Forecast Details for Alta, IA

Recent Locations: Wonder Lake, IL Willow, AK Alta, IA

Current Alerts for Alta, IA: Air Quality Alert

Tonight: Areas of smoke before 8pm, then areas of smoke after 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Southeast wind around 10 mph.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers between 9am and noon. Areas of smoke. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1am, then a chance of showers between 1am and 4am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. South southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 10am, then a slight chance of showers between 10am and 1pm, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 77. South southeast wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Monday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 80. South southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 64.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85.

Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 68.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 88.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 71.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.

Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 69.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 86.

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Current U.S. National Radar--Current

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National Weather Forecast--Current

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National Weather Forecast for Tomorrow

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North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

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Weather Topic: What is Precipitation?

Home - Education - Precipitation - Precipitation

Next Topic: Rain

Precipitation can refer to many different forms of water that may fall from clouds. Precipitation occurs after a cloud has become saturated to the point where its water particles are more dense than the air below the cloud.

In most cases, precipitation will reach the ground, but it is not uncommon for precipitation to evaporate before it reaches the earth's surface. When precipitation evaporates before it contacts the ground it is called Virga. Graupel, hail, sleet, rain, drizzle, and snow are forms of precipitation, but fog and mist are not considered precipitation because the water vapor which constitutes them isn't dense enough to fall to the ground.

Next Topic: Rain

Weather Topic: What are Shelf Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Shelf Clouds

Shelf Clouds Next Topic: Sleet

A shelf cloud is similar to a wall cloud, but forms at the front of a storm cloud, instead of at the rear, where wall clouds form.

A shelf cloud is caused by a series of events set into motion by the advancing storm; first, cool air settles along the ground where precipitation has just fallen. As the cool air is brought in, the warmer air is displaced, and rises above it, because it is less dense. When the warmer air reaches the bottom of the storm cloud, it begins to cool again, and the resulting condensation is a visible shelf cloud.

Next Topic: Sleet