Severe Storm Warnings for Waterloo, Cedar Rapids Monday Evening

It's no secret the weather has been a bit strange this year in Iowa.

Considering it was 70 degrees at one point in March, it's been relatively cold in the 40s and 50s along with dreary, gray days, and we've had a huge jump into the 80s this week, it'd be tough to say the news of the incoming storm is a surprise, at all.

Oh, it's also been one of the windiest springs in the Hawkeye State on record. We're on pace to have more tornadoes than the yearly average before summer officially starts.

According to Iowa News Now, we'll avoid the impending storms this afternoon, but eastern Iowa will be hit with hail, wind, and possibly heavy rain this Monday evening.

The news station continues: "If storms develop any earlier, the tornado risk would be increased. With the later storms, damaging winds and hail will be most likely. Even with storms moving through after sunset, there will be an immense amount of energy and instability in the atmosphere."

Given the fact that a tornado is unlikely, we won't delve into that too much. Here's what you need to do to prepare for a hail storm, according to State Farm Insurance:

• Bring pets inside. Protect pets from hail by bringing them inside or in some type of protected shelter.

• Shelter vehicles. When possible, move vehicles into the garage or some other place where it will be sheltered.

• Shelter outdoor items. When possible, bring outdoor furniture, potted plants or anything that can be damaged inside.

• Be prepared for electrical outages. A hailstorm can disrupt electrical service and is often accompanied by other severe weather events, such as hurricanes and tornadoes. Some people choose to have a backup plan by having a generator to provide temporary power during outages.

• Listen to weather alerts. Abide by all weather watch alerts. A severe thunderstorm watch means that a storm poses an immediate threat to the people and property in its path. This warning may be accompanied by a siren or other community alert system. Many people choose to have a battery-powered radio or a hand-crank NOAA weather radio for updates.

So, put your car in the garage, get the pee pad down for fido, and stay inside. We may be in for a bit of a bumpy ride.