Spring Break has arrived for a lot of people in our state. A number of them will begin traveling tomorrow! But, as Jason told us, there is the potential for severe weather. KCCI’s Kayla James spoke with county and airport officials about what this could mean if you are traveling out of the Des Moines metro area. <NAT: TRAFFIC> Whether on the roads — <NAT: AIRPORT AMBIENT SOUND> Or in the skies — Iowans across the state will be traveling — as Spring Break has arrived for many. <KEVIN FOLEY/Executive Director, Des Moines Airport Authority; 4290; 13:35:52-13:35:59> <“IT IS OUR HEAVIEST AUTOMOBILE PARKING DEMAND. WE HAVE A LOT OF INCREASED PASSENGERS AS WELL.”> Kevin Foley is the executive director of the Des Moines Airport Authority. With slightly longer than normal lines and families with young kids rolling their suitcases through the airport — He says Thursday was the official start of increased travel. <KEVIN 13:36:11-13:36:17> <“CHECK THE AIRPORT MAP. KNOW WHERE YOU INTEND TO PARK, BUT KNOW WHERE OTHER PARKING IS AVAILABLE.”> Foley says — it’s best if people come 90 minutes prior to your flight taking off — Especially this particular Friday: <KEVIN FOLEY/Executive Director, Des Moines Airport Authority; 4290; 13:41:19-13:41:29> <“WHEN WE EXPECT PROBABLY OUR HEAVIEST TRAFFIC FRIDAY: ALL THE SCHOOLS ARE LETTING OUT AND ALL THOSE STUDENTS THAT WILL BE COMING THROUGH AND FLYING OUT.”> But also coming this Friday afternoon into evening — Is the first potential severe weather risk of the year. <BRETT MCINTYRE/Program Assistant, Polk County Emergency Management; 4302; 15:03:57-15:04:05> <“WE JUST WANT FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THEY’RE AWARE OF THE FORECAST COMING THEY’RE GOING TO DO FOR THAT SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY PLAN.”> The Polk County Emergency Management team says — People should have their emergency alerts activated. And Polk County’s team says — People outside or on the road traveling in the county need to listen for the outdoor warning sirens. <BRETT MCINTYRE/Program Assistant, Polk County Emergency Management; 4302; 15:05:47-15:05:58> <“FOR POLK COUNTY, OUR SIRENS WILL GO OFF FOR TWO DIFFERENT THINGS RIGHT NOW. IT WOULD BE A TORNADO WARNING, THE SIRENS WOULD GO OFF OR A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING THAT HAS WINDS OF 70 MILES PER HOUR OR HIGHER.”> As for what impact people flying out can expect — Foley says he doesn’t anticipate much disruption. <KEVIN FOLEY/Executive Director, Des Moines Airport Authority; 4290; 13:39:00-13:39:13> <“TYPICALLY THOSE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM TYPES ARE RELATIVELY SHORT LIVED, BUT IT COULD DISRUPT THE FLIGHT SCHEDULE A LITTLE BIT…CAUSING A DELAY EITHER FOR AN ARRIVAL OR A DEPARTURE.
Polk County Emergency Management team, airport officials monitor Friday’s severe weather threat
Thunderstorms are expected to develop over far southwest and southern Iowa around 3-4 p.m. on Friday.
Updated: 10:24 PM CDT Mar 13, 2025
Whether on the roads or in the sky, Iowans across the state will begin traveling over the next few days as spring break has arrived. With it, however, comes a severe weather threat this Friday.KCCI Storm Team 8 meteorologists say wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph are possible during the afternoon hours. Thunderstorms are expected to develop over far southwest and southern Iowa around 3-4 p.m., and then race to the north and northeast through the late afternoon and evening hours.The storms should reach Des Moines and central Iowa between 4-6 p.m., then northern and eastern Iowa by 8 p.m.This weather comes as people are heading out on the roads or to the airport to travel for spring break. “It is our heaviest automobile parking demand. We have a lot of increased passengers, as well,” said Kevin Foley, the executive director of the Des Moines Airport Authority. With slightly longer than normal lines and families with young kids rolling their suitcases through the airport, Foley says Thursday marked the official start of increased travel during the spring break period. During this time, he says people should get to the airport 90 minutes prior to the flight leaving. He also says people should check the airport map, know where they intend to park and know where other parking is available. “We expect probably our heaviest traffic Friday,” Foley said. “All the schools are letting out, and all those students will be coming through and flying out.” Also, coming after school hours on Friday is the first potential severe weather risk of the season.“We just want folks to make sure they’re aware of the forecast coming up and know what they’re going to do for that severe weather safety plan,” said Brett McIntyre, the program assistant with the Polk County Emergency Management Agency. The Polk County Emergency Management team says people should have their emergency alerts activated. McIntyre told KCCI that people outside or on the road traveling in the county should listen for outdoor warning sirens.“For Polk County, our sirens will go off for two different things now: it would be a tornado warning when the sirens would go off or a severe thunderstorm warning that has winds of 70 miles per hour or higher,” McIntyre said. As for what impact to the airport people flying out can expect, Foley says he doesn’t anticipate much disruption. “Typically, those severe thunderstorm types are relatively short-lived, but it could disrupt the flight schedule a little bit — causing a delay either for an arrival or a departure,” Foley said.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa —Whether on the roads or in the sky, Iowans across the state will begin traveling over the next few days as spring break has arrived. With it, however, comes a severe weather threat this Friday.
KCCI Storm Team 8 meteorologists say wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph are possible during the afternoon hours. Thunderstorms are expected to develop over far southwest and southern Iowa around 3-4 p.m., and then race to the north and northeast through the late afternoon and evening hours.
The storms should reach Des Moines and central Iowa between 4-6 p.m., then northern and eastern Iowa by 8 p.m.
This weather comes as people are heading out on the roads or to the airport to travel for spring break.
“It is our heaviest automobile parking demand. We have a lot of increased passengers, as well,” said Kevin Foley, the executive director of the Des Moines Airport Authority.
With slightly longer than normal lines and families with young kids rolling their suitcases through the airport, Foley says Thursday marked the official start of increased travel during the spring break period.
During this time, he says people should get to the airport 90 minutes prior to the flight leaving. He also says people should check the airport map, know where they intend to park and know where other parking is available.
“We expect probably our heaviest traffic Friday,” Foley said. “All the schools are letting out, and all those students will be coming through and flying out.”
Also, coming after school hours on Friday is the first potential severe weather risk of the season.
“We just want folks to make sure they’re aware of the forecast coming up and know what they’re going to do for that severe weather safety plan,” said Brett McIntyre, the program assistant with the Polk County Emergency Management Agency.
The Polk County Emergency Management team says people should have their emergency alerts activated.
McIntyre told KCCI that people outside or on the road traveling in the county should listen for outdoor warning sirens.
“For Polk County, our sirens will go off for two different things now: it would be a tornado warning when the sirens would go off or a severe thunderstorm warning that has winds of 70 miles per hour or higher,” McIntyre said.
As for what impact to the airport people flying out can expect, Foley says he doesn’t anticipate much disruption.
“Typically, those severe thunderstorm types are relatively short-lived, but it could disrupt the flight schedule a little bit — causing a delay either for an arrival or a departure,” Foley said.
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» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
