Weather Center: Iowa

Current alerts

5 freeze warnings touch Iowa. 5 freeze warnings (touching Iowa)

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NWS alerts checked 05:09Z · Data: NOAA/NWS

Sources & update times

SPC Day 1 outlook issued 00:50Z · Data: NOAA/SPC

SPC Day 2 outlook issued 16 Oct 17:24Z · Data: NOAA/SPC

SPC Day 3 outlook issued 16 Oct 19:22Z · Data: NOAA/SPC

SPC discussions checked 05:09Z · Data: NOAA/SPC

SPC storm reports checked 05:05Z · Data: NOAA/SPC

WPC Day 1 outlook issued 00:56Z · Data: NOAA/WPC

WPC Day 2 outlook issued 16 Oct 19:17Z · Data: NOAA/WPC

WPC Day 3 outlook issued 16 Oct 19:17Z · Data: NOAA/WPC

Each feed is judged on its own clock. The masthead’s reading is the site’s publishing health, which is a different thing: a publishing delay does not make a freshly read warning stale, and a fresh check does not make an old outlook newly issued.

NWS warnings / WPC selected forecast: feeds current

NWS warnings: Feed current; checked 05:09Z.

WPC selected forecast: Feed current; checked 05:05Z.

Checked means retrieved, not newly issued. Each graphic retains its issue, observation, initialization or valid time. Site publishing status is separate.

Hazard & forecast product

WPC Day 3 Excessive Rainfall Outlook, Sunday 18 Oct

Source: WPC

Now, not forecast: Current warnings as of 05:09Z are drawn over the outlook for Sunday 18 Oct, the warnings hatched so the forecast shows through. They are in force now; the outlook is for its own period. Show the forecast alone

Forecast: WPC’s scale

1 · Marginal

View scale

1 · Marginal
2 · Slight (not outlined)
3 · Moderate (not outlined)
4 · High (not outlined)

In force now

Freeze Warning 5

WPC Day 3 Excessive Rainfall Outlook, valid 18 Oct 12:00Z to 19 Oct 12:00Z, issued 16 Oct 19:17Z · Data: NOAA/WPC. Warnings and watches are as of 05:09Z (now), not for the outlook’s period.

Everything on the map, as a list

WPC Day 3 Excessive Rainfall Outlook: Marginal
Freeze Warning: Mitchell; Howard; Winneshiek; Allamakee; Floyd; Chickasaw; Fayette; Clayton; Wabasha; Dodge; Olmsted; Winona; Mower; Fillmore; Houston; Taylor; Clark; Buffalo; Trempealeau; Jackson; La Crosse; Monroe; Juneau; Adams; Vernon; Crawford; Richland; Grant, until 14:00Z
Freeze Warning: Emmet; Kossuth; Winnebago; Worth; Palo Alto; Hancock; Cerro Gordo; Pocahontas; Humboldt; Wright; Franklin; Butler; Bremer; Sac; Calhoun; Webster; Hamilton; Hardin; Grundy; Black Hawk; Crawford; Carroll; Greene; Boone; Story; Marshall; Tama; Audubon; Guthrie; Dallas; Polk; Jasper; Poweshiek; Cass; Adair; Madison; Warren; Marion; Mahaska; Adams; Union; Clarke; Lucas; Monroe; Wapello; Taylor; Ringgold; Decatur; Wayne; Appanoose, until 14:00Z
Freeze Warning: Buchanan; Delaware; Dubuque; Benton; Linn; Jones; Jackson; Iowa; Johnson; Cedar; Clinton; Muscatine; Scott; Keokuk; Washington; Jefferson; Jo Daviess; Stephenson; Carroll; Whiteside; Rock Island, until 14:00Z
Freeze Warning: Lyon; Sioux; Plymouth; Woodbury; Lincoln; Lyon; Murray; Pipestone; Rock; Dixon; Dakota; Kingsbury; Brookings; Miner; Lake; Moody; Hanson; McCook; Minnehaha; Hutchinson; Turner; Lincoln; Bon Homme; Yankton; Clay; Union; Osceola; Dickinson; O'Brien; Clay; Cherokee; Buena Vista; Ida; Cottonwood; Nobles; Jackson, until 14:00Z
Freeze Warning: Monona; Harrison; Shelby; Pottawattamie; Mills; Montgomery; Fremont; Page; Knox; Cedar; Thurston; Antelope; Pierce; Wayne; Boone; Madison; Stanton; Cuming; Burt; Platte; Colfax; Dodge; Washington; Butler; Saunders; Douglas; Sarpy; Seward; Lancaster; Cass; Otoe; Saline; Jefferson; Gage; Johnson; Nemaha; Pawnee; Richardson, until 14:00Z
Outside Iowa, for context: Freeze Warning: Winnebago; Boone; McHenry; Ogle; Lee; De Kalb; Kane, until 13:00Z
Outside Iowa, for context: Freeze Warning: Atchison; Doniphan; Atchison; Nodaway; Worth; Gentry; Harrison; Mercer; Putnam; Holt; Andrew; De Kalb; Daviess; Grundy; Sullivan; Buchanan, until 14:00Z
Outside Iowa, for context: Freeze Warning: Phillips; Smith; Jewell; Rooks; Osborne; Mitchell; Valley; Greeley; Nance; Sherman; Howard; Merrick; Polk; Dawson; Buffalo; Hall; Hamilton; York; Gosper; Phelps; Kearney; Adams; Clay; Fillmore; Furnas; Harlan; Franklin; Webster; Nuckolls; Thayer, until 14:00Z
Outside Iowa, for context: Freeze Warning: Menominee; Marathon; Shawano; Wood; Portage; Waupaca; Outagamie; Brown; Kewaunee; Waushara; Winnebago; Calumet; Manitowoc; Southern Marinette County; Southern Oconto County, until 14:00Z
Outside Iowa, for context: Freeze Warning: Marquette; Green Lake; Fond Du Lac; Sheboygan; Sauk; Columbia; Dodge; Washington; Iowa; Dane; Jefferson; Waukesha; Lafayette; Green; Rock; Walworth, until 14:00Z
Outside Iowa, for context: Freeze Warning: Hennepin; Ramsey; Douglas; Todd; Morrison; Mille Lacs; Kanabec; Stevens; Pope; Stearns; Benton; Sherburne; Isanti; Chisago; Lac Qui Parle; Swift; Chippewa; Kandiyohi; Meeker; Wright; Anoka; Washington; Yellow Medicine; Renville; McLeod; Sibley; Carver; Scott; Dakota; Redwood; Brown; Nicollet; Le Sueur; Rice; Goodhue; Watonwan; Blue Earth; Waseca; Steele; Martin; Faribault; Freeborn; Polk; Barron; Rusk; St. Croix; Pierce; Dunn; Pepin; Chippewa; Eau Claire, until 14:00Z
Outside Iowa, for context: Freeze Warning: Republic; Washington; Marshall; Nemaha; Brown; Cloud; Clay; Riley; Pottawatomie; Jackson; Ottawa; Dickinson; Geary, until 14:00Z

