Today: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 58. North northeast wind 5 to 15mph.

Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 39. East northeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tomorrow: Cloudy & breezy w/rain, mainly after 8-a.m. High near 51. Winds E @ 10-20 mph w/gusts to around 25. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Tom. Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 40. NE winds 15-25 shifting to the NW after midnight. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Monday: Mostly sunny & breezy, with a high near 66. W/NW winds 10-20 mph.

Tuesday: A chance of showers & afternoon thunderstorms, otherwise mostly sunny, with a high near 74.

Friday’s High in Atlantic was 55 and the Low was 37. We received a Trace of rain in the form of drizzle/mist. Last year on April 19th, the High in Atlantic was 57 and the Low was 29. The Record High was 87 in 1908, 1946 & 1987. The Record Low was 15 in 1988. Sunrise: 6:34; Sunset: 8:04.

(Radio Iowa) – Damage is being assessed in southwest Iowa’s Page and Fremont counties after a tornado touched down Thursday night. Page County emergency management coordinator Jill Harvey says the storm veered north of the town of Essex. “Thankfully, it did not hit directly in Essex,” Harvey says. “They had some minor power outages here in town, but there are several structures damaged around the area.” Harvey says officials were concerned for a time that the tornado would strike Shenandoah, but fortunately, it steered away. She’s asking Essex residents to avoid leaving their homes, for now, and for gawkers to keep out.

“We do have quite a few trees covering roads,” Harvey says. “You may come across roads that are blocked. Due to the damage and debris across roads and downed power lines, we are requesting that people stay out of the area. If you happen to be around Essex, please use extreme caution. There are power lines down.” Despite the damage, Harvey says no injuries were reported in the county. National Weather Service survey teams are expected to fan out across the region to inspect the damage. Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig says he expects the farming community to take a heavy hit from the storms. “While some towns may have been sparred, like Essex,” Naig says, “everybody was really watching last night, and hoping for the best there. We know that there have been farms that have been damaged.”

Aside from the tornado damage, Naig says reports of large hail in parts of the state are also concerning. “Just incredible hail size and hail damage,” Naig says. “Not just in southwest Iowa, but we did see some reports even up in northeast (Iowa), where there were some systems that got built up, and you’re hearing about one inch and two inch hail sizes — and that can do a heck of a lot of damage, as we all well know.” Thursday’s storms struck in the wake of last year’s horrific tornado outbreaks, including the May 21st twister that hit Greenfield. Though rebuilding efforts continue in Greenfield, Naig says some producers are still coping with storm damage.”There’s been an incredible amount of work that’s been done,” Naig says. “A lot of homes rebuilt, some farm places that are on their way, but a lot of people that are not yet in their homes. It’s a year ago that it happened. It’s a good reminder that, hey, there’s been a ton of progress made, with the community rallying together — the communities, not just Greenfield. But, boy, we’re a long ways from being totally recovered.”

Naig says it’s “just the reality, unfortunately, of spring, particularly in Iowa.”

Atlantic (KJAN), 1.14”

Atlantic, 7.1 miles N/NE, .28”

Adair, .55”
Anita, 1.1”
Audubon, .4”

Creston, .61”

Elk Horn, .1”

Glenwood, 1.2″
Greenfield, 1.35”
Guthrie Center, .6”
Harlan, .4” ;   KNOD in Harlan reported just. .05″

Kirkman, .04″

Manning, .01″

Massena, .04-to .05″ (2 reports)

Missouri Valley, .07-to .15″ (2 reports)
Oakland. .5”

Pacific Junction, .42″

Persia, .29″

Red Oak, .74”

Today: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 58. North northeast wind 8 to 13 mph
Tonight: Increasing clouds, with a low around 39. East northeast wind 5 to 9 mph.
Tomorrow: Showers, mainly after 8am. High near 51. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Tom. Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 40. Breezy. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 66. West northwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Mon. Night: A 30 percent chance of showers after 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 48. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday: A chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.

Thursday’s High in Atlantic was 77. The Low was 47. We received 1.14″ of rain Thursday night. Last year on April 18th, the High in Atlantic was 57 and the Low was 28. The Record High was 89 in 1948. The Record Low was 17 in 1985. Sunrise: 6:36; Sunset: 8:03.

(Reports relayed to the National Weather Service offices in Omaha/Valley, NE, & in Des Moines):

10:58-p.m.    Quarter-size hail fell near Thayer, in Union County.

10:49-p.m.    Dime-to-quarter size hail fell in Afton (Union County).

10:22-p.m.    Thunderstorm wind damage 3  miles SE of Kent in Union County. Damage to farm buildings, trees & power lines. 6 power poles broken in the area.

10:21-p.m.    5 miles E. of Lenox (Taylor County): Thunderstorm winds estimated at 76 mph; lots of blowing dust (Trained spotter report)

10:8-p.m.      Thunderstorm winds gusted up to 61 mph on the north side of Lenox.

