RoofTake

Historical hail archive: January 2016–December 2025. NOAA radar estimates within 25 miles of each city centre. ZIP matches use the first three digits; this is not a property-level report or a live alert service. Coverage and source.

Polk County · Iowa · NOAA radar record 2016–2025

Hail damage in Des Moines, IA

Radar has detected hail over Des Moines on 240 separate days since 2016. On 94 of them the largest stone was estimated at golf-ball size or bigger. The biggest was 10.2 cm on June 25, 2022.

73/100 RoofTake Score — High hail exposure · ranked 31 of 50 metros we cover

A high value in this historical exposure model. Radar estimates do not establish what reached a property or whether it was damaged.

How we got to that number
ComponentValueWeightContribution
Frequency
Hail days per year at 1.00 in (2.5 cm) or larger		50 / 100× 0.3517.5
Severity
Largest stone radar estimated in the whole window		100 / 100× 0.3030.0
Recency
How long since the last 2 in (5 cm) day		91 / 100× 0.2018.2
Concentration
Hail days per year reaching golf-ball size		47 / 100× 0.157.1
RoofTake Score73

The score describes an area, not a house. Two roofs on the same street of different ages face very different risk from the identical storm. The whole formula and its weights are on the methodology page, and you can recompute it yourself from our public data.

240hail days on radar since 2016
94at golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger
10.2 cmlargest stone estimated, June 25, 2022
24.0hail days per year, average

Central Iowa combines frequent hail with a high rate of derecho wind damage.

Check your own ZIP code Is your roof damaged?

Data last refreshed: · source: NOAA NCEI Severe Weather Data Inventory, dataset nx3hail

The ten biggest hail days in Des Moines since 2016

DateRadar max sizeMetric ComparisonSignatures
June 16, 20174.00 in10.2 cmGrapefruit37
July 9, 20214.00 in10.2 cmGrapefruit20
June 25, 20224.00 in10.2 cmGrapefruit24
July 15, 20203.75 in9.5 cmTeacup66
March 31, 20233.75 in9.5 cmTeacup11
June 28, 20173.50 in8.9 cmTeacup41
July 30, 20243.50 in8.9 cmTeacup86
June 6, 20183.25 in8.3 cmTeacup16
July 20, 20193.25 in8.3 cmTeacup28
October 1, 20193.25 in8.3 cmTeacup22

"Signatures" is the number of separate radar volume scans that detected hail in a storm cell within 25 miles that day. More signatures means a longer-lived or larger storm, not necessarily bigger stones.

Hail days by year

201622
201725
201832
201925
202020
202119
202222
202313
202436
202526

Busiest year in the record: 2024 with 36 hail days.

Hail days by month

Feb1
Mar12
Apr18
May39
Jun54
Jul47
Aug36
Sep22
Oct10
Dec1

Peak month: June. Hail season in Iowa is short and it is not distributed evenly — most of the annual risk arrives in a few weeks.

What to do with this if you own a roof in Des Moines

  1. Find your dates. Look up your ZIP for the record nearest you, and note every day at 1.00 in or above since you bought the house.
  2. Work out whether your roof could have survived them. A twelve-year-old asphalt roof and a two-year-old one respond very differently to the same stone — the age calculator explains why.
  3. Look, before you file. Nine photographs, none of them requiring you to get on the roof.
  4. Check the arithmetic. If the actual cash value of the damage is under your deductible, filing pays nothing — work it out first.
  5. Then write. The letter generator puts the Des Moines radar record and the NOAA citation into your notice of claim.

Every hail day radar recorded near Des Moines

240 days, most recent first. Sizes are radar estimates of the largest stone aloft in the cell, not measurements at any address.

