Hail history in Des Moines, IA
On average, NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Des Moines on 5.0 days a year from 2016 to 2025, 3.7 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Des Moines on 100 days since 2010. The largest hail reported was 3.25 in, in 2021. 70 of those days had hail of 1 inch or larger. June has the most hail days, 22 since 2010. The most recent was October 8, 2026. NOAA also recorded high wind on 106 days, with gusts up to 87 mph.
Ranks #16 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
- Hail days since 2010
- 100
- Largest hail
- 3.25 in
- Highest gust
- 87 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
100 hail days within 15 miles since 2010, largest 3.25 in
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Hail days by year
Bar chart of hail days per year, 2010 to 2026. 100 hail days in total; the most was 9 in 2011.
Hail days by month
Hail days by month since 2010: Jan 0, Feb 1, Mar 8, Apr 18, May 21, Jun 22, Jul 12, Aug 7, Sep 7, Oct 4, Nov 0, Dec 0.
Most recent hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2026 | 1.75 in | 7.3 mi |
| Sep 8, 2026 | 2.25 in | 9.5 mi |
| Jul 20, 2026 | 1.0 in | 7.2 mi |
| Jul 2, 2026 | 1.5 in | 4.9 mi |
| Apr 23, 2026 | 1.0 in | 8.1 mi |
| Apr 17, 2026 | 1.5 in | 0.7 mi |
| Apr 15, 2026 | 1.0 in | 9.8 mi |
| Mar 30, 2026 | 1.25 in | 6.1 mi |
| May 19, 2025 | 1.0 in | 2.0 mi |
| Apr 17, 2025 | 1.0 in | 6.2 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Des Moines, not from any one property. Look up a street address below for a single building.
- Reports come from trained spotters and the public, so they cluster near towns and roads.
- No report does not mean no hail. Hail can fall where no one is there to report it.
- This is not a damage or insurance assessment.
106 high-wind days within 15 miles since 2010, strongest gust 87 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Most recent high-wind days
| Date | Highest gust | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2026 | 75 mph | 1.6 mi |
| Aug 12, 2026 | 59 mph | 13.9 mi |
| Jul 20, 2026 | 61 mph | 2.9 mi |
| Jul 3, 2026 | 58 mph | 3.4 mi |
| Jul 2, 2026 | Not recorded | 4.3 mi |
| Jun 11, 2026 | Not recorded | 8.1 mi |
| Jun 10, 2026 | Not recorded | 7.3 mi |
| May 18, 2026 | Not recorded | 1.0 mi |
| Apr 23, 2026 | 59 mph | 3.4 mi |
| Jul 29, 2025 | 64 mph | 3.6 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Des Moines, not from any one property. Look up a street address below for a single building.
- Reports come from trained spotters and the public, so they cluster near towns and roads.
- No report does not mean no hail. Hail can fall where no one is there to report it.
- Wind speed is the highest reported gust; some reports have no speed.
- This is not a damage or insurance assessment.
Gusts, tornadoes and hurricanes in Des Moines
Estimated peak gusts
No day since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Des Moines.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Mar 12, 2026 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 10, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 9, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Jun 26, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Apr 2, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Mar 14, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Apr 12, 2022 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 15, 2021 | 50 mph or more |
Estimates: the highest gust of each storm day in NOAA’s hourly 2.5 km wind analysis (URMA), which fills in between weather stations. Analyses like this smooth out short thunderstorm gusts, so they are best for widespread wind (hurricanes, winter storms, high wind days); for thunderstorm wind, NOAA’s wind reports are the better record. Not a measurement at any building.
