Area schools delayed as strong morning storms prompt small outages across Johnson County

Ryan Hansen, Julia Hansen and Jessica Rish, Iowa City Press-Citizen
The National Weather Service provided an update on morning storms in eastern Iowa.
The National Weather Service provided an update on morning storms in eastern Iowa.

Driving rain, 70 mph winds and hail greeted Johnson County residents early Friday morning, less than three days after a separate, destructive storm wreaked havoc in the western part of the state.

A tornado warning, issued shortly after 6:30 a.m., sounded alarms and prompted schools to delay classes due to a string of storms that had the potential to produce tornadoes.

The Iowa City Community School District, Iowa City Regina and Cleark Creek Amana each delayed school two hours Friday morning, according to KCRG.

The same was true for schools in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, which announced on its website that students would not be released early as is typical on Fridays.

As of 9 a.m., portions of Highway 1 in Iowa City were closed near the intersection with Governor Street. Traffic was being rerouted down Kimball Road.

9 a.m.: NWS says storms aren't yet done

The National Weather Service said rain will continue in Johnson County through at least 10 a.m. The storm system is moving at a 60 mph clip into western Illinois, with the potential to produce more tornadoes.

The National Weather Service also indicated that more severe storms are possible in the afternoon.

Tree damage is seen in the parking lot of the Coral Ridge Mall Friday, May 24 in Coralville. A string of strong storms swept through the area in the early morning hours.
Tree damage is seen in the parking lot of the Coral Ridge Mall Friday, May 24 in Coralville. A string of strong storms swept through the area in the early morning hours.

8:15 a.m. : Tornadoes spotted near Wellman, Lone Tree

The Quad Cities National Weather Service reports that a tornado touched down near Wellman in Washington County.

The tornado was first spotted on the ground around 6:30 a.m. east of Kinross. The twister was estimated around 50 yards wide and traveled roughly a mile and a half.

Local law enforcement also reported touch down at 6:35 a.m. in Wellman.

The National Weather Service also reported structural damage to businesses and homes and Lone Tree in Johnson County around 6:45 a.m. Initial reports, according to the NWS, suggest a tornado could have touched down.

Tree damage is seen in the parking lot of the Coral Ridge Mall Friday, May 24 in Coralville. A string of strong storms swept through the area in the early morning hours.
Tree damage is seen in the parking lot of the Coral Ridge Mall Friday, May 24 in Coralville. A string of strong storms swept through the area in the early morning hours.

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7:30 a.m.: Storms produce strong winds, loads of rain and thunder

Weather spotters observed tornadic activity near Kalona and Wellman, the NWS said. The alert also warned of possible hail.

Cities near the Des Moines metro experienced widespread power outages from overnight storms. As of 7:45 a.m. Friday, almost 25,000 MidAmerican Energy customers in central Iowa were without power.

The National Weather Service said they tracked a 70 mph wind guest around 7 a.m. near Highway 6 and 1st Avenue in Coralville that knocked down several tree branches.

A little more than 425 MidAmerican Energy customers and more than 1,000 Alliant Energy customers reported outages in Iowa City.

Tree damage is seen in the parking lot of the Coral Ridge Mall Friday, May 24 in Coralville. A string of strong storms swept through the area in the early morning hours.
Tree damage is seen in the parking lot of the Coral Ridge Mall Friday, May 24 in Coralville. A string of strong storms swept through the area in the early morning hours.

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During severe weather, what's the difference between a watch and a warning?

A watch means that conditions are favorable for severe weather, but not immediately occurring, according to the National Weather Service, which is responsible for issuing weather alerts.

A watch is used when the risk of hazardous weather has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location or timing is still uncertain. Its intended goal is to provide enough time for people to prepare and activate emergency plans, the weather service said.

Watches usually cover a large area where severe weather conditions could develop.

More: What's the difference between a severe weather watch and a warning?

A warning happens when conditions are already occurring or will be soon. Warnings typically encompass a much smaller area — cities, towns — that may be impacted.

A warning means weather conditions pose a threat to life or property. People in the storm path need to take protective action immediately.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Des Moines Register reporter Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez contributed to this article.

Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Severe weather, 70 mph winds disrupt morning commutes in Iowa City

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