Many Memorial Day ceremonies in Iowa are being moved indoors or canceled due to the wet weather. Heavy rains this weekend have led to flash flooding in sections of central and eastern Iowa.

Kurt Kotenberg is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “The heaviest rain has been in Jasper and Marshall Counties. I know (on Sunday) there were reports of flooded basements in Grinnell because the sewers were backed up. There are reports of highway closures as well,” Kotenberg says. “So, it’s not looking too good out there across the state of Iowa and unfortunately, more rain is in the forecast.”

In fact, scattered showers are forecast every day this week. Kotenberg says that’ll obviously create problems because many rivers and streams are already spilling out of their banks. “So, flash flooding and flooding is a primary threat. The secondary threat is going to be severe weather,” Kotenberg says.

“We have a chance for severe thunderstorms…everywhere from Fort Dodge to Des Moines to Ottumwa and to the south and west this afternoon. Tomorrow afternoon, it looks like pretty much the whole state is under a slight risk of severe weather. And then Wednesday afternoon, everywhere west of Interstate-35 is under severe weather.” Although tornadoes are possible with the severe weather, Kotenberg says the bigger threat involves lightning, hail, and high winds.