Tornadoes within 10 miles
NOAA recorded 49 tornadoes whose path came within 10 miles of Des Moines since 1950; the strongest was rated EF4.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 15, 2024 | EF1 | 6.88 miles | 2.6 miles |
| May 23, 2024 | EF0 | 3.2 miles | 7.9 miles |
| Apr 26, 2024 | EF2 | 7.61 miles | 2.3 miles |
| Mar 5, 2022 | EF4 | 70.57 miles | 5.3 miles |
| May 25, 2020 | EF1 | 1.56 miles | 7.8 miles |
| Nov 11, 2015 | EF0 | 2.59 miles | 2.5 miles |
| Oct 2, 2007 | EF1 | 0.44 miles | 1 miles |
| Jun 22, 2007 | EF1 | 3 miles | 6.9 miles |
Show all 49Show fewer
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 22, 2007 | EF2 | 6.36 miles | 7.8 miles |
| Apr 18, 2002 | EF1 | 8.5 miles | 7.9 miles |
| Apr 18, 2002 | EF0 | 0.3 miles | 9.9 miles |
| Sep 6, 2001 | EF1 | 2.8 miles | 5.7 miles |
| Jul 24, 2001 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 6.7 miles |
| Apr 11, 2001 | EF0 | 0.5 miles | 7.5 miles |
| May 30, 2000 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 9.4 miles |
| May 30, 2000 | EF1 | 8 miles | 7.9 miles |
| Apr 8, 1999 | EF2 | 32 miles | 7 miles |
| Apr 8, 1999 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 2 miles |
| Jun 29, 1998 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 9.2 miles |
| Jun 29, 1998 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 7.3 miles |
| Jun 29, 1998 | EF2 | 34.1 miles | 2 miles |
| Jun 18, 1998 | EF1 | 13 miles | 3.8 miles |
| May 19, 1998 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 5.9 miles |
| May 12, 1997 | EF0 | 6.7 miles | 7.9 miles |
| Jun 15, 1990 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 6.9 miles |
| Jun 29, 1986 | EF2 | 5 miles | 2 miles |
| May 9, 1986 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 8.9 miles |
| May 9, 1986 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 8.8 miles |
| Jun 11, 1984 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 2 miles |
| Jun 11, 1984 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 3.3 miles |
| Jun 11, 1984 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 5.7 miles |
| May 6, 1983 | EF2 | 1 miles | 4.2 miles |
| May 6, 1983 | EF1 | 0.5 miles | 6.7 miles |
| Jun 14, 1982 | EF1 | 0.2 miles | 2 miles |
| Apr 10, 1981 | EF0 | 8 miles | 5.9 miles |
| Jun 6, 1980 | EF1 | 1.3 miles | 2.6 miles |
| Jun 12, 1976 | EF1 | 35.1 miles | 4.6 miles |
| Jun 14, 1975 | EF1 | 5.4 miles | 9.5 miles |
| Jun 18, 1974 | EF4 | 15.3 miles | 2.8 miles |
| Apr 28, 1974 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 9 miles |
| Jul 16, 1969 | EF1 | 0.1 miles | 6.8 miles |
| Jul 30, 1967 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 4.5 miles |
| Oct 14, 1966 | EF2 | 13.5 miles | 7.9 miles |
| Jun 11, 1966 | EF2 | 12.2 miles | 3.1 miles |
| Jun 22, 1964 | EF2 | 9.7 miles | 9 miles |
| May 10, 1959 | EF2 | 0.3 miles | 2 miles |
| May 10, 1959 | EF1 | 1 miles | 5.1 miles |
| Mar 30, 1958 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 7.6 miles |
| Jun 7, 1953 | EF2 | 116 miles | 5.7 miles |
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center. Ratings before 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No hurricane or tropical storm in NOAA's records brought modeled tropical-storm-force winds (39 mph) to Des Moines.
Modeled from NOAA’s best tracks for open, flat ground; not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
89 radar hail days within 15 miles since 2020, largest 3.5 in or more
Source: NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), from October 14, 2020. Estimates of the largest hail in each 1 km cell, not measurements.
58 days with radar hail 1 inch or larger, 6 at 2 inches or larger, within 15 miles of Des Moines’s center.
