Severe Weather: June 27

9:30 PM Update: Thunderstorms have moved out of the state this evening, just a few trying to hold onto the state border near Dubuque. A few tornado warnings went out this evening, with only one report of a possible funnel cloud in Pottawattamie county. Otherwise large hail and very impressive winds will highlight the day for storms in Iowa, with the best video thus far coming out of the Omaha metro. Sadly, 2 fatalities and an injury have been reported in/near Council Bluffs when a tree fell onto a car with people within. Too many damage reports and stories, as well as videos, to even try and link to. You can check out all of the local TV stations, youtube, etc. for all of the vidoes and reports...

Although some thunderstorms are expected over the weekend and into early next week, the chances of severe weather look fairly marginal at this point.

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5:05 PM Update: Continued development of the line of damaging winds continues, a new warning for this storm will include several counties in extreme southwest Iowa: Pottawattamie, Mills, Montgomery, Fremont, and Page. This storm is moving southeast at nearly 50 mph and will create winds of up to, or greater than, 80 mph! Latest reports have 50-60 mph winds with this line, but higher gusts are possible.

Outside of this line, additional development has taken place across portions of western Iowa, and over Worth county in northern Iowa. These storms are currently not severe, but have the potential to become severe within the next couple of hours. Other commitments will have me away from updating until later tonight, but like usual, please tune to local media for updates on severe weather.

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4:50 PM Update: A potentially significant damaging wind event is unfolding with a line of storms that is near the Omaha metro area. The NWS office in Valley, NE measured a 77 mph gust before the equipment had a malfunction; later estimates which are being called 'conservative' had wind gusts of 80 mph. Other reports from nearby areas such as Elkhorn, NE also have had 80 mph estimated winds. This storm is likely to move into Pottawattamie and Mills counties in Iowa shortly... The storm is moving to the southeast at nearly 60 mph and has the potential to be damaging. It would be wise to take shelter much like this was a tornado warning, given the magnitude of the damaging winds.

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4:10 PM Update: Thunderstorms have continued to develop across central Minnesota, with some development occurring in extreme northern Iowa (northern Kossuth county). Additional strengthening of storms has occurred across eastern Nebraska (northwest of Omaha) which has prompted a new severe thunderstorm watch that will include portions of southwestern Iowa until 10 PM. A line of showers, embedded thunderstorms, is working across northwestern Iowa currently as well with possible upscale development into more of a scattered thunderstorm event to the east of the Highway 4 corridor. At this time, no watch is in the process of being issued as storms have continued to struggle in this area due to larger-scale subsidence. Updates are possible later this evening if severe weather does unfold across portions of Iowa...

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1:15 PM Update: The cold front, however diffuse and irrelevant it may be, is finally working into the state of Iowa this afternoon. Behind this front, an upper level wave, as well as a 500 mb wave, is working down out of Canada through the Dakotas. These upper and mid-level dynamic areas will be the focus for thunderstorm development this afternoon over the northern plains. Thunderstorms have begun to fire near/along the cold front and ahead of these dynamics over Minnesota; subsequently a severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for much of the state that is in effect until 8 PM.

Thunderstorms have attempted to fire along the IA/NE border, with the latest one being fairly healthy just to the south of Onawa, IA. Additional development is likely within the next couple of hours across the state of Iowa. The SPC has stated that a mesoscale discussion is likely to be issued 'soon', once this comes out, the watch issuance is also likely to come shortly thereafter. Expect the watch and/or discussion to come out by 3 PM, and likely include much of the state of Iowa. The threat today with lack of shear will be large hail and damaging winds, with it being a fairly isolated threat. More updates are possible this afternoon if watches/warnings begin to be issued.