Warm Overnight / High Heat Index/Storms Late

The temperature at 8am was 78 degrees. In fact...the lows stayed right around 80 all night.

Here is the hour-by-hour observation from the NWS for Des Moines.

a t e	Time (cdt)	Wind (mph)	Vis. (mi.)	Weather	Sky Cond.	Temperature (ºF)				Pressure		Precipitation (in.)
						Air	Dwpt	6 hour		altimeter (in.)	sea level (mb)	1 hr	3 hr	6 hr
								Max.	Min.
27	06:54	SW 8	10.00	Overcast	FEW040 SCT090 BKN140 BKN200 OVC250	79	71	83	79	29.78	1007.2
27	05:54	S 8	10.00	Overcast	FEW160 SCT200 OVC250	79	71			29.76	1006.5
27	04:54	S 6	10.00	Overcast	OVC200	79	72			29.74	1006.0
27	03:54	S 10	10.00	Mostly Cloudy	BKN250	81	73			29.75	1006.1
27	02:54	S 9	10.00	Overcast	OVC250	81	74			29.76	1006.6
27	01:54	SE 6	10.00	Overcast	OVC250	82	75			29.79	1007.7
27	00:54	SE 9	10.00	Fair	CLR	83	75	91	83	29.77	1007.0
26	23:54	SE 6	10.00	Fair	CLR	83	77			29.78	1007.3
26	22:54	SE 8	10.00	Fair	CLR	84	77			29.77	1007.1
26	21:54	SE 8	10.00	A Few Clouds	FEW060	85	77			29.76	1006.7
26	20:54	E 8	10.00	A Few Clouds	FEW050	88	77			29.76	1006.7

This is going to mean some very warm heat index temperatures this afternoon. We could top out around 110 for the "feels like" conditions later today.

There were a few showers and isolated storms in western IA this morning...but they did not have a punch for central Iowa.

This also will be the 13th straight day of 90 or warmer for the high in Des Moines. The record is 25...set during the dust bowl era...1936.

There is a chance for severe weather later today and again tomorrow. The slight risk areas are highlighted in yellow.

The heat buckled the road at 100th/Hickman in Clive this morning. Crews had it patched by Noon.

Highs today will be warmer than yesterday. I expect Des Moines will be right at 100 by 4PM or 6PM.

Tomorrow there is a good chance for some isolated storms over central Iowa by afternoon. Some of the storms could be strong to severe. There is a chance for some pretty decent amounts of rainfall.

This will also help knock our temperatures down.

Be careful out there today. Heat index temperature at 1 was already 108.

Below you will find the crazy heat index temps from yesterday.

...SELECTED HIGH HEAT INDEX VALUES FROM TUESDAY JUL 19 2011...

