(DES MOINES, Iowa) LATEST:
3:22PM: THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TIL 9PM FOR THESE COUNTIES: BOONE, DALLAS, GRUNDY, HAMILTON, HARDIN, JASPER, MARSHALL, POLK, POWESHIEK, STORY, TAMA, WEBSTER, BLACK HAWK, AUDUBON, CALHOUN, CARROLL, GREENE, GUTHRIE, SAC.
The watch indicates the possibility of large hail up to 2 inches in diameter
The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for the counties in red in the above map, all south of Des Moines.
The watch indicates that a few tornadoes may be likely, with "widespread large hail" as much as 2.5 inches in diameter, along with wind gusts up to 70 miles per hour.
The Tornado Watch is in effect until 9pm tonight.
Saturday and Saturday night, the National Weather Service has a Winter Storm Watch for areas other than Des Moines in West Central and Northern Iowa. Blizzard conditions could hit the northwest part of the state Saturday night. The Winter Storm Watch is issued for Winnebago,Worth, Hancock, Cerro Gordo, Pocahontas, Humboldt, Wright, Calhoun, Webster, Crawford and Carroll counties from Saturday morning into Saturday night.