Weather

Power outages in the Quad City area

Sunday, May 19th, 2013, 8:57pm

According to MidAmerican Energy, thousands were without power before 9 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, 2013. By 10:10 p.m. many homes had power restored.

On the Illinois side of the river, about 700 in Coal Valley, less than 300 in Henry County, almost 100 in Moline, and about 250 people in Rock Island County are without power.

On the Iowa side, power outages in Davenport are down to about 45 from 1800 earlier in the evening.

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News 8 viewers storm-spotting

Submitted by WQAD Web Staff

Sunday, May 19th, 2013, 6:00pm

A whirl of severe weather moved generally north along the Mississippi River on Sunday, May 19, 2013. News 8 viewers kept us posted with what was going on outside their windows.

Photo Gallery Expand 1 of 33

A picture of storm clouds rolling in over Moline, Thursday May 19th, 2013 at 5:30pm.

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Tornado watch issued for Quad City area counties

Submitted by WQAD Web Staff

Sunday, May 19th, 2013, 3:54pm

Updated on May 19 at 5:09 p.m.- A News 8 viewer in Burlington, Iowa reported a thunderstorm and dime-sized hail that started around 5 p.m.

Original story published at 3:55 p.m. on May 19, 2013- According to StormTrack 8, a tornado watch has been issued for some Quad City area counties.

Illinois: Hancock, Henderson, Mercer, Rock Island.

Iowa: Cedar, Clinton, Des Moines, Henry, Jackson, Iowa, Jefferson, Johnson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott, Van Buren, Washington,

The watch is in effect until 10 p.m. Sunday, May 20.

StormTrack 8 also is forecasting a potential for showers and thunderstorms later in the day that have the potential to bring strong winds and hail.

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Rain, cold won’t postpone start of farmer’s market season

Submitted by WQAD Web Staff

Friday, May 3rd, 2013, 9:18pm

Saturday marks the return of the outdoor Freight House Farmer’s Market in Davenport, despite unseasonable weather.

At Allens Grove Greenhouse in Donahue, Iowa, that means Doug Coobs spent his Friday night loading up the truck with flowers and hanging baskets.

“It’s kind of our Friday night activity, to get ready for market. Every Friday, for the next six months,” said Coobs.

Rain or shine, Coobs will in Davenport Saturday morning selling his plants. Open year-round inside the Freight House, the popular market expands outdoors each May.

“There’s always some customers that come through, so they deserve to have some vendors there as well. It isn’t always real pleasant; it’ll be wet and cold tomorrow,” Coobs said.

Freight House Farmer’s Market coordinator Dianna Blake said the weather won’t stop local farmers, craft vendors, and customers from coming out.

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Can Farm Animals Predict the Weather?

Submitted by WQAD Web Staff

Monday, April 29th, 2013, 4:08pm

One local veterinarian believes that some farm animals can feel changes in the air pressure before humans can. That can sometimes help out farmers if rain or snow is on the way.

Scott County farmer Rob Ewoldt says his cows will usually give birth to about four calves a day during the spring, but every time a low pressure system comes in, he says about eight of his cows will give birth. Rob believes more of his cows give birth on a day that it’s supposed to rain or snow.

“It’s magic,” Rob said when asked why his cows do that. “That’s what I tell my kids when I don’t know the answer to something. It’s magic.”

Robs wife and veterinarian Jennifer Ewoldt says that farm animals can often hear higher pitched sounds than humans can. The National Lab reports that people can hear sound up to 20,000 hertz, but cattle can hear up to 40,000 hertz.

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Receding flood waters fuel cautious optimism

Submitted by WQAD Web Staff

Thursday, April 25th, 2013, 11:11am

People in and around the Quad Cities are beginning to clean up after flooding water-logged homes and businesses and closed some streets.

Davenport city officials said the length of River Drive that remained closed shrank again Thursday, April 25. River Drive remained closed between Division Street and Third Street in Davenport. River Drive reopened earlier in the week in Bettendorf.

Route 150 reopened after it was closed for four days along the east side of the Quad City International Airport property.

Get more photos, video and updates on area flooding – click here.

Flood warnings remained in effect for several locations along the Rock, Mississippi and Wapsipinicon rivers.

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Updated: Flood waters begin to recede

Submitted by WQAD Web Staff

Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013, 10:00am

River levels were beginning to fall in some locations but some roads, public areas and homes remained under water as flood warnings continued.

Flood warnings remain in effect across the Quad Cities and surrounding areas as of Tuesday:

Mississippi River:

At Keithsburg – Flood stage is 14 feet and the river was at 20.1 feet and falling at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. The river was forecast to fall to 19.1 feet Wednesday morning.

At Gladstone Lock & Dam 18 – Flood stage is 10 feet and the river was at 17.7 feet and falling at 4 a.m. Tuesday. The river was forecast to fall to 17 feet by Wednesday morning.

At Burlington – Flood stage is 15 feet and the river was at 22 feet and falling at 4 a.m. Tuesday. The river level was expected to fall to 21.2 feet by Wednesday morning.

At Muscatine – Flood stage is 16 feet and the river was at 21.3 and falling at 4:15 a.m. Tuesday. The river was forecast to begin to fall Tuesday.

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