Biggest radar hail days
- 0.75 in+
- 1.0 in+
- 1.5 in+
- 2.0 in+
- 2.5 in+
- 3.0 in+
Most recent radar hail days
| Date | Largest radar estimate |
|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2026 | 1.75 in or more |
| Sep 16, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Sep 15, 2026 | 1.25 in or more |
| Sep 8, 2026 | 3.5 in or more |
| Jul 28, 2026 | 1.0 in or more |
| Jul 27, 2026 | 1.25 in or more |
Storms in Des Moines
Storm Prediction Center records for 1980 to 2006 within 124 nautical miles of the Des Moines radar show hail reports peaking in May, damaging wind reports peaking in June, and a primary severe season of April 2 to August 29.1 A KCCI review of central Iowa hail reports from 2003 to 2022 found June the most active month, and Polk County led the region with 319 severe hail reports.2
Notable storms
- April 26, 2024An EF2 tornado with peak winds estimated at 125 mph formed on the east side of Des Moines near Easter Lake and tracked about 7.7 miles through the south side of Pleasant Hill, injuring one person. Pleasant Hill's fire chief said 18 damaged homes could no longer be lived in.3,4,5
- August 19, 2022Golf ball size hail fell across the Des Moines metro. NOAA's storm records include a report of 3-inch hail at the WOI station in West Des Moines.6,7
- March 5, 2022The tornado that killed six people near Winterset reached EF4 strength and tracked about 70 miles, passing just south of Des Moines. In Polk County it clipped the north edge of Avon at EF2 strength and damaged multiple structures in the Woodland Hills neighborhood. NOAA's Storm Events Database lists $75 million in property damage in Polk County.8,9
- July 9, 2021A supercell dropped hail from pea size to baseball size across the Des Moines metro, and NWS Des Moines called the storm rare for the severity of hail over such a large metro area. NOAA's storm records include 3.25-inch hail in Beaverdale.10,11
- August 10, 2020The derecho brought a measured 75 mph gust at Des Moines International Airport, 78 mph at the Ankeny airport and 85 mph at a personal weather station 1 mile west of Urbandale.12
- October 1, 2019Hail up to 2.75 inches across, baseball size, fell in Des Moines late in the afternoon of October 1, 2019, and 2.5-inch hail was reported near Des Moines International Airport. NOAA's storm records list $250,000 in property damage with the baseball size report.13,14
Warnings and alerts
NWS Des Moines issues the forecasts for Des Moines.15 Polk County/Alert Iowa, a free county and state service, sends tornado, severe thunderstorm and high wind warnings by voice, text or email.16
Sources
- 1. NOAA Storm Prediction Center: DMX Severe Weather Climatology
- 2. KCCI: All Things Hail: Central Iowa hail reports since 2003
- 3. NWS Des Moines: Event Summary April 26, 2024 Severe Storms and Tornadoes
- 4. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Polk County, April 26, 2024
- 5. Des Moines Register: Trees downed, homes damaged in Pleasant Hill after tornadoes sweep through area
- 6. Des Moines Register: Golf ball-sized hail and heavy rain batters Des Moines metro, causing damage, road closures
- 7. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Polk County, August 19, 2022
- 8. NWS Des Moines: 2022 Iowa Tornadoes
- 9. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Polk County, March 5, 2022
- 10. WOI Local 5 News: Massive hail storm sweeps through central Iowa Friday
- 11. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Polk County, July 9, 2021
- 12. NWS Des Moines: August 10, 2020 Derecho
- 13. NOAA Storm Prediction Center: Storm Reports for October 1, 2019
- 14. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Polk County, October 1, 2019
- 15. NWS Des Moines: NWS Forecast for Des Moines IA
- 16. Polk County Emergency Management: Polk County Alert Iowa
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Questions about hail in Des Moines
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Des Moines?
- NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Des Moines on 5.0 days a year on average from 2016 to 2025, 3.7 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. Since 2010 it recorded 100 hail days.
- When is hail season in Des Moines?
- June has the most hail days within 15 miles of the center of Des Moines, 22 since 2010, then May (21) and April (18).
- What is the largest hail recorded in Des Moines?
- 3.25 in, in 2021: the largest hail NOAA recorded within 15 miles of the center of Des Moines since 2010.
- When did it last hail in Des Moines?
- NOAA's most recent hail report within 15 miles of the center of Des Moines is from October 8, 2026, with hail up to 1.75 in reported 7.3 miles from the center. Data through November 1, 2026.