The title summarizes it all. An unusual warm day across the state with current temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s and windy conditions with gusts to 40 mph will prelude to skies turning dark across the eastern half of the state tonight as the Storm Prediction Center currently has a large majority of Iowa under an elevated risk of severe weather for tonight. The first severe risk is expected to materialize between 3pm and 9pm across south central Iowa and northern Missouri along the cold front. A couple of storms may be initiated with this and the primary risk if storms become severe would be large hail, an isolated tornado or two, and localized damaging winds.

The primary headline to mention is expected to develop around 3am to 6am on Sunday morning along the primary upper-level system. Late night cooling is a major uncertainty with this system on whether this will be surface based. Large hail will be possible nonetheless with damaging winds and tornadoes possible after 6am as the storms become rooted in the boundary layer. Since these storms will be at night, it will  make it even more dangerous, and a NOAA weather radio is recommended to be checked and made sure to be working.

Stay with the Iowa Weather Network for the latest updates during this situation.