Iowa Skywarn Network

17/06/2026

Live cams are sure nice to watch the weather safely! check out this lightning in Kansas!

20/05/2026

Iowa Skywarn family,

I want to put something on your radar today. A spotter and Android developer named Dustin Garner has spent months building a severe weather app for the spotter community, and I think it's worth a serious look from anyone who runs with SN.

It's called Spotter Tools Pro. Here's why I'm sharing it:

📡 SPOTTER NETWORK REPORTING DONE RIGHT

✅ File reports straight from the field. Tornado, Funnel, Rotating Wall Cloud, Hail, Measured Wind, Flood, Flash Flood, Damage
✅ Built on the official SN report API. Exact fields SN expects, including hail size selector, wind speed + measurement method, required narratives, GPS auto-attached, and optional photos
✅ Reports auto-publish to NWS Chat + Twitter
✅ Built-in SN reporting guidelines, one tap away
✅ Validation that mirrors SN's rules. No

16/04/2026

Monticello, IA 04/15/26
Credit: Jasiah Jay Masterson
Sorry guys it's only letting me do 3 at time lol

16/04/2026

⚠️⚠️READ⚠️⚠️

Outdoor Warning Sirens — What They Mean & When They're Used

Following the recent storms, we’ve received several questions about our outdoor warning sirens and how they operate. We’d like to take a moment to help clarify how and when these sirens are used.

Outdoor warning sirens are designed to alert people who are OUTDOORS to seek shelter and get more information. They are not intended to be heard indoors or used as your primary warning system.

Sirens may be activated for:
- Tornado Warnings issued for our area
- Confirmed funnel clouds or tornado sightings by storm spotters
- Destructive severe thunderstorms with damaging winds (suspected 70+ mph)
-Other life-threatening emergencies when immediate outdoor notification is needed
-Our current siren system operates on a 3 minute timer per activation, no "All Clear" signal is transmitted.

Siren locations:
-Falcon Civic Center
-Buchanan County Health Center
-Fareway
-17th Ave & 3rd Street NW

What should you do if you hear the sirens?
When sirens sound:
➡️ Go indoors immediately
➡️ Seek shelter in a basement or interior room away from windows
➡️ Turn on local media or check a trusted weather app for updates

📱 Important Reminder:
Outdoor warning sirens are just one layer of notification. We strongly encourage residents to have multiple ways to receive alerts, including:
- Working NOAA Weather Radio
- Weather apps with notifications enabled
- Local media outlets
- Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on your phone

We hope this helps answer any questions regarding severe weather as we begin the storm season of 2026, we'd also like to take this time to share with you the opportunity to sign up for Custom City Alerts through the City website. More information can be found at https://www.independenceia.gov/portal?portalpage=notifications?tab=alerts

16/04/2026

Monticello, IA
Credit: Jasiah Jay Masterson

16/04/2026

Monticello, IA 04/15/26
Credit: Jasiah Jay Masterson

14/04/2026

Andrew Anderson captured this incredible photo of the tornado north of Webb, this evening.

14/04/2026

There were at least 14 reported tornadoes on Monday in parts of the Midwest.

14/04/2026

Very large hail (2+”) and tornadoes, some that could become long-tracked, are the main threats this afternoon as significant storms are expected. The most likely area for this significant severe threat is along the Highway 20 and 30 corridors, but isolated very large hail and a few tornadoes are possible as far south as Interstate 80. Have multiple ways to receive warnings today, and have a plan for seeking shelter!