  1. October 10, 2025
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    3 radar signatures · closest signature 21.65 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 40%
  2. September 23, 2025
    0.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
    2 radar signatures · closest signature 12.42 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 40%
  3. September 17, 2025
    1.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
    11 radar signatures · closest signature 8.77 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  4. September 16, 2025
    1.50 in (3.8 cm) — Ping-pong ball size, radar-estimated
    9 radar signatures · closest signature 16.17 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 70%
  5. August 10, 2025
    1.75 in (4.4 cm) — Golf ball size, radar-estimated
    39 radar signatures · closest signature 8.37 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 70%
  6. August 7, 2025
    2.00 in (5.1 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    148 radar signatures · closest signature 3.29 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  7. July 30, 2025
    1.50 in (3.8 cm) — Ping-pong ball size, radar-estimated
    20 radar signatures · closest signature 2.72 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  8. July 23, 2025
    1.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
    9 radar signatures · closest signature 11.25 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 50%
  9. July 22, 2025
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    3 radar signatures · closest signature 18.85 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 40%
  10. July 21, 2025
    0.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
    2 radar signatures · closest signature 13.21 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 20%
  11. July 20, 2025
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    7 radar signatures · closest signature 4.32 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 30%
  12. July 19, 2025
    2.00 in (5.1 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    5 radar signatures · closest signature 15.59 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  13. July 16, 2025
    0.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
    3 radar signatures · closest signature 19.07 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 20%
  14. July 11, 2025
    2.00 in (5.1 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    66 radar signatures · closest signature 7.31 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  15. July 8, 2025
    1.50 in (3.8 cm) — Ping-pong ball size, radar-estimated
    10 radar signatures · closest signature 13.47 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 70%
  16. June 23, 2025
    2.00 in (5.1 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    26 radar signatures · closest signature 11.11 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  17. June 20, 2025
    1.75 in (4.4 cm) — Golf ball size, radar-estimated
    32 radar signatures · closest signature 4.32 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 70%
  18. June 16, 2025
    1.75 in (4.4 cm) — Golf ball size, radar-estimated
    5 radar signatures · closest signature 8.89 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  19. May 19, 2025
    2.50 in (6.3 cm) — Tennis ball size, radar-estimated
    13 radar signatures · closest signature 3.6 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  20. April 29, 2025
    0.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
    3 radar signatures · closest signature 23.14 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 50%
  21. April 24, 2025
    0.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
    1 radar signature · closest signature 18.8 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  22. April 18, 2025
    2.75 in (7.0 cm) — Baseball size, radar-estimated
    51 radar signatures · closest signature 6.45 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  23. March 30, 2025
    2.00 in (5.1 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    20 radar signatures · closest signature 3.74 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  24. March 19, 2025
    1.75 in (4.4 cm) — Golf ball size, radar-estimated
    21 radar signatures · closest signature 5.7 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  25. March 14, 2025
    2.00 in (5.1 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    16 radar signatures · closest signature 3.74 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  26. March 4, 2025
    1.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
    7 radar signatures · closest signature 10.44 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  27. October 30, 2024
    2.25 in (5.7 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    2 radar signatures · closest signature 15.26 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  28. October 25, 2024
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    2 radar signatures · closest signature 21.11 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 50%
  29. October 24, 2024
    1.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
    19 radar signatures · closest signature 7.79 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  30. October 4, 2024
    3.25 in (8.3 cm) — Teacup size, radar-estimated
    37 radar signatures · closest signature 14.06 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  31. September 22, 2024
    0.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
    2 radar signatures · closest signature 21.16 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 20%
  32. September 20, 2024
    2.00 in (5.1 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    14 radar signatures · closest signature 17.58 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  33. August 30, 2024
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    2 radar signatures · closest signature 7.44 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 40%
  34. August 15, 2024
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    10 radar signatures · closest signature 16.77 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 40%
  35. August 1, 2024
    1.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
    7 radar signatures · closest signature 15.79 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 50%
  36. July 31, 2024
    2.50 in (6.3 cm) — Tennis ball size, radar-estimated
    129 radar signatures · closest signature 2.67 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 90%
  37. July 30, 2024
    3.50 in (8.9 cm) — Teacup size, radar-estimated
    86 radar signatures · closest signature 2.09 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  38. July 29, 2024
    2.50 in (6.3 cm) — Tennis ball size, radar-estimated
    58 radar signatures · closest signature 11.11 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  39. July 25, 2024
    2.50 in (6.3 cm) — Tennis ball size, radar-estimated
    15 radar signatures · closest signature 9.39 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 90%
  40. July 15, 2024
    2.25 in (5.7 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    30 radar signatures · closest signature 7.06 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  41. July 11, 2024
    1.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
    3 radar signatures · closest signature 17.75 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 50%
  42. July 8, 2024
    1.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
    11 radar signatures · closest signature 11.7 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  43. July 7, 2024
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    1 radar signature · closest signature 10.59 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  44. July 2, 2024
    2.25 in (5.7 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    20 radar signatures · closest signature 13.21 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 80%
  45. June 26, 2024
    2.50 in (6.3 cm) — Tennis ball size, radar-estimated
    11 radar signatures · closest signature 14.39 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 90%
  46. June 25, 2024
    2.50 in (6.3 cm) — Tennis ball size, radar-estimated
    65 radar signatures · closest signature 5.27 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  47. June 24, 2024
    0.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
    1 radar signature · closest signature 20.04 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 20%
  48. June 22, 2024
    2.25 in (5.7 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    3 radar signatures · closest signature 22.47 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 90%
  49. June 5, 2024
    1.75 in (4.4 cm) — Golf ball size, radar-estimated
    8 radar signatures · closest signature 17.07 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 90%
  50. June 4, 2024
    1.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
    1 radar signature · closest signature 24.76 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  51. May 27, 2024
    1.50 in (3.8 cm) — Ping-pong ball size, radar-estimated
    2 radar signatures · closest signature 23.9 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  52. May 26, 2024
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    16 radar signatures · closest signature 6.87 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  53. May 24, 2024
    1.75 in (4.4 cm) — Golf ball size, radar-estimated
    13 radar signatures · closest signature 11.96 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 90%
  54. May 21, 2024
    2.25 in (5.7 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
    73 radar signatures · closest signature 2.67 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 90%
  55. May 20, 2024
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    21 radar signatures · closest signature 4.99 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 50%
  56. May 19, 2024
    3.00 in (7.6 cm) — Teacup size, radar-estimated
    9 radar signatures · closest signature 15.5 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%
  57. May 8, 2024
    0.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
    1 radar signature · closest signature 23.94 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  58. May 4, 2024
    0.50 in (1.3 cm) — Marble size, radar-estimated
    1 radar signature · closest signature 24.28 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 20%
  59. May 1, 2024
    1.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
    5 radar signatures · closest signature 13.59 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 60%
  60. April 27, 2024
    1.75 in (4.4 cm) — Golf ball size, radar-estimated
    30 radar signatures · closest signature 3.6 mi from the centroid · hail probability 100%, severe 100%

