Thunderstorms Return

Despite the chilly air as of late, including the forecast of tonight's lows ranging from the mid 30s in the northeast quarter of the state. The entire state won't feel the low temperatures this time around, as only northeast Iowa will be affected by a weak cold front that moves through later this evening. The remainder of the state will see lows ranging from the low 40s to low 50s, with the warmest areas in the southwest. Tomorrow's highs under clear skies will range from the mid 60s in the northeast, to the mid 70s across mainly western Iowa. Lows overnight on Saturday will range from the upper 40s to upper 50s from northeast to southwest across the state.

Saturday night will also bring in the first chance of thunderstorms over the state. As a warm front lifts northward during the nighttime hours, warm air and moisture overrunning this front is likely to initiate heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms. The best chances for precipitation will be over the northeast half of the state, as areas south of the warm front will not see the overrunning, thus their precip chances are significantly lower. With some pockets of instability present, a few isolated strong thunderstorms are possible, with the main threat being some moderate sized hail.

Sunday morning and into the afternoon may have some isolated showers continuing over the northeast half of the state. Otherwise we will warm up nicely with southerly flow over the state, a strong gradient will exist with some areas of northeast Iowa under fairly significant cloud cover. Upper 60s for highs in northeast Iowa, lower 70s to lower 80s across the rest of the state under clear skies and southerly winds. Overnight on Sunday will represent the increased moisture, keeping lows in the 50s throughout the state.

The next round of thunderstorms will enter the forecast for Monday, and continue through Wednesday! With a cold front, and low pressure system stalling out nearby, storm rainfall totals could easily be above an inch over a large portion of the state. The severe weather threat seems low at the moment, given instability will be lacking due to continuous cloud cover beyond Monday afternoon. More details on the Monday through Wednesday rainfalls in the Sunday night update...

Weekend Football Forecast

#16 Kansas vs. Iowa State -- 11:30 AM @ Ames, IA (On Versus Network)

Tailgating temperatures will be in the mid 40s as the sun rises, but will warm up nicely to the mid 50s by kick-off. The temperatures will continue to rise during the game, by game end we should be in the mid 60s. Wind speeds should be southeasterly, ranging from 5-15 mph increasing throughout game time, a few gusts may reach the 20 mph mark. Skies should be mainly clear though, allowing for decent forecast for the game.


Iowa vs. Michigan State -- 11:00 AM @ East Lansing, MI (On ESPN2)

A chilly beginning, with tailgate temperatures in the mid 30s! By kick-off, temperatures are likely to be in the upper 40s, and continuing into the mid 50s by game end. Skies should be partly cloudy during the game, with northerly winds remaining under 5 mph. A chilly one, but an overall okay forecast for the players and fans.