Iowa Weather Report April 11th 2015: Sunny and Stormy

SUNNY SATURDAY, STORMY SUNDAY: There will be plenty of sunshine today with readings in the 60s and lower 70s with the warmest readings out west. Clouds will be on the increase tonight and we may see a shower or storm late over the southwestern counties of the state. This will be with the next system that will move through on Sunday into early on Monday morning. This will bring some showers and thunderstorms to the state at that time. Severe weather is not anticipated at this time, but some brief heavy rains could be possible. Readings on Sunday will be similar to Saturday with 60s and lower 70s around.

NEXT WEEK: Monday and Tuesday will be mostly sunny with readings in the 50s and 60s for highs. Wednesday through Friday, confidence begins to waver a bit as a low pressure center moves into the Central Plains and looks to stall through the rest of the week. This would be close enough that some showers and perhaps a thunderstorm could be possible with the best chances over the southern and southwestern counties of the state. We will want to see more model runs before going with this forecast at this point. Readings during this time look to remain in the 60s and lower 70s for highs with cooler readings possible if there is enough cloud cover around to keep readings down.

BEYOND NEXT WEEK: As we look into the extended period, the slow system at the end of next week will begin to lift out next Saturday and that may bring more widespread chances of showers and storms at that time. This would be followed by cooler temperatures next Sunday with perhaps a few more clouds around that may keep readings down in the lower to middle 50s in the northeastern counties of the state with readings near or just above 60 elsewhere. Further along, the GFS has a few systems moving through the area with temperatures perhaps cooling below seasonal levels for a few days toward the end of the period before another system approaches at the end of the period that will boost readings back to or perhaps above seasonal levels at that time.