8AM Update: Storms Could Get Strong in the Quad Cities Today

If today’s weather were a story, it would start calm… and then turn into a bit of a wild action scene by the afternoon.

Warm, sticky air is moving into the Quad Cities today, helping temperatures climb into the low 80s. That warm air is like fuel for storms, and later today, it’s going to help thunderstorms grow quickly.

Storms Coming In Two Rounds.

The first round may pop up this afternoon, especially near the Mississippi River. These storms could be a little scattered, but don’t let that fool you. They could bring large hail (think golf ball-sized ice) and even a few tornadoes.

Then comes round two.

As a cold front moves in, storms will line up and sweep across the area. This is when the biggest concern shifts to very strong winds, possibly over 70 mph. Strong enough to knock down trees and power lines. A quick tornado could still spin up during this time, too.

On top of that, heavy rain could fall fast, which may cause flash flooding in some spots.

The Good News?

This doesn’t last forever. Storms should move out later tonight, and by Saturday morning, things will calm down with much cooler air moving in. Highs will drop into the low 50s this weekend.

What You Should Do:

Keep an eye on the sky this afternoon and evening, and make sure you have a way to get weather alerts just in case warnings are issued.

Today may start nice, but it’s definitely a “stay weather-aware” kind of day