Cold Front to Unleash Severe Weather Threat Today through Tonight; Watch Issued.

A column of moisture pooled ahead of the front combined with strong upper divergence/instability will cause rapid severe thunderstorm development across the watch area starting 2-5 PM in northwest Iowa and moving eastward through the evening.

Given that instability values will crash as the afternoon progresses, have elected to focus the higher risk into far northern Iowa with overall severe threat limited. The storms today will be capable of hail, damaging winds, and the chance of an isolated tornado.

The cities included in the risk are Sioux City, Sheldon, Spencer, Storm Lake, Emmetsburg, Algona, Fort Dodge, Mason City, Waterloo, and Decorah. The system will deliver widespread rainfall amounts to the forecast area.

– Meteorologist Maurer –