(Southwest Iowa) A strong line of storms swept across southwest and southern Iowa Friday night, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and reports of hail.
The National Weather Service issued severe thunderstorm warnings for nearly every county south of Interstate 80 in southwest Iowa as the storms moved through the region.
Tornado warnings were also issued for portions of Mills County and southeastern Cass County after radar indicated storms capable of producing a tornado. No tornadoes were immediately confirmed.
The storms prompted multiple reports of severe weather, including large hail and damaging wind gusts, as they tracked east across the area.
A funnel cloud was reported at 9:48 p.m. approximately three miles west of Lorimor in Union County. The report was received later from a member of the public.
In Cass County, quarter-sized hail measuring 1.00 inch in diameter was reported at 11:00 p.m. four miles south of Massena, according to emergency management officials.
Ten minutes later, a mesonet site recorded a thunderstorm wind gust of 59 mph seven miles southeast of Griswold.
At 11:18 p.m., additional reports from south of Massena indicated ping pong ball-sized hail measuring 1.50 inches in diameter. Observers also reported power flashes in the area.
.
