(Atlantic, Iowa) – Severe storms that raced across Nebraska and Iowa late Friday afternoon and night pummeled some area with damaging winds and hail. Here in Cass County, the damage reports started coming in at around 5:15-p.m., when a large roof was ripped-off of a shed or outbuilding and landed on 620th Street near Memphis Road, south of Atlantic. Winds at the time gusted to near 70 miles per hour (mph). Cass County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon reported 620 was completely blocked by the debris. The road was partially re-opened about an hour later.
A semi was toppled onto its side while on an off-ramp from I-80 westbound at mile marker (mm) 54, in Cass County. Unknown if there were any injures. Another semi was blown-off the road east of Manilla, in Crawford County. The driver was said to have been okay. And, an empty cattle hauling tractor-trailer was blown-over near Lytton, in Calhoun County.
In Adair, an Iowa Department of Transportation hoop-style building used to store sand and salt was ripped to shreds. A large plastic, empty water storage container was tossed into the air and landed near the business.
Guthrie Center, IA (Photo via the Iowa Storm Chasing Network’s Facebook page)
In Guthrie Center, the roofs of some buildings in the downtown area were torn-off by severe thunderstorm winds. A large tree was blown over onto a house near the Des Moines International Airport, Friday evening. Power poles were snapped-off in Carroll County, near Maple River.
In Montgomery County, firefighters from Red Oak, Grant and Elliott were dispatched just before 5-p.m., Friday, to the 1500 block of M Avenue, for a report of downed powerlines and a ditch fire that was spreading quickly due to the storm winds. Fire crews were able to contain the fire and stop it from spreading to some near by structures. MidAmerican Utilities responded to the scene to restore the powerlines. No injuries were reported.
Red Oak FD Facebook page photo
Scattered incidents of hail ranging in size from small marbles to as big as ping-pong balls, were reported as well. Quarter-size hail was reported to have fallen in or near Brayton. Ping-pong ball-size hail occurred in Adair and near Ames.
You can view the full storm incident and damage reports through links to the Omaha and Des Moines National Weather Service Offices, on the “Severe Storm report” story on the Weather page at kjan.com. (Here are some photo’s we’ve received):
IA DOT hoop bldg in Adair (Photo courtesy Terry Nichols in Adair)
620th S. of Memphis Rd. Cass County, IA (Mike Kennon photo, Cass Co EMA)
Near Manilla (From our sister station KDSN)
Today: Mostly cloudy & windy w/a slight chance of rain this morning. A nearly steady temperature around 44. Winds W @ 21-25 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy early, then gradually becoming mostly clear. Low around 24. N/NW winds 13-18 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 51. North northwest wind 8-10 mph. with gusts as high as 18 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. South wind 5 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 73. Breezy, winds S/SW @ 14-20 mph/ Gusts as high as 26 mph.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny & breezy, with a high near 75. Breezy.
Tue. Night: A chance of rain through midnight, then a rain-snow mix. Windy. Low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday: A 70% chance of snow. Windy. High around 39.
Friday’s High in Atlantic was 75. Our Low this morning, 37. We received .04″ Friday. Last year on this date (3/15/) the High in Atlantic was 50 & the Low was 35. The Record High was 78 in 2012. The Record Low was -12 in 1975. Sunrise: 7:34; Sunset: 7:25.
Here are storm incident & damage reports from the severe storms that passed through Iowa Friday (March 14th). Data collected from Storm Spotters, Emergency Management officials (EMA) and the public, as relayed to the National Weather Service Offices in Des Moines and Omaha. Some local reports are from KJAN (*as noted). You can view the full report from the Dsm NWS Office HERE. The Omaha NWS Office report can be found HERE.
IA DOT hoop bldg in Adair (Photo courtesy Terry Nichols in Adair)
620th S. of Memphis Rd. Cass County, IA (Mike Kennon photo, Cass Co EMA)
Today: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 5pm. Some of the storms could be severe. High near 74. S/SE winds 20-40 mph.
Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight, then a slight chance of rain. Some of the storms could be severe. Low around 37. S winds @ 15-20 becoming west after midnight & gusting to around 30 mph. .
Tomorrow: A chance of rain before 9am, then a slight chance of snow between 9am and 1pm. Cloudy, with a temperature falling to around 38 by 8am. Winds W @ 25-40 mph. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Tom. Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Winds NW @ 15-30 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 52.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 74.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Breezy.
Thursday’s High in Atlantic was a record breaking 78 degrees. The old record was 74 in 1938. Our Low was 29. Last year on this date (March 14), the High in Atlantic was 71 and the Low was 32. The Record High on this date was 79 in 2012. The Record Low was -11 in 1948 & 1975. Sunrise: 7:37; Sunset: 7:24.
(Radio Iowa) – Forecasters say there’s a rising risk of severe weather across a wide portion of Iowa tomorrow (Friday) afternoon and evening, along with a drastic downshift in temperatures that may bring snow on Saturday. Meteorologist Brian Pierce, at the National Weather Service office in Davenport, says it’s a large, fast-moving system. “The primary risk we’re looking at is the potential for widespread damaging winds,” Pierce says, “but given how the winds are changing with height in the atmosphere, we now cannot rule out the potential for tornadoes to be occurring as well.” Pierce warns Iowans to be “weather aware” tomorrow, especially between 5 and 11 P-M.
