The tornado warning and severe thunderstorm warning for our area has expired. Continue to stay weather aware.

Hawk Alert: NWS has extended a tornado warning for Johnson County until 7:45am. Seek immediate shelter. See emergency.uiowa.edu for further information. 

Hawk Alert: NWS has issued a severe T-Storm warning for Johnson County extended until 7:45am. Storm includes 70mph wind. Seek shelter. More: emergency.uiowa.edu

Please take this warning seriously - tornadoes have been reported on the ground in Johnson County. Take shelter immediately.

The following actions are recommended by the NWS:

Inside: Go to the basement or a safe room and assume a tornado safety position. If you don't have either, proceed to the lowest innermost room away from windows. Do not go to large open rooms such as cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums.

Outside: Seek shelter inside a sturdy building immediately.

In a vehicle: Being in a vehicle during a tornado is not safe. The best course of action is to drive to the closest shelter. If you are unable to make it to a safe shelter, either get down in your car and cover your head, or abandon your car and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch or ravine.

Stay weather-ready: Continue to monitor local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay updated about watches and warnings.

Keep in mind:

The outdoor warning (siren) system is designed to notify those who are outdoors of the emergency condition. When indoors, the best way to receive severe weather notifications is through a NOAA weather radio.

Be mindful of persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, or of those who may not be aware of emergency notifications because they are sleeping, watching TV, or listening to music.

If you know of others in the building, please inform them of emergency conditions as you make your way to safety. If you can do so safely, help those who may need assistance to a safe area.

Hawk Alert: NWS has issued a tornado warning for Johnson County until 7:15am. Seek immediate shelter. See emergency.uiowa.edu for further information.

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions 

Remain alert for a possible tornado. Tornadoes can develop quickly
from severe thunderstorms.

If you spot a tornado go at once into the
basement or small central room in a sturdy structure.

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
sturdy building.

Take shelter on the lowest level of your building, in the inner most room or portion of your building.

Move to an interior hallway or room and assume a safe position low to the ground.

Stay away from windows, above grade exterior walls, and areas with broad-spanned roofs.

Monitor emergency notifications, local media reports, NOAA weather radio, etc.

If you are outside and shelter is not available/there is no time to get indoors, lie in a ditch or low-lying area and protect your head with your arms.

The National Weather Service in the Quad Cities has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Keokuk County in southeastern Iowa...
Western Johnson County in east central Iowa...
Washington County in southeastern Iowa...
Jefferson County in southeastern Iowa...
Iowa County in east central Iowa...

* Until 645 AM CDT.

* At 605 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from Holiday Lake to Sigourney to near Blakesburg, moving
east at 55 mph.

HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect considerable tree damage. Damage is likely to
mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings.

* Locations impacted include...
Iowa City, Fairfield, Washington, Marengo, Sigourney, Coralville,
North Liberty, Williamsburg, Kalona, Tiffin, Wellman, University
Heights, North English, Riverside, Victor, Swisher, Oxford,
Hedrick, Hills, and Brighton.

This includes the following highways...
Interstate 80 in Iowa between mile markers 205 and 242.
Interstate 380 between mile markers 1 and 11.