Severe Weather Action Team Responds to Spring Storms in Southeast Iowa

KCII radio team provides live coverage as severe thunderstorms bring large hail and heavy rain

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The KCII Severe Weather action team took the air on Tuesday evening to provide live coverage as a series of severe thunderstorms moved through Southeast Iowa, issuing multiple severe thunderstorm warnings for portions of Washington, Johnson, Muscatine, Cedar, Henry, and Jefferson counties. Storm spotters reported tennis ball-sized hail at the Iowa City Municipal Airport, as well as ping pong ball-sized hail in rural Johnson County and baseball-sized hail in parts of Henry and Louisa counties. The storms also brought heavy rainfall, with the cities of Washington, Wayland, Columbus Junction, and Wapello each receiving around a quarter-inch of rain.

Why it matters

Severe weather events can pose significant risks to public safety, property, and infrastructure, making real-time coverage and reporting from local media outlets like KCII critical for keeping residents informed and prepared. The KCII Severe Weather Action Team's response demonstrates the station's commitment to providing comprehensive, up-to-the-minute severe weather coverage for its listeners.

The details

The KCII Severe Weather action team went on the air just before 7 p.m. on Tuesday evening to cover a pair of severe thunderstorm warnings issued for portions of several counties in Southeast Iowa. Storm spotters reported large hail, including tennis ball-sized hail at the Iowa City Municipal Airport, ping pong ball-sized hail in rural Johnson County, and baseball-sized hail in parts of Henry and Louisa counties. The storms also brought heavy rainfall, with several cities in the region receiving around a quarter-inch of rain before 8 p.m.

  • Just before 7 p.m., a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued until 7:45 p.m. for portions of Washington, Johnson, Muscatine and Cedar counties.
  • Minutes later, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for portions of Washington, Henry and Jefferson Counties until 8 p.m.

The players

KCII Severe Weather Action Team

The team of meteorologists and reporters who provide live, on-the-ground coverage of severe weather events for KCII radio.

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The takeaway

The KCII Severe Weather Action Team's rapid response and comprehensive coverage of the severe storms in Southeast Iowa underscores the critical role that local media outlets play in keeping communities informed and prepared for extreme weather events. Their commitment to providing up-to-the-minute updates, even in the event of power outages, demonstrates the station's dedication to public safety and service.