DES MOINES, Iowa - Central Iowans took cover as storms moved through the Des Moines metro area Thursday afternoon and evening.
Tornado warning sirens sounded in Polk and neighboring counties as radar indicated rotation. Heavy rain and hail made visibility low, but many of the storm cells were small and blew through quickly, with a quiet lull before the next storm cell moved in.
WHO Radio provided wall-to-wall weather coverage beginning just after 5:00 p.m. and listeners texted and called in reports on the weather in their location, giving a better picture of how the storms were impacting the metro area. Some were still dry while a few miles away others were seeing hail and drenching rain.
A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud near Dallas Center-Grimes High School just after 5:40 p.m.
Andrew Batt, reporter for Iowa Public TV Tweeted photos of shoppers at Costco taking cover inside the meat locker (below).
WHO TV Meteorologist Ed Wilson broadcast live on Channel 13 as a tornado touchdown was confirmed.
Ed tracked the storms on radar as they approached Marshalltown and Pella, urging people to take shelter.