Weather Alert in Iowa

Recent Locations: Seaside, CA Ironton, MN Prescott, IA

Tornado Watch issued April 2 at 1:44PM CDT until April 2 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

AREAS AFFECTED: Benton, IA; Buchanan, IA; Cedar, IA; Clinton, IA; Delaware, IA; Des Moines, IA; Dubuque, IA; Henry, IA; Iowa, IA; Jackson, IA; Jefferson, IA; Johnson, IA; Jones, IA; Keokuk, IA; Lee, IA; Linn, IA; Louisa, IA; Muscatine, IA; Scott, IA; Van Buren, IA; Washington, IA; Bureau, IL; Carroll, IL; Hancock, IL; Henderson, IL; Henry, IL; Jo Daviess, IL; McDonough, IL; Mercer, IL; Putnam, IL; Rock Island, IL; Stephenson, IL; Warren, IL; Whiteside, IL; Clark, MO; Scotland, MO

DESCRIPTION: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 89 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS IN ILLINOIS THIS WATCH INCLUDES 13 COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS BUREAU PUTNAM IN NORTHWEST ILLINOIS CARROLL HENRY IL JO DAVIESS MERCER ROCK ISLAND STEPHENSON WHITESIDE IN WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS HANCOCK HENDERSON MCDONOUGH WARREN IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 21 COUNTIES IN EAST CENTRAL IOWA BENTON CEDAR CLINTON IOWA JACKSON JOHNSON JONES LINN MUSCATINE SCOTT IN NORTHEAST IOWA BUCHANAN DELAWARE DUBUQUE IN SOUTHEAST IOWA DES MOINES HENRY IA JEFFERSON KEOKUK LEE LOUISA VAN BUREN WASHINGTON IN MISSOURI THIS WATCH INCLUDES 2 COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST MISSOURI CLARK SCOTLAND THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ALEDO, ANAMOSA, BETTENDORF, BURLINGTON, CARTHAGE, CEDAR RAPIDS, CLINTON, CREDIT ISLAND, DAVENPORT, DUBUQUE, FAIRFIELD, FREEPORT, GALENA, GENESEO, HENNEPIN, INDEPENDENCE, IOWA CITY, KAHOKA, KEOKUK, KEOSAUQUA, MACOMB, MANCHESTER, MAQUOKETA, MARENGO, MEMPHIS, MOLINE, MONMOUTH, MOUNT CARROLL, MOUNT PLEASANT, MUSCATINE, OQUAWKA, PRINCETON, ROCK ISLAND, SIGOURNEY, STERLING, TIPTON, VINTON, WAPELLO, AND WASHINGTON.

INSTRUCTION: N/A

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Weather Topic: What is Sleet?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Sleet

Sleet Next Topic: Snow

Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary components. These ice pellets are smaller and more translucent than hailstones, and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific atmospheric conditions and therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.

The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be wedged in between two sub-freezing bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next sub-freezing body of air it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is freezing rain.

Next Topic: Snow

Weather Topic: What are Stratocumulus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Stratocumulus Clouds

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds

Stratocumulus clouds are similar to altocumulus clouds in their fluffy appearance, but have a slightly darker shade due to their additional mass.

A good way to distinguish the two cloud types is to hold your hand out and measure the size of an individual cloud; if it is the size of your thumb it is generally an altocumulus cloud, if it is the size of your hand it is generally a stratocumulus cloud.

It is uncommon for stratocumulus clouds to produce precipitation, but if they do it is usually a light rain or snow.

Next Topic: Stratus Clouds