9:53-p.m.     1 inch (diameter) hail in Corning (Adams County) – – Trained spotter report

9:49-p.m.     1 inch hail 4 miles W/SW of Corning – Spotter report

9:04-p.m.     A personal weather station 5 miles SE of Coburg (Page County) registered a wind gust of 86 mph.

8:50-p.m.     3 miles W/NW of Essex (Page County): Golfball to Baseball-size hail (2.75″ diameter) reported by Emergency Management

8:48-p.m.     4 miles W. of Essex: Power poles snapped, trees and shed material strewn over roadway.

8:50-p.m.    3 miles W/NW of Essex (Page County):  Tornado reported at Pierce Creek Recreation Area. (Emg. Mgmt); Golfball to baseball-size hail reported 3 miles W/NW of Essex.

Funnel cloud near Lyman at around 8:35-p.m. (Photo courtesy Zach Ploen)

8:32-p.m.    6 miles E/SE of Oakland (Pott. County): Possible report of a tornado between Griswold and Oakland, from trained spotter.

8:27-p.m.    5 miles SW of Randolph (Fremont County): Tornado confirmed by video feed

8:22-p.m.    Lewis, IA Quarter-sized hail (1″ dia) reported by Fire/Rescue personnel

8:21-p.m.    3 miles S. of Tabor (Fremont County): Storm chaser reported a tornado

8:16-p.m.   4 miles N. of Thurman (Fremont Co.): golf-ball size hail (1.75″) observed by a trained storm spotter

7:44-p.m.    2 miles NW of McClelland (Pott. County): reports of hail estimated at 4-inches in diameter (softball size)

Today: Sunny & breezy, with a high near 74. Winds South @ 10-20 mph w/gusts to around 30.
Tonight: Partly cloudy w/a slight chance of showers & thunderstorms after midnight. Low around 55.
Tomorrow: A 30% chance of showers & thunderstorms, otherwise partly sunny & breezy. High near 79. Winds S @ 15-30.
Tom. Night: P/Cldy w/a 50% chance of showers & thunderstorms. Low around 47.  New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday: Mostly cloudy & breezy w/a slight chance of showers. High near 59.
Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.
Sunday: Partly sunny & breezy w/a 50% chance of showers. A high near 56.

Tuesday’s High in Atlantic was 64. Our Low this morning was 29. Last year on April 16th, the High in Atlantic was 75 and the Low was 50. The Record High was 88 in 1898. The Record Low was 19 in 1988. Sunrise: 6:39; Sunset: 8:01.

Today: Sunny & breezy with a high near 61. Winds NW @ 10-15 w/gusts to near 25 mph.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 36. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming calm.
Tomorrow: Mostly sunny & breezy. A high near 72. Winds S @ 15-25.
Tom. Night: A slight chance of showers & thunderstorms, otherwise partly cloudy & breezy. Low around 52.
Thursday: A 50% chance of showers & thunderstorms, otherwise partly sunny & breezy. High near 80.
Thursday Night: A 40% chance of showers & thunderstorms. Low around 50.
Friday: Partly sunny & breezy, with a high near 64.

Monday’s High in Atlantic was 60. The Low was 35. Last year on April 15th, the High in Atlantic was 81 and the Low was 49. The Record High was 84 in 1920. The Record Low was 17 in 1926 & 1962. Sunrise: 6:40; Sunset: 8:00.

Today: Partly sunny & windy. A high near 58. NW winds 20-35 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear & windy. A low around 35. NW @ 15-35 mph.
Tomorrow: Sunny & breezy. A high near 61. NW @ 10-30 mph.
Tom. Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.
Wednesday: Mostly sunny & breezy. A high near 71.
Wed. Night: P/Cldy & breezy w/a slight chance of showers & thunderstorms late. Low around 50.
Thursday: P/Sunny & breezy w/a 40% chance of showers & thunderstorms. A high near 78.

Sunday’s High in Atlantic was 82. The Low was 46. Last year on April 14th, the High in Atlantic was 88 and the Low was 49. The Record High was 89 in 2003. The Record Low was 11 in 1907. Sunrise: 6:42; Sunset: 7:59.

Today: Partly sunny & breezy. High near 80. South winds 10-15 mph becoming NW this afternoon & gusting to 25 mph.
Tonight: Mostly cloudy & windy. Low around 43. Winds NW 15-to near 40 mph.
Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy early, then gradually becoming sunny. High  60. NW @ 25-40 mph.
Tom. Night: Mostly clear & windy. Low around 35. NW winds 15-35 mph.
Tuesday: Sunny & breezy, with a high near 62.
Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.
Wednesday: A 20% chance of showers, otherwise mostly sunny & breezy, with a high near 69.

Saturday’s High in Atlantic was 74. The Low was 43. Last year on April 13th, the High in Atlantic was 84 and the Low was 44. The Record High was 88 in 2006. The Record Low was 11 in 1950. Sunrise: 6:44; Sunset: 7:58.