Hail History

Hail history for Des Moines, Iowa

NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Des Moines since 1961, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Des Moines

Last hail
May 19, 2025
0.75 in, penny size
Hail days, last 5 years
9
since Nov 3, 2021 · 20 reports
Largest ever
3.25 in
teacup · Jul 9, 2021

227 reports on 94 days since 1961 · #1 of 483 Iowa places

Hail map · Des Moines

Des Moines Windsor Heights Norwalk Carlisle West Des Moines Altoona Johnston Urbandale Cumming 10 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
227 most recent reports with a location; Polk County is shaded. Open street map

For homeowners

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What the record says about Des Moines

The latest hail report in and around Des Moines is from May 19, 2025, 0.75 in (penny size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 9 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.25 in on July 31, 2024.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Des Moines logged 158 reports on 59 hail days, about 7.9 reports a year. That is 17.6 times the median Iowa town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #1 of 483 Iowa cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Des Moines accounts for 34% 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 3.25 in (teacup) on July 9, 2021 near 2.59 SE Lovington.

Reports were down 34% in 2016–2025 (63) compared with 2006–2015 (95). The busiest year was 2003, with 22 reports on 2 days. Hail here peaks in May (23% of reports); 56% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Des Moines 7.9
  • Polk County 19.9
  • Median Iowa town on this site 0.5

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Des Moines 59
  • Polk County 102
  • Median Iowa town on this site 7

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Des Moines 4%
  • Polk County 6%
  • Median Iowa town on this site 6%

Hail over time

0102030 1961: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1967: 1 reports, largest ? in 1970 1972: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1974: 2 reports, largest 2.00 in 1976: 3 reports, largest 2.25 in 1979: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 1980: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1980 1981: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1986: 2 reports, largest 2.00 in 1987: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1988: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1990: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1990 1991: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 1992: 3 reports, largest 1.25 in 1996: 1 reports, largest 0.80 in 1997: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1998: 2 reports, largest 2.50 in 2000: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2000 2001: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2003: 22 reports, largest 2.00 in 2004: 5 reports, largest 1.25 in 2005: 11 reports, largest 1.50 in 2006: 11 reports, largest 1.00 in 2008: 19 reports, largest 1.75 in 2009: 7 reports, largest 1.75 in 2010: 5 reports, largest 1.00 in 2010 2011: 18 reports, largest 1.75 in 2012: 9 reports, largest 1.00 in 2013: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2014: 16 reports, largest 2.75 in 2015: 7 reports, largest 1.25 in 2016: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 2017: 2 reports, largest 1.25 in 2018: 7 reports, largest 2.00 in 2019: 18 reports, largest 2.75 in 2020: 2 reports, largest 0.88 in 2020 2021: 12 reports, largest 3.25 in 2022: 8 reports, largest 1.25 in 2023: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2024: 8 reports, largest 1.25 in 2025: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in
Reports per year, 1961–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
0204060 Jan February: 6 reports (3%) Feb March: 15 reports (7%) Mar April: 32 reports (14%) Apr May: 53 reports (23%) May June: 42 reports (19%) Jun July: 41 reports (18%) Jul August: 13 reports (6%) Aug September: 17 reports (7%) Sep October: 8 reports (4%) Oct Nov Dec
All 227 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 0
2025 11 2
2024 26 8
2023 2 2
2022 134 8
2021 1110 12
2020 11 2
2019 1107 18
2018 214 7
2017 2 2

Hail days since Nov 3, 2021

DateReportsLargestStorm page
May 19, 2025 1 0.75 in —
Mar 14, 2025 1 0.75 in —
Jul 31, 2024 4 1.25 in —
Jul 30, 2024 2 1.25 in —
May 21, 2024 2 1.00 in —
Apr 4, 2023 2 1.00 in —
Sep 17, 2022 4 1.25 in —
Aug 19, 2022 3 1.25 in —
Apr 29, 2022 1 0.88 in —

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Des Moines
Date Size Location County Damage Time · source
Jul 9, 2021 3.25 inteacup 2.59 SE Lovington Polk — 13:15 local · NCEI
Oct 1, 2019 2.75 inbaseball 2.08 SW Des Moines Polk $250K 16:32 local · NCEI
May 8, 2014 2.75 inbaseball 0.69 S Lovington Polk $100K 18:05 local · NCEI
Oct 1, 2019 2.50 intennis ball 2.32 NNE (Dsm)des Moines Intl Polk $100K 16:30 local · NCEI
Jun 29, 1998 2.50 intennis ball Des Moines Arpt Polk $100K 14:50 local · NCEI

Size of every report

Most recent reports

Most recent hail reports in Des Moines
Date Size Location County Time · source
May 19, 2025 0.75 inpenny Des Moines Polk 15:36 local · NCEI
Mar 14, 2025 0.75 inpenny 0.86 SW Lovington Polk 16:01 local · NCEI
Jul 31, 2024 1.00 inquarter 1.24 SW Capitol Hgts Polk 01:37 local · NCEI
Jul 31, 2024 1.00 inquarter 1.24 NE Windsor Hgts Polk 01:34 local · NCEI
Jul 31, 2024 1.00 inquarter 0.86 SW Lovington Polk 01:20 local · NCEI
Jul 31, 2024 1.25 inhalf dollar 0.52 E (Dsm)des Moines Intl Polk 01:14 local · NCEI
Jul 30, 2024 1.00 inquarter 1.24 SE Des Moines Polk 12:07 local · NCEI
Jul 30, 2024 1.25 inhalf dollar 0.86 SW Des Moines Polk 12:00 local · NCEI
May 21, 2024 1.00 inquarter 1.7 ENE Ft Des Moines Polk 00:18 local · NCEI
May 21, 2024 0.75 inpenny 2.18 ENE Ft Des Moines Polk 00:16 local · NCEI
Apr 4, 2023 1.00 inquarter 1.24 SW Capitol Hgts Polk 19:07 local · NCEI
Apr 4, 2023 0.75 inpenny 1.24 SW Capitol Hgts Polk 17:23 local · NCEI

Hail history near Des Moines

Questions about hail in Des Moines

How often does it hail in Des Moines, Iowa?

227 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Des Moines since 1961. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 7.9 reports a year. That ranks #1 of 483 Iowa places by number of reports.

When is hail season in Des Moines?

Most reports come in May, June, July. May alone accounts for 23% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Des Moines?

3.25 in (teacup size) on July 9, 2021 near 2.59 SE Lovington. 4% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Des Moines?

The most recent report in this data is from May 19, 2025 (0.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

How many hail storms has Des Moines had in the last five years?

9 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 20 reports. The most recent was May 19, 2025.

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.