“Be paying attention to the weather that’s going on around you,” Pierce says, “and the fact that these storms are going to be moving at highway speeds means you will have less time to react as they approach you.” A powerful blizzard swept across Iowa last Wednesday, knocking out the lights to more than 20-thousand Iowa houses and bringing traffic to a standstill with whiteout conditions. Pierce says this approaching system may be even worse. “The center of the storm system, which is going to be going through western Iowa, is very strong, comparable to the one we saw about a week or so ago, possibly even stronger,” Pierce says, “and so because of that, it will be bringing up moisture into the area, and the winds aloft are also very strong as well.” 
While most of Iowa can expect high temperatures in the 70s today and tomorrow, Pierce says this incoming storm will bring much colder weather behind it. Lows by Saturday night will be in the 20s, with snow possible. “The snowfall is probably going to be more or less the western half of Iowa, but we can’t rule out some flakes falling in eastern Iowa as well,” Pierce says. “As for amounts, eastern Iowa is probably an inch at the very worst. It may actually be no more than a dusting.” Any snow that falls won’t last long, as the forecast calls for much of Iowa to be in the 40s by Sunday and the 50s on Monday.
(Updated 4:30-a.m.)
Today: Sunny, with a high near 75. East wind 5 to 10 mph this morning becoming southerly this afternoon.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. S/SE @ 10-20 w/gusts as high as 25 mph.
Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 4pm. Otherwise mostly sunny & windy, with a high near 75. S/SE winds 20-40 mph. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Night: A chance of showers and/or thunderstorms. A low around 36.
Saturday: A chance of rain before 4pm, then a slight chance of snow. A high near 45. W/NW winds 20-35 mph. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 50.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 71. Breezy.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Breezy.
Wednesday’s High in Atlantic was 71. The Low was 24. Last year on this date (March 13), the High in Atlantic was 67 and the Low was 31. The Record High on this date was 74 in 1938. The Record Low was -21 in 1998. Sunrise: 7:37; Sunset: 7:23.
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 69. E/SE breeze at around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy early, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 37. East wind 5 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny, with a high near 75. E/SE winds 5-15 mph becoming S & gusting to near 20 mph.
Tom. Night: Partly cloudy & breezy, with a low around 52.
Friday: Cloudy & windy w/showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. High near 74. .
Friday Night: Rain. Low around 34.
Saturday: A chance of rain and/or snow. High near 44.
Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Blustery.
Sunday: Sunny & breezy, with a high near 45.
Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 58 degrees. Our Low was 24. Last year on this date (March 12th), the High in Atlantic was 74 and the Low was 41. The Record High for March 12th was 74 in 2024. The Record Low was -22 in 1948. Sunrise: 7:39. Sunset: 7:22.
Today: Sunny, with a high near 55. North northeast wind 10 to 25 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. East wind @ around 5 mph.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 73.
Friday: A 60% chance of showers & possible thunderstorms, otherwise mostly sunny & windy, w/a high near 75.
Saturday: Partly sunny & windy, w/a 30% chance of rain before 1pm. A high near 48.
Monday’s High in Atlantic broke a record set in 1986, when we topped-out at 78 degrees. The old record high was 76. Our Low was 25. Last year on this date (March 11th), the High in Atlantic was 61 and the Low was 17. The Record High for March 11th was 76 in 2021. The Record Low was -8 in 1948. Sunrise: 7:41. Sunset: 7:21.
(Radio Iowa) – Moderate drought conditions expanded slightly last month in central and eastern Iowa, according to the state’s latest Water Summary Update. Jessica Reese McIntyre, an environmental specialist with the Iowa D-N-R, says she’ll be watching closely for worsening drought conditions, but she adds, winter is typically the driest time of the year in Iowa.
McIntyre says, “In the month of February, we saw another month of below-average precipitation, just as we did in January.” The state’s average snowfall in February was four-point-eight inches, nearly two inches below normal. “While this could raise concerns about potential drought conditions worsening, it’s still winter,” she says, “and winter is when we receive the least amount of precipitation across the state, and also, the ground is still frozen.”
Iowa DNR graphic
The National Weather Service forecast for March indicates a slight chance for above-average precipitation in the eastern half of Iowa and average precipitation in the western half.
Today: Sunny & windy, with a high near 75. **RED FLAG WARNING for critical fire weather conditions, from Noon until 8-p.m.** Winds S/SW @ 10-20 mph w/gusts to near 30 mph.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 32. W/SW winds 10-20. shifting to the N after midnight.
Tomorrow: Sunny & breezy, with a high near 54. N/NW winds 10-25 mph.
Tom. Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 73.
Friday: A 40% chance of showers after 1pm, otherwise mostly sunny & windy, with a high near 74.
Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 63. The Low was 21. Last year on this date (March 10th), the High in Atlantic was 47 and the Low was 17. The Record High for March 10th was 76 in 1986. The Record Low was -10 in 1912. Sunrise: 7:45. Sunset: 7:19.
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