July 2 Severe Weather

A cold front is featured across the state this morning, and will continue to move southward through the state this afternoon. Ahead/South of this front will feature warm temperatures with high humidity, creating an atmosphere capable of severe weather in the form of large hail, damaging winds, and perhaps a tornadic threat (mainly eastern Iowa). Behind this front, cooler weather with a relief from any summer moisture will be in place to provide a nice summer day.

The cold front is currently along a line from Rochester, MN to Onawa, IA with cloud cover present ahead of the front across much of the state. A few isolated showers present, with a cluster of thunderstorms riding the Iowa/Minnesota border and now into Wisconsin currently. The clouds and showers should begin to clear off late this morning, allowing heating to occur. By mid-afternoon more development is likely along the front expected to be situated from Waukon to near Onawa as little movement will occur this afternoon with the front. These thunderstorms may be capable of both large hail and damaging winds, although a tornado threat may be possible in eastern Iowa as well as areas of Illinois/Indiana given strong low level winds. The storms should move to the southeast at 20-35 mph, essentially becoming more of a linear segment of storms as the evening progresses into the early overnight. At this point, the damaging wind threat is likely to increase with any lines that do form across the southern third of the state of Iowa, and adjacent areas.