Several states in America's Midwest are expected to get pounded by dangerous thunderstorms on Tuesday, with forecasters warning of hurricane force winds, hail as large as baseballs and intense tornadoes.
Much of Iowa — including Des Moines and Cedar Rapids — and parts of northwestern Illinois, northern Missouri, southwestern Wisconsin and southeastern Minnesota are at moderate risk of severe weather, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center.
A severe thunderstorm watch was issued for portions of central and southern Iowa through 1 p.m. Central time, and the potential for strong tornadoes across the region was forecast for the afternoon and early evening.
The threat of severe weather, including drenching rains and heavy winds, will continue into Wednesday morning, the Storm Prediction Center said.
On Sunday, there were 13 tornado reports from Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado, forcing schools in several hard-hit communities to cancel classes Monday for cleanup efforts, the Associated Press reported.
Last week, storms around Houston killed at least seven people and brought much of the city to a standstill as trees were uprooted, skyscraper windows were shattered and some buildings were completely destroyed, AP said.
