FIRST ALERT: A few severe storms Tuesday evening, heavy rain into the night

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – A stormy night is likely in much of eastern Iowa.

It’s a First Alert Day through Tuesday night. This is because of the risk of strong to severe storms during the evening on Tuesday, with heavy rain threats and isolated flash flooding continuing into the night.

Showers and storms are likely to develop and move through eastern Iowa this evening. The time frame when strong to severe storms will be possible is between 6:00 pm. and midnight tonight. Damaging winds would be the primary threat if storms are able to turn severe. We can’t fully rule out a little hail or an isolated tornado, but those appear to be secondary threats at this time.

If a storm approaches your area, seek shelter indoors. If a warning is issued, get to the lowest floor of your home, away from windows. In the event of a tornado warning, put as many walls between you and the outside as possible, like in an interior closet or bathroom. A basement is best if you have one. Cover your head and neck with pillows or blankets, or a bike helmet if you have one. If you’re in a mobile home, abandon it for more substantial shelter. If caught outdoors, try to get to an indoor shelter. As a last resort, lay flat in a ditch while protecting your head and neck. Don’t seek shelter under bridges or overpasses.

It’s important to make sure to have multiple ways to receive warnings. A NOAA Weather Radio is a great tool in this case. Make sure it’s plugged in and turned on, ready to receive warnings, before you head to bed. We also recommend the KCRG-TV9 First Alert Weather App, which can give you customized alerts for your location. Of course, we’ll also provide updates on KCRG.com and KCRG-TV9 as conditions warrant.

Storms will continue into the nighttime hours, especially near and south of U.S. Highway 20. That’s where some heavy rainfall is likely, as plenty of moisture has gathered ahead of the cold front driving these storms today. Heavy downpours and frequent lightning will be a threat with storms even after the traditional severe weather risk diminishes. Where storms move repeatedly, 1 to 3 inches of rain could occur in a west-to-east band. This is likeliest somewhere between Interstate 80 and Highway 20.

Flash flooding could develop in some spots, especially in urban areas. If you live in a flood-prone area, be prepared to move to higher ground if a Flash Flood Warning is issued. Do not drive through a flooded roadway; it’s extremely difficult to determine the condition of the roadway or how deep the water is at night. It’s always best to find another way. Remember: turn around, don’t drown!

Overnight, lows will only fall to around 70 degrees, give or take a bit. That means a potentially wet, muggy start to your Wednesday as showers and storms linger around for a while. These will slowly sag southward later in the morning, with many areas dry in the afternoon. Skies will gradually clear, too, allowing temperatures to reach the low 80s area-wide by then.

Drier air will continue to work in on Wednesday night, leading to a day with a lot of relief from the humidity by Thursday. The drier air mass and clearer skies will also allow lows in the mid to upper 50s on both Thursday and Friday. Both days see highs in the upper 70s to low 80s, with only modest mugginess at most. They should be nice days to enjoy the outdoors!

Things get active again this weekend, with chances of storms from overnight Friday night through Monday night. This time frame will not be a total washout, and much of Saturday and Sunday’s daytime hours should be dry. However, Friday night and Monday into Monday night in particular could bring some heavier rainfall once again. This means the potential for another couple of inches of rain on top of what we’re already expecting tonight.

After this active stretch, temperatures will really begin to recede closer to our mid-September normals. Highs from Sunday through next Thursday will be in the 70s, with lows in the mid 50s to low 60s.

A few more shower and storm chances come back into play by next Wednesday and Thursday.