Fairgoers may be dodging heavy thunderstorms at the Iowa State Fair this weekend.
In Des Moines, the National Weather Service is predicting scattered thunderstorms off and on during the day, with heavy rain possible.
There’s a 50% chance of rain in the metro, mainly before 4 p.m. Saturday.
The area is also under a flood watch from 1 p.m. Saturday through Monday and the NWS warns repeated rain may lead to flooding concerns, especially in urban areas. High winds could also be a hazard.
The heaviest rain looks to set up overnight into Sunday morning with a 90% chance of rain, according to NWS. Sunday will likely see rain on and off throughout the day.
What happens at the Iowa State Fair in severe weather?
The fair will make an announcement on its public address system if the National Weather Service issues a severe weather warning impacting the fairgrounds, according to its website. The announcement will be repeated every two minutes until the severe weather warning has expired.
Fairgoers may get general fair alerts by texting ‘FAIR’ to 844-844-8508, and a timestamped list of updates is available online at IowaStateFair.org/about/weather-updates.
If lightning is detected within 8 miles of the fairgrounds by the NWS, Grandstand concerts, free stages and Thrill Parks must cease operations. These recommendations fall in line with the policies of University of Iowa and Iowa State University athletics as well as most youth sports, said Mindy Williamson, Iowa State Fair spokesperson.
Even when outdoor activities have to temporarily stop, indoor venues are still open, Williamson said. Those include the Cultural Center, the Agriculture Building (where the butter cow cooler can be found), the Varied Industries Building and the Iowa DNR Building, which was recently renovated.
Concessionaires are open rain or shine, Williamson said. “And a little rain gear won’t get in the way of trying new foods,” she said.
“We’re experiencing typical Iowa weather,” she said. “But Iowans are hearty. We can withstand a little rain.”
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What’s the weather like at the Iowa State Fair Saturday? Heavy thunderstorms possible
Reporting by Courtney Crowder and Kim Norvell, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
