Tornadoes Spotted in Southeast Iowa During Severe Weather Outbreak

Storms bring heavy rain, hail, and tornado warnings to the KCII listening area

Apr. 3, 2026 at 4:33am

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A vast, majestic landscape painting in the style of Caspar David Friedrich, with a dramatic, stormy sky dominating the scene. The composition uses deep atmospheric perspective and dramatic backlighting to capture the overwhelming, sublime scale of the tornado-spawning supercell thunderstorm, dwarfing any physical structures or objects caught within it.A powerful supercell thunderstorm looms over the rural Iowa landscape, a testament to the raw, awe-inspiring power of nature.West Branch Today

A severe weather outbreak on Thursday afternoon in southeast Iowa prompted multiple tornado warnings from the National Weather Service Quad Cities office. Trained spotters reported a funnel cloud with possible debris and touchdown northeast of West Chester, as well as confirmed tornadoes south of Kalona and near Hills Access in Johnson County. The storms also brought heavy rain, with some areas receiving over 2 inches, and golf ball-sized hail.

Why it matters

Severe weather events like this can cause significant damage to property and infrastructure, and pose a threat to public safety. The KCII Severe Weather Action Team provided live on-air coverage to keep listeners informed about the developing situation.

The details

The severe weather outbreak began with a rainy morning that gave way to an afternoon warmup. At 3:18 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for portions of Washington, Keokuk, and Jefferson counties, with radar showing rotation and up to 2-inch hail. The warning was reissued for the northwestern half of Washington and southern Johnson counties until 4:45 p.m., with spotters reporting a funnel cloud with possible debris and touchdown northeast of West Chester. The same storm later produced confirmed tornadoes south of Kalona and near Hills Access in Johnson County. The storms also brought heavy rain, with Ainsworth, Kalona, and Riverside receiving 2.25 inches, and Washington receiving 1.6 inches.

  • At 3:18 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for portions of Washington, Keokuk, and Jefferson counties.
  • The tornado warning was reissued for the northwestern half of Washington and southern Johnson counties until 4:45 p.m.
  • Spotters reported a funnel cloud with possible debris and touchdown northeast of West Chester at 4:18 p.m.
  • Confirmed tornadoes were reported south of Kalona and near Hills Access in Johnson County.
  • As of 6 p.m. on Thursday, Ainsworth, Kalona, and Riverside had received 2.25 inches of rain, and Washington had received 1.6 inches.

The players

National Weather Service Quad Cities office

The local office of the National Weather Service that issued the tornado warnings for the affected areas.

KCII Severe Weather Action Team

A team of weather spotters and reporters who provided live on-air coverage of the severe weather event.

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The takeaway

This severe weather outbreak highlights the importance of having a reliable source of information and emergency preparedness during extreme weather events. The KCII Severe Weather Action Team's live coverage and the National Weather Service's timely warnings helped keep the community informed and safe.