND SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA.

DAY ONE…TONIGHT:

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT OVER SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND FAR SOUTHERN SOUTHWEST IOWA. SEVERE WEATHER IS GENERALLY NOT EXPECTED WITH THIS ACTIVITY.

DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY:

THERE IS A HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA ON SATURDAY. THE MAIN THREAT FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE AFTER 3 PM AND BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON SATURDAY NIGHT. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE TORNADOES…VERY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY ON SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE THEN EXPECTED TO TRACK NORTHEAST ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA THROUGH THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON. LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS ACTIVITY.

A MORE POTENT SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS THEN EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATER IN THE AFTERNOON AFTER THE INITIAL THUNDERSTORMS MOVE OUT OF THE AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE FIRST EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS EASTERN NEBRASKA AND WESTERN IOWA THROUGH THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AS WARM AND MOIST AREA RETURNS TO THE AREA…THE ATMOSPHERE WILL BE STRONGLY UNSTABLE…THIS ALONG WITH VERY STRONG SHEAR WILL COMBINE TO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER…SOME SIGNIFICANT INCLUDING VERY LARGE HAIL…DAMAGING WINDS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TORNADOES.

SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT…

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TONIGHT….BUT WILL BE NEEDED DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING ON SATURDAY.

Forecasters say some parts of Iowa may be in for rough weather this weekend, including thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain. Meteorologist Kevin Skow, at the National Weather Service, says it’s a good idea to keep an eye on the sky and an ear to the radio. “The best threat for severe weather looks to be on Saturday,” Skow says. “We have a warm front lifting north through the state and this could trigger some severe weather.” He says there’s a larger threat for severe weather to the southwest in Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.

After a mild winter and the warmest March on record, Iowans have been spoiled by the unseasonable temperatures, but in the past week, reality has returned with Freeze Warnings three nights in a row. Skow says warmer temp are heading back to the state, but just for a few days. “Temperatures should rebound,” he says. “Winds will switch to the south. Temperatures on Saturday will be rising up into the low to mid-70s and then that’ll be the same for Sunday.” He expects a cold front to move in Sunday night that’ll bring chilly temperatures to start next week, with highs again in the 50s.

(Radio Iowa)