Severe storms, flooding blast through Midwest
Tornado sirens sounded during practice for the weekend's IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Friday afternoon as a Tornado Warning was issued for the area.
Tornado sirens wail in Iowa as severe storms erupt in the Midwest
Spectators at Iowa Speedway in Newton were told to seek shelter as severe weather approached the raceway.
IOWA CITY, Iowa – Severe thunderstorms and even a few reported tornadoes rolled across the Midwest, including Chicago and Milwaukee on Friday evening.
The FOX Forecast Center said the tornado threat was the greatest around the Quad Cities, but that did not prevent the Storm Prediction Center from issuing a Tornado Watch for the Chicagoland region.
Tornado sirens sounded during practice for the weekend's IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Friday afternoon as a Tornado Warning was issued for the area.
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Watch:Tornado sirens sound at Iowa Speedway as announcements remind people to seek shelter
Spectators of the INDYCAR race at Iowa Speedway were forced to take shelter during a tornado warning on Friday. A message over the speedway's speakers advises people take shelter.
TORNADO-WARNED STORM SENDS INDYCAR FANS RACING FOR COVER AT IOWA SPEEDWAY
Video from spectators showed ominous skies as an emergency announcement blared over the public address system, warning people to take shelter.
"Iowa Speedway may not provide adequate protection from extremely high winds, lightning, hail, or tornadoes. There is no basement or approved tornado shelter on property," the announcement said. "If no other safe option is available to you, as a last resort, the American Red Cross recommends getting into your vehicle, buckling your seat belt, and keeping your head below the windows."
Severe weather passes by Iowa Speedway in Newton, IA on July 11, 2025. (John Dmytryszyn / FOX Weather)
A wind gust reached 72 mph in Davenport, Iowa, while another gust was recorded at 85 mph in Cascade, Iowa.
Dubuque, Iowa had gusts reaching 65 mph with multiple reports of trees down there and just across the borders of Illinois and Wisconsin.
A strong gust knocked over a semi-truck along Interstate 380 north of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
And the rainfall was heavy enough around the Quad Cities for the National Weather Service to issue a Flash Flood Emergency for communities north of the Mississippi River.
FOX Weather Exclusive Storm Tracker Corey Gerken took video of street flooding in Davenport, Iowa, where several vehicles appeared to be stalled due to the high water.
On Saturday, the threat shifts into the Great Lakes region with a Level 2 out of 5 severe storm risk in place, as a smaller dip in the jet stream pushes east, the FOX Forecast Center notes. A cold front at the surface will slowly push east, with the parent low-pressure system sitting across Canada.
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Hot temperatures and high humidity will increase instability into the afternoon ahead of this front, allowing for severe storms to develop. Damaging winds and hail will once again be a threat with these storms into the afternoon and evening on Saturday.
In addition to the severe weather threat, a mounting flash flood risk will evolve as rounds of storms work in tandem with copious atmospheric moisture to produce high rain rates in thunderstorms forming in this very unstable environment.
The greatest risk for flooding is expected in a zone from Iowa and northern Missouri through northern Illinois, where a Level 2 out of 4 flood threat exists.