Why do storms avoid Cedar Rapids?

Careful what you wish for. I used to think that way too, when I was living in Spencer, SD

Hi @HoneyBunny36, welcome to Fluther!

First, I want to say I know exactly how you feel. I really love storms, too! I watch the radar maps on the Internet and feel cheated when I see the big ones passing north or south of me. And when we ARE in the path, I try to guess the ETA so I can be outside for the onslaught.

Second, my guess is that Cedar Rapids isn’t avoided. But you notice it more when they only pass nearby, because you enjoy storms.

Looking at a map, I don’t see anything like mountains or the Great Lakes which might make Cedar Rapids an obstacle to storms.

Is Cedar Rapids the biggest city in the vicinity? If there’s more pavement there than in the surrounding area, the stored heat may cause air to rise there, which the storm must move around.

Are you wishing you were in Dubuque right now? I’m in western Illinois and wishing for the same storm. It’s just north of us right now.

I felt the same when I lived in the Peoria, Illinois area. It seemed all the storms died out once they hit the Illinois River, or they would go north or south of us.

I think @laureth may be right. =)

It’s weird because before I moved here, I lived in both Illinois and Wisconsin and we never seemed to get many storms; they were all in Iowa. Now that I live here, the opposite is true.

And the Dubuque storm going on right now is what sparked this question. I have been wondering this for a long time

we never seemed to get many storms; they were all in Iowa. Now that I live here, the opposite is true.

That supports my theory, but I like @laureth‘s idea, too.

I would call a local TV meteorologist. Ask if they can answer on the air.

We have a TV/newspaper guy in town who is hugely popular, because he answers questions like this every day.