Forecast Details for Alta, IA

Recent Locations: Alta, IA

This Afternoon: Cloudy, with a high near 64. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 49. Breezy, with a northeast wind 10 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Sunday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 61. Breezy, with an east northeast wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 1am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 42. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming southwest in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday: A slight chance of thunderstorms before 7am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 10%.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41. West wind 5 to 15 mph becoming south southeast after midnight.

Tuesday: A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 44. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

Wednesday Night: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47.

Thursday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Breezy.

Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 62.

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North America Water Vapor (Moisture)

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Weather Topic: What are Cirrus Clouds?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Cirrus Clouds

Next Topic: Condensation

Cirrus clouds are high-level clouds that occur above 20,000 feet and are composed mainly of ice crystals. They are thin and wispy in appearance.

What do they indicate?
They are often the first sign of an approaching storm.

Next Topic: Condensation

Weather Topic: What are Contrails?

Home - Education - Cloud Types - Contrails

Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds

A contrail is an artificial cloud, created by the passing of an aircraft.

Contrails form because water vapor in the exhaust of aircraft engines is suspended in the air under certain temperatures and humidity conditions. These contrails are called exhaust contrails.

Another type of contrail can form due to a temporary reduction in air pressure moving over the plane's surface, causing condensation. These are called aerodynamic contrails.

When you can see your breath on a cold day, it is also because of condensation. The reason contrails last longer than the condensation from your breath is because the water in contrails freezes into ice particles.

Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds