This is the first full week of spring, which can be a turbulent season of tornadoes, floods, severe thunderstorms, hail and other horrors. As part of Severe Weather Awareness Week, Iowans are reminded about the importance of keeping an eye on the weather and an ear to the radio. Today’s focus is on severe thunderstorms.Brad Small, the senior forecaster at the National Weather Service office in metro Des Moines says severe thunderstorms contain strong winds and hail and can cause quite a bit of damage.Small says straight-line winds can be just as damaging as a tornado.During the rest of the week, the weather service will focus on flooding (Tuesday), tornadoes (Wednesday), heat (Thursday), and weather hazard awareness (Friday).