Story County Emergency Management

05/28/2026

We have started to see regular temperatures in the 80's as summer arrives. Make sure you are not leaving kids or pets in the car. Check the back seat and leave your pets at home as the summer temperatures take hold.

A quick errand in 90 degree weather — or even ONE minute alone — could be deadly for kids left behind in a car.

Once You Park, Stop. Look. Lock.

05/25/2026

Overnight Closure of Southbound I-35 from U.S. 30 to 126th Avenue for Overhead Bridge work at 158th Avenue Begins May 27

HUXLEY, Iowa – May 22, 2026 – If you drive south on Interstate 35 between Ames and Ankeny, you need to be aware of an overnight closure for southbound traffic from the U.S. 30 interchange (Exit 111) to the 126th Avenue interchange (Exit 96), according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Marshalltown construction office.

Southbound I-35 will be closed at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, until 5 a.m., Thursday, May 28, weather permitting.
When the interstate is closed you will follow a marked detour route:
1. Exit southbound I-35 at U.S. 30 (Exit 111).
2. Travel west on U.S. 30 to U.S. 69.
3. Travel south on U.S. 69 to 126th Avenue
4. Travel east on 126th Avenue to return to southbound I-35 (Exit 96).

05/19/2026

Story Co Alert:

SVRDMX

The National Weather Service in Des Moines has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Northeastern Polk County in central Iowa...
Southeastern Story County in central Iowa...
Marshall County in central Iowa...
Northwestern Jasper County in central Iowa...

* Until 900 PM CDT.

* At 808 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Valeria, or
10 miles northeast of Altoona, moving northeast at 45 mph.

HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.

* Locations impacted include...
Marshalltown, State Center, Baxter, Maxwell, Melbourne, Gilman,
Albion, Collins, Rhodes, Mingo, Laurel, Haverhill, and Ferguson.

This includes Interstate 80 between mile markers 157 and 159.

05/18/2026

Please see the Monday Afternoon briefing from the NWS. No change in risk from this morning. They have refined the timing a little more. Stay weather aware tonight.

05/18/2026

ANKENY, Iowa – May 18, 2026 – If you travel north on Interstate 35 between Ankeny and Huxley, you need to be aware of an overnight closure for northbound traffic between Northeast 36th Street (Exit 94) and Iowa 210 (Exit 102), according to the Iowa Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Marshalltown construction office.

Northbound I-35 will be closed at 9 p.m. Thursday, May 21 until 5 a.m. Friday, May 22, weather permitting.

When the interstate is closed you will follow a marked detour route:

Exit northbound I-35 at Northeast 36th Street (Exit 94).
Travel west on Northeast 36th Street to U.S. 69.
Travel north on U.S. 69 to Iowa 210.
Travel east on Iowa 210 to return to northbound I-35 (Exit 102).

Overnight Closure of Northbound I-35 from Northeast 36th Street to Iowa 210 for Barrier Removal Begins on May 21

05/18/2026

It is EMS Week so we are taking a moment to say Thank You to all of the volunteers and hospital based EMS workers in Story County. You dedication and compassion does not go unnoticed.

05/18/2026

Anyone else feel like it's ground hog day? Monday evening will hopefully bring us the last chance of severe weather for a while. Stay weather aware this evening as storms move across the state.

05/18/2026

Story Co Alert:

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH 218 IN
EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM CDT MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 35 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL IOWA

BOONE DALLAS GRUNDY
HAMILTON HARDIN JASPER
MARSHALL POLK POWESHIEK
STORY TAMA WEBSTER

IN NORTHEAST IOWA

BLACK HAWK

IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA

CLARKE DECATUR LUCAS
MADISON MAHASKA MARION
MONROE RINGGOLD UNION
WARREN WAYNE

IN SOUTHWEST IOWA

ADAIR ADAMS CASS
TAYLOR

IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA

AUDUBON CALHOUN CARROLL
CRAWFORD GREENE GUTHRIE
SAC

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ACKLEY, ADAIR, ADEL, ALBIA, ALLERTON,
AMES, ATLANTIC, AUDUBON, BAYARD, BEDFORD, BOONE, CARLISLE,
CARROLL, CASEY, CEDAR FALLS, CHARITON, CONRAD, CORNING, CORYDON,
CRESTON, DENISON, DES MOINES, D**E, DYSART, EARLHAM, EARLY,
ELDORA, EXIRA, FONTANELLE, FORT DODGE, GLADBROOK, GREENFIELD,
GRINNELL, GRUNDY CENTER, GUTHRIE CENTER, HUMESTON, INDIANOLA,
IOWA FALLS, JEFFERSON, KNOXVILLE, LAKE CITY, LAKE VIEW, LAMONI,
LENOX, LEON, MANSON, MARSHALLTOWN, MOUNT AYR, NEW MARKET, NEWTON,
NORWALK, ODEBOLT, OSCEOLA, OSKALOOSA, PANORA, PELLA, PERRY,
POMEROY, REINBECK, ROCKWELL CITY, SAC CITY, SCHALLER, SEYMOUR,
STUART, TAMA, TOLEDO, TRAER, WALL LAKE, WATERLOO, WAUKEE,
WEBSTER CITY, WELLSBURG, AND WINTERSET.

* PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE...

A COUPLE TORNADOES POSSIBLE.
SCATTERED DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED SIGNIFICANT GUSTS TO 80
MPH LIKELY.
ISOLATED LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE.

PROBABILITY TABLE:
PROB OF 2 OR MORE TORNADOES : 40%
PROB OF 1 OR MORE STRONG /EF2-EF5/ TORNADOES : 20%
PROB OF 10 OR MORE SEVERE WIND EVENTS : 70%
PROB OF 1 OR MORE WIND EVENTS >= 75 MPH : 60%
PROB OF 10 OR MORE SEVERE HAIL EVENTS : 30%
PROB OF 1 OR MORE HAIL EVENTS >= 2 INCHES : 20%
PROB OF 6 OR MORE COMBINED SEVERE HAIL/WIND EVENTS : 90%
MEAN STORM MOTION /MPH/ : NE 45

05/17/2026

Sunday Afternoon briefing from the NWS.
The expectation remains for thunderstorms to arrive into west/northwest Iowa after 8pm this evening, with coverage increasing as the line of storms tracks east across Iowa late tonight into early Monday morning. The Enhanced Risk (3 out of 5) now covers roughly the northwest half of Iowa, where the highest potential for all modes of severe weather are possible, including damaging winds, large hail, a few tornadoes, and heavy rain. These hazards are still possible further east over the Slight Risk area (2 out of 5), with coverage more scattered. Please make sure to have multiple ways to receive warnings!