...IOWA...
NEWTON 129
KNOXVILLE 123
COUNCIL BLUFFS 122
ATLANTIC 119
FAIRFIELD 118
ORANGE CITY 117
DES MOINES 111

...ILLINOIS...
TAYLORVILLE 121
RANTOUL 120
CHAMPAIGN/URBANA 117
PEORIA 116
PONTIAC 116
BLOOMINGTON 115
MACOMB 115

...INDIANA...
TERRE HAUTE 115
LAFAYETTE 112
SHELBYVILLE 112
BLOOMINGTON 110
INDIANAPOLIS 110

...KANSAS...
LAWRENCE 106
TOPEKA 106
HUTCHINSON 105
MANHATTAN 105
WICHITA 105

...KENTUCKY...
FORT KNOX 109
LOUISVILLE 109
COVINGTON 108
OWENSBORO 108
HENDERSON CITY 105

...MINNESOTA...
HUTCHINSON 123
MADISON 120
MINNEAPOLIS 118
OWATONNA 117
GRANITE FALLS 114
NEW ULM 114
ST. CLOUD 114

...MISSOURI...
ST. LOUIS 110
WHITEMAN AFB 108
KANSAS CITY 107
KIRKSVILLE 107
POPLAR BLUFF 105

...MONTANA...
SIDNEY 110

...OHIO...
HAMILTON 106
WILMINGTON 105
DAYTON 103

...OKLAHOMA...
ARDMORE 107
SHAWNEE 107

...NEBRASKA...
OFFUTT AFB 112
TEKAMAH 110
NORFOLK 107
COLUMBUS 105
NEBRASKA CITY 105

...NORTH DAKOTA...
GWINNER 122
BISMARCK 117
LINTON 117
FARGO 115
CARRINGTON 114
JAMESTOWN 114

...SOUTH DAKOTA...
ABERDEEN 119
MITCHELL 114
MOBRIDGE 112
HURON 111
PIERRE 110

...TENNESSEE...
MEMPHIS 112

...TEXAS...
FORT HOOD 111
GRANBURY 107
MINERAL WELLS 107
TYLER 107

...WISCONSIN...
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN 116
BOSCOBEL 114
LA CROSSE 109
VOLK 108
MADISON 105

Big Hits From Storms Overnight

The severe storms left their mark across the state this early morning.

The first picture is of the empty Mega Doppler Tower in Allemna. We lost the trasmitter dish and radome that covers the antenna. The grain bin is from damage near Marshalltown..and the tree damage is from Kellogg.

We are sad to loose our Mega Doppler...but have crews on the way to assess the damage and help us get back on the air with a new Doppler soon.

We have always used the NWS NEXRAD radar along with our own live radar. The NEXRAD sites from around the state and the region are up and running as always and will allow us to continue to keep all of Central Iowa safe with complete radar coverage of the next round of storms.

80 to 100 mph wind swept through the state around 3 to 4:30 this morning.

Many are without power in Tama and Marshall Counties.

This is going to be very dangerous for those who have to deal with the heat and humidity the next few days.

More storms are possible tonight and again tomorrow night to early Wednesday. Some of those storms could be severe.

I'm off today to celebrate my daughter's 13th birthday! Megan will be on the evening news to show you more damage and to give you the latest on the severe weather chances over the next few days.

Stay cool and check on those who can't.

Weekend Fireworks Pics...Mother Nature Fireworks Tonight

A couple pictures of the fireworks from the area over the weekend. The first is over Crazy Acres Lake in Ackley..taken by Sabra Rieks. Love the geese in the foreground. The Des Moines Skyline picture is from Moussa Seck who was at the Yankee Doodle Pops Friday night.

There will be a few chances for storms to move through the area this evening and overnight. The storms are not expected to be severe. We could see about .10 to .25 inches of rainfall.

There are limited chances for storms the rest of the week. There will be better chances for storms by this weekend.

More Storm Damage From Clear Lake

A couple more pictures of the storm damage from the Clear Lake area last night. Jenny Murphy (Keith's Better Half) was in the storm at her parent's home.

You can see the trees that were blown into other homes and the boat overturned in the docks on the lake.

Storm Damage From Clear Lake Friday Night

The storms last night did plenty of damage in sections of the state. I picked up these pictures from Ryan Dickey who sent them to my twitter account. @EdWilsonWX13HD.

Those are huge trees that went down in high wind. The estimate was 60 to 70 MPH. We had reports of windows blown out as hail was falling during the high wind event too.

I'm sure we will see more pictures and video of damage from the storm tonight at 6 and 10.

The rest of the weekend looks pretty calm. There will be chances for isolated storms late night and early morning each day. It will be warm...but less humid!

Severe Storms In Northern Iowa

Storms are moving through the north central Iowa area..Ft. Dodge has cooled off to the 60s as the front moved through. There have been reports of wind damage a bit farther north along the IA/MN border.

Storms now are located along the I-35 and Highway 20 area back to the south and west near Jefferson. They are moving to the east around 35 mph.

We will see a chance storm in the metro of Des Moines...but most of the action will remain north of DSM.

Severe T-Storm Watch North Tonight

There have been severe storms in north central Iowa tonight. There is a severe thunderstorm watch in effect for the area along Highway 20 and north until 2AM.

Check out our 10:00 news for the latest location of the storms. Follow along on Twitter.. @EdWilsonWX13HD