Showing the 60 most recent of 240. The full record is in the JSON we publish: des-moines-ia.json.

From people in Des Moines

The part of this page that no dataset can produce. Everything here is read by a human before it appears.

Neighbourhood reports

No reports for Des Moines yet. Be the first — it takes thirty seconds and it is the single most useful thing for the next person on this page.

No name, no email, no address. Structured fields only — why.

Claim outcomes

Nobody has shared a Des Moines claim outcome yet. Approved, denied, how long it took — anonymously. This is the number the industry never publishes.

Anonymous, and we do not ask which insurer — structured outcomes only, so nobody can be defamed and nobody can be identified.

Damage photos from Des Moines storms

No photos yet for Des Moines. Photos of real hail damage, tied to a real date and place, are the one thing on this subject the internet is genuinely short of.

By uploading you confirm the photo is yours and you are happy for it to appear on this page. Strip the location data first if you would rather not share it — we remove it on our side too. Terms.

Hail in Des Moines, IA: common questions

How often does Des Moines get damaging hail?

Radar recorded 240 hail days within 25 miles of the city centre between 2016 and 2025 — an average of 24.0 a year, of which 9.4 a year were at golf-ball size or larger. Not every one of those damages roofs.

When is hail season in Des Moines?

The busiest month in this record is June, and 2024 was the busiest single year with 36 hail days.

Does this mean my roof is damaged?

No. These are radar estimates of the largest stone aloft in a storm cell somewhere within 25 miles of the city centre. Whether anything landed on your street, and whether it damaged your particular roof, needs somebody to look.

How do I use this for an insurance claim?

A specific date with a public, citable source is what turns 'sometime last year' into a date of loss. Use the claim letter generator, which pulls the date and the NOAA citation in for you.

Why 25 miles?

It is wide enough to catch storms that clipped the metro and narrow enough that the number still means something for a house inside it. The same radius is used for every metro so the pages are comparable.

Get quotes from roofers who work in Des Moines

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