{"url_path":"/weather/alerts/2.49.0.1.840.0.0daf29ae0ff47a3bace29ca55780caf592f432da.001.1","section_key":"alert","section_title":"Tornado Watch issued May 18 at 3:49PM CDT until May 18 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA","topic":"weather","document":{"doc_type":"alert","doc_date":"2026-05-18","source_url":"https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn%3Aoid%3A2.49.0.1.840.0.0daf29ae0ff47a3bace29ca55780caf592f432da.001.1","accession_number":null,"cik":null,"ticker":null,"issuer_name":null,"edgar_url":null,"primary_entity_key":null,"primary_entity_name":"NWS Des Moines IA"},"word_count":235,"has_tables":false,"body_markdown":"# Tornado Watch: Tornado Watch issued May 18 at 3:49PM CDT until May 18 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA\n\n**Severity:** Extreme\n**Certainty:** Possible\n**Urgency:** Future\n**Areas:** Adair, IA; Adams, IA; Cass, IA; Clarke, IA; Decatur, IA; Ringgold, IA; Taylor, IA; Union, IA\n**Issued by:** NWS Des Moines IA\n**Sent:** 2026-05-18T15:49:00-05:00\n**Effective:** 2026-05-18T15:49:00-05:00\n**Expires:** 2026-05-18T22:00:00-05:00\n\n## Description\nTHE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 225 IN\nEFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS\n\nIN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 8 COUNTIES\n\nIN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA\n\nCLARKE                DECATUR               RINGGOLD\nUNION\n\nIN SOUTHWEST IOWA\n\nADAIR                 ADAMS                 CASS\nTAYLOR\n\nTHIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ADAIR, ATLANTIC, BEDFORD, CORNING,\nCRESTON, FONTANELLE, GREENFIELD, LAMONI, LENOX, LEON, MOUNT AYR,\nNEW MARKET, OSCEOLA, AND STUART.\n\n* PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE...\n\nA FEW TORNADOES AND A COUPLE INTENSE TORNADOES LIKELY.\nWIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED SIGNIFICANT GUSTS TO 80\nMPH LIKELY.\nSCATTERED LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED VERY LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 2\nINCHES IN DIAMETER LIKELY.\n\nPROBABILITY TABLE:\nPROB OF 2 OR MORE TORNADOES                        :  70%\nPROB OF 1 OR MORE STRONG /EF2-EF5/ TORNADOES       :  60%\nPROB OF 10 OR MORE SEVERE WIND EVENTS              :  80%\nPROB OF 1 OR MORE WIND EVENTS >= 75 MPH            :  70%\nPROB OF 10 OR MORE SEVERE HAIL EVENTS              :  60%\nPROB OF 1 OR MORE HAIL EVENTS >= 2 INCHES          :  60%\nPROB OF 6 OR MORE COMBINED SEVERE HAIL/WIND EVENTS : >95%\nMEAN STORM MOTION /MPH/                            :  E 40"}