Weather Alerts For Okoboji, IA

# HEADLINE -------------------- FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT FRIDAY # DETAILS -------------------- WHAT Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. WHERE Portions of northwest and west central Iowa, including the following areas, in northwest Iowa, Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Plymouth and Sioux. In west central Iowa, Ida and Woodbury. WHEN Until 7 AM CDT Friday. IMPACTS Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. ADDITIONAL DETAILS - Rainfall of 1 to 3 inches with isolated amounts exceeding 4 inches are expected. Some creeks and smaller rivers may rise to flood stage by this weekend. - Stay up to date with the latest river observations and forecasts at: water.noaa.gov ISSUED AT Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 11:43 PM CDT ISSUED BY National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD HEADER URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED | Flood Watch # AREAS AFFECTED -------------------- Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Ida, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Plymouth, Sioux, Woodbury Including the cities of Ida Grove, Sheldon, Le Mars, Inwood, Hartley, Milford, Rock Valley, Battle Creek, Arnolds Park, Rock Rapids, George, Cherokee, Sibley, Spencer, Hawarden, Storm Lake, Hull, Sioux City, Sanborn, Larchwood, Orange City, Spirit Lake, Sioux Center, and Holstein

Closest strike: 2.58 miles Stay Alert! Remain in a safe area until there has been no lightning within 10 miles of this location for 30 minutes. Please be aware that lightning activity can remain high even when a storm is moving away from your location. Even if rain has stopped, do not leave your safe area until WeatherBug indicates that lightning is more than 10 miles away from this selected location. IF OUTDOORS Avoid water, high ground, and open spaces. Avoid all metal objects including electric wires, fences, and machinery. Find a safe area in a building or in a fully enclosed vehicle with the windows completely shut. Unsafe places include underneath canopies, small picnic or rain shelters, convertibles, or near trees. IF INDOORS Avoid water and stay away from doors and windows. Avoid using a hard line telephone. Take off headphones. Turn off, unplug, and stay away from appliances, computers, power tools, and TV sets. Lightning may strike exterior electric and phone lines, inducing shocks to inside equipment.

There is a Enhanced Severe Storm Risk for your location. Continue reading for today's outlook from the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center. -------------------- National Severe Storm Outlook THERE IS AN ENHANCED RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS FAR EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA INTO FAR SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND EXTREME NORTHWEST IOWA THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS TO THE GREAT LAKES AND WESTERN KANSAS SUMMARY Scattered severe storms are still possible from the northern Plains into the Midwest and Great Lakes regions this evening. More isolated severe storms will be possible across the Central High Plains. High Plains into the Midwest Several clusters of thunderstorms are ongoing across portions of the Dakotas into northern Iowa and southern Wisconsin/northern Illinois. Across the western Dakotas, clusters of multi-cell and supercells are ongoing. Given moderate instability and some supercellular modes, large hail to very large hail and damaging wind will continue to be a threat through the evening. Additional thunderstorms may move out of Montana and or southern Canada through the evening with additional chances for large hail and damaging wind. A cluster across southeastern South Dakota moving into Minnesota/Iowa has a history of producing significant gusts 90-100 mph. More recent observations have been around 60-70 mph. It is likely that the damaging wind potential will continue downstream for the next couple of hours, with potential for additional development along the trailing outflow into northern Nebraska later this evening. The 00z sounding from OAX sampled a large cape profile with steep low to mid-level lapse rates.Confidence in exact evolution remains low but some CAM guidance does suggest a secondary MCS structure may move eastward later this evening across northern Iowa. Given the large MLCAPE gradient extending across southern South Dakota into northern Iowa and a continued reservoir of steep low to mid-level lapse rates, this may pose additional potential for damaging wind through the evening. Central High Plains A few isolated supercells are ongoing across portions of eastern Colorado, southern Nebraska, and western Kansas. These have had occasional stronger MESH cores around 2 inches. The 00z sounding from DDC sampled strong instability and steep low to mid-level lapse rates amid large dew point depressions within the near surface profile. Given strong deep layer shear, inverted v soundings, and moderate to strong instability, these supercells will continue to pose a risk for large to very large hail and severe wind. Northeast A line of thunderstorms is sagging southward out of Quebec. These may pose some potential for a few instances of strong to severe wind through the evening. See MCD#1455 for more information.