Johnson County under tornado watch

The watch is scheduled to end at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

April 16, 2024

The Old Capitol Building is seen on March 31, 2023. Storms rolled through the area and a tornado caused damage in parts of Coralville.

Johnson County is under a tornado watch that started at 12:06 p.m. Tuesday and will last until 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. The watch covers a total of 21 counties in Iowa.

The watch also covers 12 counties in Illinois and two counties in Missouri. The National Weather Service released an alert Monday that severe weather is expected Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning.

According to the National Weather Service, the most severe weather is expected Tuesday night. The Storm Prediction Center has an Enhanced Risk for the area, listing golf ball-sized hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes as possibilities.

In Johnson County, the weather service predicts that wind gusts Tuesday night could reach up to 40 miles per hour.

Johnson County experienced severe weather last year in March 2023. Storms hit parts of Coralville, Solon, and Hills leaving 2,000 residents without power. Similarly to the expected weather Tuesday night, wind speeds reached up to 40 miles per hour in the March 2023 storms.

About the Contributor

Jack Moore, News Editor

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Jack Moore is a second-year student at the University of Iowa majoring in Journalism and Mass Communication. He is from Cedar Rapids Iowa. Along with working at The Daily Iowan, Jack works for the University of Iowa's UI-REACH program as a Resident Assistant. UI-REACH is a program for students with learning, cognitive, and behavioral disabilities intended to provide support to these students throughout their college experience. Additionally, Jack is involved in Iowa City's live music scene as he plays bass for local Iowa City band "Two Canes."