Second Highest Year for Tornadoes as of July 1

(Des Moines) Brad Small, Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Des Moines, says it has been a remarkable year for Tornadoes. Small tells KSOM/KS95 News that as of July 1, Iowa has up to 108 tornadoes for the calendar year, second only to 120 tornadoes to date, set in 2003. The average number of Tornadoes per year is 50.

Small says the National Weather Service area in Des Moines has issued 293 combined severe thunderstorm and Tornado warnings, ranking fifth overall. The annual record is 639, set in 2008.

Brad Small says there is a chance for showers and thunderstorms off and on through this weekend. The good news is that the severe weather probabilities appear to be low. He says the eight-to-14-day outlook is for above-normal temperatures and near-normal chances for rainfall.