CEDAR RAPIDS, IA — A cluster of severe thunderstorms is tracking eastward across Iowa on Tuesday night, prompting warnings for communities near Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, though forecasters say the storms are expected to weaken significantly before reaching the Illinois border. Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms will remain a common feature across northern Illinois overnight, though no severe weather is expected on that side of the border.
Severe Storms Currently Active Across Eastern Iowa
Radar data shows an area of severe thunderstorms currently impacting Cedar Rapids and extending southward toward Ottumwa, with a warning polygon outlining the area under the greatest threat as the cells continue their eastward motion. The storms are producing the kind of intense radar signature typically associated with locally heavy rainfall and the potential for gusty winds within the warned area.
Farther north, additional showers and storms are visible on radar stretching from Waterloo toward Dubuque, contributing to an active weather pattern across a wide swath of eastern Iowa during the Tuesday evening and overnight hours.
Storms Expected to Weaken Before Reaching Illinois
Despite the current severity of the storms over Iowa, forecasters were clear that the cells are expected to lose intensity as they continue tracking eastward, meaning communities in Illinois should not expect the same severe weather threat currently affecting Cedar Rapids and surrounding areas. This weakening trend is common for evening thunderstorm clusters that lose access to daytime heating and instability as they move across state lines overnight.
The transition from severe to non-severe intensity is expected to occur somewhere over the Mississippi River corridor, with cities including Dubuque, Clinton, and Davenport likely to see the storms in a diminished state compared to their current strength farther west.
Northern Illinois Sees Common but Non-Severe Activity
Across northern Illinois, including areas near Rockford and extending toward Chicago’s western suburbs, showers and thunderstorms are expected to remain a common feature of the overnight forecast, though forecasters emphasized that no severe weather is anticipated for that region. This represents a more typical overnight rain pattern rather than the more intense activity currently unfolding across parts of eastern Iowa…