A Cooler Week

After plenty of rain on Sunday, we've been left with some below normal temperatures for the remainder of the week. Highs from the upper 50s to lower 70s from northwest to southeast today, with gusty winds once again under cloudy skies. Some showers possible throughout the state, with some thunderstorms even in central and eastern Iowa. Southeastern Iowa has the greatest risk for thunderstorms, with some instability present to pose a threat of large hail. These thunderstorms will be numerous this evening and early overnight hours in the eastern third of the state. Lows overnight ranging from the upper 30s to near 50 from northwest to southeast.

Tomorrow will have mostly sunny skies, with highs in the mid 60s to a near 70 throughout. Wednesday night lows in the lower and mid 40s under partly cloudy skies and calm conditions. Thursday will bring the change for a few showers in the west, partly sunny to mostly cloudy skies; highs in the mid to upper 60s. Thursday night lows in the mid 40s throughout the state, with little chances of precipitation. We'll finish off the week with a little warm-up, upper 60s and lower 70s during the day with partly cloudy skies. Lows tonight in the upper 40s and lower 50s with the increasing moisture from westerly winds.

TWISTEX is currently operational in the southern plains today, after Saturday's adventure in eastern Oklahoma where the two mesonets bisected the beginning of a tornadic ground circulation and measured 100+ kt and 60+ kt wind gusts. Today and tomorrow look active for them over parts of TX/OK, then the ridge builds in over the west and provides the plains with nothing but northwesterly flow. Although previous model runs indicated a potential for action returning to the plains by the May 20-24 time frame, latest model runs indicate that this system may become cut-off and pose no threat for severe weather. This may push the next good severe potential until the May 27-29 period over the plains states; well after my tour of duty is expected to be over.