Are ‘Morning Thunderstorm Warnings’ Rare in Iowa?

Usually, when you think of a severe thunderstorm hitting Iowa, it’s in the afternoon, evening, or in the overnight hours. But on Wednesday morning, July 14^th, multiple Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued in Eastern Iowa between 8 AM – 9 AM.

At 8:39 AM on July 14, The National Weather Service in Des Moines issued a Severe T-Storm Warning for portions of the counties of Hardin, Franklin, Grundy, Butler, and more. This storm featured wind gusts of 60 MPH and hail.

10 minutes later another T-Storm Warning was issued for portions of Marshall, Hardin, Tama, and Grundy Counties. Trees had been reported to have blown down on power lines in the city of Nevada.

A total of four Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued in that 8 AM hour on 7/14.

Then, at 8:55 AM, a Severe Thunderstorm WATCH was issued for 19 counties in Northeast Iowa.

Since 1986, the majority of Thunderstorm Warnings issued by the weather office in Des Moines for Black Hawk County have occurred between the hours of 3 PM and Midnight. The rarest hours for T-Storm Warnings in the past 35 years have occurred between 6 AM – 9 AM.

For the 51 county area overseen by the National Weather Service in Des Moines -- out of a total of over 8,200 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, the fewest amount have occurred between the hours of 7 AM - 9 AM.

Storms may redevelop this afternoon in Northeast Iowa, possibly becoming severe.