Tuesday was another active Weather Alert Day across central and south-central Iowa.Storms fired up early Tuesday afternoon in far western Iowa and continued to spark severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings as they moved east. One confirmed tornado was reported near Millerton, south of Chariton. Large hail was reported from Council Bluffs to Indianola, as well as north of the metro from Carroll to Ames. Interactive Radar | Weather AlertsSee the full forecast here.Here's what to know:Tornado watch expiresA tornado watch spanning nearly half the state has been allowed to expire. The initial watch, issued early Tuesday afternoon, included 41 counties on the state's southwest half.As of 10 p.m. that watch has expired. Tornado warning expires for south-central Iowa countiesA tornado warning for nearly all of Davis County in southern Iowa has been allowed to expire.Around 8:15 p.m. a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located 5 miles southwest of Bloomfield Municipal Airport, or 6 miles southwest of Bloomfield, moving east at 40 mph. Radar indicated rotation in the storm, which also could produce quarter-sized hail.Everyone within these areas should find a safe space and take cover.NWS confirms tornado in northern Wayne CountyThe weather service said a tornado was spotted at 7:24 p.m. near Millerton in northern Wayne County. Hail covers ground near Lake RathbunWeather Aware: What’s the difference between a watch and a warning?» Best places to be in your home during a tornadoMore severe weather coverageWeather Aware: Tornado safety tipsThunderstorm warnings continue in south-central IowaSevere thunderstorm warnings in south-central Iowa are capable of producing wind gusts up to 60 mph and hail 1.5 inches in diameter, about the size of a ping pong ball.A severe thunderstorm warning for Lucas, Monroe, Wayne and Appanoose counties was in effect until 8 p.m. People and animals outdoors in that area could be injured by the hail, and damage to roofs and vehicles should be expected, the National Weather Service warned.A severe thunderstorm warning for Marion and Warren County was in effect until 7:45 p.m. Hail and wind damage was to be expected, the weather service said. Another warning for portions of Lucas, Decatur, Wayne and Clarke counties was in effect until 7:30 p.m. Trained weather spotters reported quarter-sized hail near Garden Grove in northeast Decatur county.KCCI meteorologist Zane Satre chasing storms in southwest IowaKCCI partners with Red Cross to provide aid after devastating tornadoesKCCI is working with the American Red Cross to help provide relief for those affected by the devastating and deadly tornadoes that recently hit Iowa.Your gift will not only help with immediate needs like food and shelter, it will also put people on the road to recovery and guide communities as they better prepare for disasters.To donate, click the link here.Striking image of lightning in CrestonTara Luther shared this photo with KCCI, showing a lightning strike Tuesday afternoon in Creston. What is ‘gorilla hail'?The term "gorilla hail" has been thrown around this spring as storms criss-crossed the Midwest, but it's not exactly scientific. “Gorilla hail” is a term coined by Reed Timmer, a storm chaser who calls himself an extreme meteorologist, according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. Some have started using the description for large hail, 2 inches in diameter or bigger. Traditionally, common objects like peas and golf balls and softballs have been used to describe the hail you may see. Golf ball-sized hail in Mills CountyShare videos, photos of storm with KCCIIf you capture videos or photos from today's storms, please consider sharing them with us through this link.Tornado warning issued for southwestern IowaPortions of three southwestern Iowa counties are under a tornado warning through 4:15 p.m. That includes northern Montgomery, northeastern Mills and southeastern Pottawattamie counties. According to the National Weather Service, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located over Hastings, or 15 miles west of Red Oak, moving northeast at 35 mph. Everyone within these areas should find a safe space and take cover. Severe thunderstorm warnings in western IowaA severe thunderstorm warning for south central Monona and northwestern Harrison counties is in effect until 4:15 p.m. This storm has the potential of producing tennis ball-sized hail and 60 mph wind gusts.Another severe thunderstorm warning for most of Mills County is in effect until 3:45 p.m. This storm has the potential of producing tennis ball-sized hail and 70 mph wind gusts.Tornado watch issued for southwestern half of stateA tornado watch has been issued for the southwestern half of the state. Forty-one counties are under the watch, which lasts until 10 p.m. Tuesday, including Polk County. A few tornadoes are possible during the watch, as is scattered hail as big as tennis