Severe Thunderstorm/Heavy Rainfall Threat Tonight.

Photo byIowa Storm Center

(IowaStormCenter.com) -- A strong pacific storm system will get underway later tonight with severe thunderstorms and heavy rain.

The first round of the one-two punch event is hitting across western Iowa this morning. Then the focus will be across southwest Iowa for severe thunderstorm development by this evening with threats for hail, damaging winds, heavy rainfall and a couple of isolated tornadoes.

The main tornado threat is centered from the Omaha/Council Bluffs forecast zone and points into far southwest Iowa where the dynamics peak around 6-8 PM this evening. This area of severe thunderstorms will move off to the east/northeast overnight where the threat will shift to primarily heavy rainfall.

We continue to narrow in on an area from southwest through south central Iowa and up to the I-80 corridor where training of storms along the frontal zone will be possible into Thursday morning leading to potential flash flooding.

This area will have a widespread 1-3" of rainfall into Thursday morning with 0.5-1.5" throughout the rest of the forecast area.

- Meteorologist Maurer -