Severe weather likely today in north-central Iowa

MASON CITY — The National Weather Service continues to predict a major severe weather event could take place in north-central Iowa later this afternoon into the evening hours.

Meteorologist Brooke Hagenhoff with the Weather Service’s Des Moines office says the highest threat covers north-central and northeast Iowa as well as southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, which is in a “Moderate Risk” level, fourth highest out of their five-tier severe weather forecast scale. 

She says, “Our main timing that we’re looking at is between 4:00 PM and midnight.  That’s a little later than the information we previously shared. So the timing has drifted later as well as the main threat shifting a little further north. It doesn’t mean let your guard down, but it does mean a little bit smaller window from 4:00 PM to midnight, and the highest threat has shifted north, however, there is still a high-end threat over the entire state for Monday afternoon and evening.”

Hagenhoff says there still is a high degree of uncertainty about severe storms developing. She says the atmosphere will be extremely volatile today, and all the ingredients will be in place for the potential of high-end severe storms. The biggest question is if those storms will develop.  “Many locations will see no storms. However, if or where the storms do develop, they have the potential to be extremely strong and dangerous for anyone that would be out there to encounter them. Remember that having all the ingredients for severe storms does not mean they will occur, but should they occur, we are looking at the chance for high-end, long-lasting tornadoes, very large hail and damaging winds to occur.”

The Weather Service this morning says they think the best chance for severe weather in the Mason City-Clear Lake area will take place between 5:30 and 9:30 this evening, but we could see severe weather in our area anytime between 3:30 and after midnight.