The National Weather Service has placed the area under a Slight Risk for severe weather today, with multiple rounds of thunderstorms expected this afternoon and evening.
Forecasters say a cold front moving in from the west will bring scattered thunderstorms, some of which could become severe. All modes of severe weather are possible, including damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes.
Timing for today’s storms is expected in two main rounds. The first round is forecast between noon and 5 p.m., with isolated to scattered storms developing. A second round, expected between 5 and 11 p.m., could bring a more organized line of storms moving in from the west with greater coverage.
Heavy rainfall is also a concern, with the hardest-hit areas potentially receiving between one and three inches of rain from this morning through midnight tonight.
Locally, Mount Pleasant recorded seventeen hundredths of an inch of rain over the last 24 hours, bringing the year-to-date total to 7.43 inches. That is about half an inch above the normal year-to-date average of 6.93 inches.
Looking ahead, Thursday is expected to bring a break from thunderstorms before another round of severe weather moves in Friday. The National Weather Service has issued an Enhanced Risk—level three out of five—for severe storms Friday afternoon into Friday night across eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and northeast Missouri.
The primary threats Friday appear to be damaging straight-line winds and isolated tornadoes as a strong cold front pushes through the Midwest during the evening and overnight hours.
Residents are encouraged to stay weather-aware today and Friday, monitor updated forecasts, and have multiple ways to receive warnings if severe weather develops. KILJ, your local National Weather Service Station, will keep you informed.