balls and wind gusts up to 80 mph. This is the same area where at least 24 tornadoes spun up during Friday's storms, including 4 EF-3 tornadoes with peak wind speeds between 136-165 mph.Cancellations and postponementsKeep an eye on your local sports and activities calendars, as some events have already been canceled Tuesday.That includes Grandview Little League, which canceled games Tuesday night due to current field conditions and impending severe weather. Des Moines Parks and Recreation has also canceled youth and peewee soccer, as well as youth volleyball practices tonight.Understanding the Enhanced Fujita ScaleThe National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita Scale, or EF-Scale, to assign tornado ratings based on estimated wind speeds and related damage.The Enhanced Fujita Scale, which replaced the earlier Fujita Scale in February 2007, categorizes tornadoes by degree of damage indicators and associates that damage with estimated wind speeds for three-second gusts.Enhanced Fujita Scale levelsEF0 (weak): 65-85 mph wind gustsEF1 (weak): 86-110 mph wind gustsEF2 (strong): 111-135 mph wind gustsEF3 (strong): 136-165 mph wind gustsEF4 (violent): 166-200 mph wind gustsEF5 (violent): Over 200 mph wind gustsSpotter training canceled due to severe weather forecastThe National Weather Service canceled its Decatur County spotter training Tuesday in Leon due to severe weather in the forecast. Officials are looking to reschedule in May or June. Visit this link for alternate spotter training sessions. Severe thunderstorm warning issued for 2 western Iowa countiesA severe thunderstorm warning is in effect through 12:45 p.m. for parts of Cass and Adair counties. The National Weather Service says hazards include winds up to 60 mph and hail around the size of a half-dollar. Watch: Severe thunderstorm warning for Cass, Adair countiesNumber of confirmed tornadoes continues to increaseThe National Weather Service on Monday afternoon confirmed 24 tornadoes in Iowa on April 26, 2024. The weather service says 16 of those were in central or southern Iowa, with eight others in far western Iowa.Four tornadoes in western Iowa were rated EF-3, with peak wind speeds between 136-165 mph.One that developed near McClelland in Pottawattamie County was on the ground for nearly 41 miles, to the Defiance and Harlan area of Shelby County, reaching peak wind speeds of 160 mph. This tornado ripped through Minden, killing one person and destroying upwards of 50 homes.Prayers answered for dog lovers after Friday's tornadoesA western Iowa family is counting their blessings after everyone made it out alive from Friday's storm — even their dogs. The Schabens, from Defiance, have been breeding Hungarian Vizslas for decades. They had five of their dogs in a shed in their backyard on the day a tornado swept through their property, destroying the shed. Luckily for the Schabens, they were able to save their dogs that were trapped under the rubble.Storm leaves at least 20 homes uninhabitable in Ringgold CountyFriday night's severe weather, including several tornadoes, displaced a number of Ringgold County families. According to Melissia Stark, the Ringgold County Emergency Management Coordinator, over 50 homes were damaged across the county, 20 of which have been deemed uninhabitable.Here’s how to make sure your phone provides severe weather alertsWhen storms are in the forecast, you want to make sure your mobile phone settings allow for alerts that warn you of severe weather.The U.S. Homeland Security Department says to check your phone's settings and ensure you have "Government Alerts" or "Emergency Alert Messages" enabled.You can keep track of the weather wherever you are with the KCCI app: Apple | Google PlayWe'll send you weather alerts and you can track live radar right on your phone.Get the latest KCCI forecast hereKCCI ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Facebook | YouTube | Instagram | TwitterShare videos, photos of storm with KCCIIf you capture videos or photos of storms, please consider sharing them with us through this link.More severe weather coverage:Iowa weather: Recapping the tornadoes and other severe storms Friday Video: Large tornado rips through southwest IowaKCCI meteorologist Zane Satre captures video of Union County tornadoPhotos and videos from Friday's tornado outbreakStorms brought multiple tornados, rain and hail to portions of southwestern and central Iowa on Friday, April 26, 2024.KCCI was on the ground following these storms, and many KCCI viewers sent in their own photos and videos of what they saw.Weather Aware: What’s the difference between a watch and a warning?» Best places to be in your home during a tornadoMore severe weather coverageWeather Aware: Tornado safety tipsWeather Aware: How to make sure your phone provides severe weather alertsWeather Aware: Why is a clear sky bad on severe weather days?Weather Aware: What's the difference between rain and thunderstorms