Briefing details · Where, When, Main hazards

Sunday briefing for Iowa

Highest anywhere in Iowa: no risk area

This is the outlook, a forecast. Warnings in force here are listed above it and outrank it.

The highest category anywhere in the state, from its outline; not every point in it.

When: Outlook valid 18 Oct 12:00Z to 19 Oct 12:00Z: the period it covers, not when storms arrive. This period has not begun.
Prepare: No additional flood preparation is indicated by this outlook.
Rain and rivers: Expected rain: below WPC’s lowest contour (0.01 in) in Iowa, in WPC’s forecast for the 24 hours 18 Oct 00:00Z to 19 Oct 00:00Z. An amount for the area its contour covers, not a total for any one street.
Rain that fell: 0.1 to 0.25 in at its highest in Iowa, in the 24 hours to 04:00Z, by MRMS’s radar estimate over a grid about 5 km across: a measurement of the past, not corrected to rain gauges.
Rivers: no river gauge in Iowa is in flood or forecast to flood, by NWS’s lists read 05:05Z. Gauges are on larger rivers, not every creek: this is not a sign that nothing can flood.
Three sources, each its own window. None is a chance of flash flooding, which is WPC’s outlook above; a flash flood is a warning’s. Gauges in the Live tracker

Official discussion

WPC’s discussion held was issued 00:58Z, and the map 16 Oct 19:17Z: they are different issuances, so the text is not shown with this map until the matching one is read.

WPC’s outlook page

Forecast details

The chance that rainfall exceeds flash flood guidance within 40 km (25 miles) of a point during the valid period, as WPC defines its categories. Marginal is at least 5%, Slight 15%, Moderate 40% and High 70%. WPC’s categories are separate from SPC’s severe-storm categories, and an outlook category is not a warning: a Flash Flood Warning means flooding is happening or imminent. WPC’s definitions.

Coming days · Iowa

2026-10-17Severe storms: No severe area outlinedFlash flooding: No excessive-rainfall area outlined 2026-10-17Severe storms: No severe area outlinedFlash flooding: No excessive-rainfall area outlined 2026-10-18Severe storms: No severe area outlinedFlash flooding: No excessive-rainfall area outlined

These are daily outlooks, not arrival times. Days 4–8 retain SPC’s predictability and potential-too-low wording in the dated outlook controls.

Severe storms

General thunderstorms at its highest nationally. SPC’s convective outlook, on its own scale.

View severe outlook

Recent reports

Reporting period: 12Z 16 Oct – 12Z 17 Oct

0 tornado · 0 wind · 0 hail in Iowa

Preliminary reports: a count of reports, not of storms. None reported is not proof that nothing happened.

View reports: map, table & download

No watches or mesoscale discussions in Iowa. Watches, discussions and warnings in the Live tracker

Warnings in Iowa

5 warnings touching Iowa

5 warnings touch Iowa, most urgent first. A warning across a state line is counted here and in the other state.

NWS alerts checked 05:09Z · Data: NOAA/NWS

Since 04:10Z: no change in the warnings.

Warnings 5

Freeze Mitchell; Howard; Winneshiek; Allamakee; Floyd; Chickasaw; Fayette; Clayton; Wabasha; Dodge; Olmsted; Winona; Mower; Fillmore; Houston; Taylor; Clark; Buffalo; Trempealeau; Jackson; La Crosse; Monroe; Juneau; Adams; Vernon; Crawford; Richland; Grant until 14:00Z crosses Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin Track: Freeze Warning, Mitchell; Howard; Winneshiek; Allamakee; Floyd; Chickasaw; Fayette; Clayton; Wabasha; Dodge; Olmsted; Winona; Mower; Fillmore; Houston; Taylor; Clark; Buffalo; Trempealeau; Jackson; La Crosse; Monroe; Juneau; Adams; Vernon; Crawford; Richland; Grant
Freeze Emmet; Kossuth; Winnebago; Worth; Palo Alto; Hancock; Cerro Gordo; Pocahontas; Humboldt; Wright; Franklin; Butler; Bremer; Sac; Calhoun; Webster; Hamilton; Hardin; Grundy; Black Hawk; Crawford; Carroll; Greene; Boone; Story; Marshall; Tama; Audubon; Guthrie; Dallas; Polk; Jasper; Poweshiek; Cass; Adair; Madison; Warren; Marion; Mahaska; Adams; Union; Clarke; Lucas; Monroe; Wapello; Taylor; Ringgold; Decatur; Wayne; Appanoose until 14:00Z Track: Freeze Warning, Emmet; Kossuth; Winnebago; Worth; Palo Alto; Hancock; Cerro Gordo; Pocahontas; Humboldt; Wright; Franklin; Butler; Bremer; Sac; Calhoun; Webster; Hamilton; Hardin; Grundy; Black Hawk; Crawford; Carroll; Greene; Boone; Story; Marshall; Tama; Audubon; Guthrie; Dallas; Polk; Jasper; Poweshiek; Cass; Adair; Madison; Warren; Marion; Mahaska; Adams; Union; Clarke; Lucas; Monroe; Wapello; Taylor; Ringgold; Decatur; Wayne; Appanoose
Freeze Buchanan; Delaware; Dubuque; Benton; Linn; Jones; Jackson; Iowa; Johnson; Cedar; Clinton; Muscatine; Scott; Keokuk; Washington; Jefferson; Jo Daviess; Stephenson; Carroll; Whiteside; Rock Island until 14:00Z crosses Illinois and Iowa Track: Freeze Warning, Buchanan; Delaware; Dubuque; Benton; Linn; Jones; Jackson; Iowa; Johnson; Cedar; Clinton; Muscatine; Scott; Keokuk; Washington; Jefferson; Jo Daviess; Stephenson; Carroll; Whiteside; Rock Island
Freeze Lyon; Sioux; Plymouth; Woodbury; Lincoln; Lyon; Murray; Pipestone; Rock; Dixon; Dakota; Kingsbury; Brookings; Miner; Lake; Moody; Hanson; McCook; Minnehaha; Hutchinson; Turner; Lincoln; Bon Homme; Yankton; Clay; Union; Osceola; Dickinson; O'Brien; Clay; Cherokee; Buena Vista; Ida; Cottonwood; Nobles; Jackson until 14:00Z crosses Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and South Dakota Track: Freeze Warning, Lyon; Sioux; Plymouth; Woodbury; Lincoln; Lyon; Murray; Pipestone; Rock; Dixon; Dakota; Kingsbury; Brookings; Miner; Lake; Moody; Hanson; McCook; Minnehaha; Hutchinson; Turner; Lincoln; Bon Homme; Yankton; Clay; Union; Osceola; Dickinson; O'Brien; Clay; Cherokee; Buena Vista; Ida; Cottonwood; Nobles; Jackson
Freeze Monona; Harrison; Shelby; Pottawattamie; Mills; Montgomery; Fremont; Page; Knox; Cedar; Thurston; Antelope; Pierce; Wayne; Boone; Madison; Stanton; Cuming; Burt; Platte; Colfax; Dodge; Washington; Butler; Saunders; Douglas; Sarpy; Seward; Lancaster; Cass; Otoe; Saline; Jefferson; Gage; Johnson; Nemaha; Pawnee; Richardson until 14:00Z crosses Iowa and Nebraska Track: Freeze Warning, Monona; Harrison; Shelby; Pottawattamie; Mills; Montgomery; Fremont; Page; Knox; Cedar; Thurston; Antelope; Pierce; Wayne; Boone; Madison; Stanton; Cuming; Burt; Platte; Colfax; Dodge; Washington; Butler; Saunders; Douglas; Sarpy; Seward; Lancaster; Cass; Otoe; Saline; Jefferson; Gage; Johnson; Nemaha; Pawnee; Richardson

All 5 warnings touching Iowa, with their full text, in the Live tracker

60 warnings elsewhere in the country: the national list. Track Iowa live

Not an official warning service. Warnings and watches are the National Weather Service’s, outlooks and reports the Storm Prediction Center’s and the Weather Prediction Center’s (Data: NOAA/NWS, NOAA/SPC, NOAA/WPC). When a warning is issued for you, act on it, and use weather.gov or a NOAA Weather Radio for where you are.

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