Hail history for Ankeny, Iowa
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Ankeny since 1956, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Ankeny
- Last hail
- Sep 8, 2026
- 1.25 in, half dollar size · preliminary
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 4
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 6 reports
- Largest ever
- 3.00 in
- teacup · Aug 12, 1956
79 reports on 48 days since 1956 · #9 of 483 Iowa places
Hail map · Ankeny
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- No size
For homeowners
Roof damage after hail? Get a free inspection
Hail bruises shingles and cracks seals in ways you can't see from the ground, and most insurers set a claim deadline after the storm. The latest hail report in Ankeny is from September 8, 2026. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Ankeny
The latest hail report in and around Ankeny is from September 8, 2026, 1.25 in (half dollar size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 4 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.50 in on September 8, 2026.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Ankeny logged 44 reports on 24 hail days, about 2.2 reports a year. That is 4.9 times the median Iowa town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #9 of 483 Iowa cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Ankeny accounts for 12% of the 677 reports filed in Polk County.
4% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 6% for the median Iowa town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 3.00 in (teacup) on August 12, 1956.
Reports were down 63% in 2016–2025 (12) compared with 2006–2015 (32). The busiest year was 2011, with 13 reports on 4 days. Hail here peaks in June (30% of reports); 58% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Ankeny 2.2
- Polk County 19.9
- Median Iowa town on this site 0.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Ankeny 24
- Polk County 102
- Median Iowa town on this site 7
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Ankeny 4%
- Polk County 6%
- Median Iowa town on this site 6%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2020 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2017 | 0 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2026 | 3 | 1.50 in | View |
| May 19, 2025 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jul 30, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 19, 2023 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 12, 1956 | 3.00 inteacup | — | Polk | — | 14:30 local · NCEI |
| Oct 8, 1958 | 2.50 intennis ball | — | Polk | — | 18:45 local · NCEI |
| May 13, 1974 | 2.00 inhen egg | — | Polk | — | 06:10 local · NCEI |
| Jul 9, 2021 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.03 W Oralabor | Polk | — | 13:08 local · NCEI |
| May 20, 2013 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 0.69 N Oralabor | Polk | $25K | 18:17 local · NCEI |
Sizes filed before 1996 are often rough estimates (round numbers like 7.00 or 8.00 in) without an exact spot; they are shown as NOAA filed them.
Size of every report
- Under 1 in 26 33%
- 1–2 in 50 63%
- 2 in + 3 4%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 2026 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 4 SE Ankeny | Polk | 23:10 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Sep 8, 2026 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 3 E Ankeny | Polk | 23:09 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Sep 8, 2026 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 2 E Ankeny | Polk | 23:08 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| May 19, 2025 | 0.75 inpenny | 1.47 NNW Oralabor | Polk | 15:48 local · NCEI |
| Jul 30, 2024 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.72 SE Ankeny | Polk | 12:40 local · NCEI |
| Apr 19, 2023 | 0.75 inpenny | 1.47 NNW Oralabor | Polk | 21:11 local · NCEI |
| Jul 9, 2021 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.03 W Oralabor | Polk | 13:08 local · NCEI |
| Jul 14, 2020 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.38 S Ankeny | Polk | 18:57 local · NCEI |
| Jul 14, 2020 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.18 ESE Ankeny | Polk | 18:45 local · NCEI |
| Aug 31, 2018 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.11 W Elkhart | Polk | 07:17 local · NCEI |
| Jun 30, 2018 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.07 N Ankeny | Polk | 17:20 local · NCEI |
| Mar 30, 2016 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.38 S Oralabor | Polk | 19:06 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Ankeny
- Johnston 11 km · 61
- Polk City 12 km · 17
- Altoona 13 km · 31
- Bondurant 13 km · 15
- Windsor Heights 17 km · 17
- Des Moines 18 km · 227
- Urbandale 18 km · 57
- Grimes 18 km · 30
Questions about hail in Ankeny
How often does it hail in Ankeny, Iowa?
79 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Ankeny since 1956. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 2.2 reports a year. That ranks #9 of 483 Iowa places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Ankeny?
Most reports come in June, May, July. June alone accounts for 30% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Ankeny?
3.00 in (teacup size) on August 12, 1956. 4% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Ankeny?
The most recent report in this data is from September 8, 2026 (1.25 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Ankeny had in the last five years?
4 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 6 reports. The most recent was September 8, 2026.
Where does this hail data come from?
Hail reports come from the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, which the National Weather Service compiles from spotter, public, law enforcement and media reports. Recent days use preliminary NWS Local Storm Reports via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet until NOAA publishes final data. Only reported hail is counted, so areas with fewer people tend to have fewer reports.