Severe thunderstorms moved through central Iowa early Thursday morning, August 13, bringing heavy rain, flash flooding and temporary power outages that affected the start of the 2026 Iowa State Fair.
The National Weather Service placed Polk, Story, Marshall and Jasper counties under a tornado warning until about 7:15 a.m. Most of central Iowa also faced a severe thunderstorm warning for part of the morning. Storms produced widespread rainfall of 1 to 2 inches across the Des Moines metro area, with some locations recording more than 2 inches. Reported totals included 2.70 inches in Norwalk, 2.46 inches in Indianola and 2.27 inches at Des Moines International Airport.
As of 9:10 a.m., MidAmerican Energy reported about 2,200 customers without power in Iowa. More than 1,500 of those outages were concentrated in Fort Dodge, with hundreds more in the Des Moines metro.
At the Iowa State Fairgrounds, the storms led to several adjustments on Opening Day. Fair officials closed Dean Avenue temporarily because of flash flooding. Opening Ceremonies shifted from their original location to the Penningroth Sale Ring and began at 9 a.m. The Historical Walking Tour was moved to 3 p.m. Thursday.
Organizers canceled Kids Club for August 13. Coupon books for that event will be available Friday. The Twins, Triplets and More Contest was rescheduled for August 23 at 9 a.m. on the MidAmerican Energy Stage. Dance Avenue was moved to August 21 at 9 a.m. on the same stage.
Fair staff had prepared for wet conditions in the days leading up to the opening. Crews worked to clear standing water and spread wood chips and straw on soft ground after earlier rains. The fairgrounds include multiple indoor buildings where visitors can take shelter. Officials said the groundswide alert system activates only when the National Weather Service issues an official warning.
Easterly winds of 10 to 20 mph kept temperatures in the low 80s. The fair continues through August 23, with additional rain possible in the coming days.
