How big was the hail on May 21, 2024?

The maximum estimated stone size anywhere in Iowa that day was 2.00 inches. Sizes vary street to street inside a single swath, so a city's figure is the largest radar estimated anywhere within about 5 miles of it.

Does this mean roofs were damaged?

Radar measures stone size, not damage. Whether a particular roof was damaged depends on stone size, wind direction, roof age and material — only an inspection settles it. These figures tell you where it is worth looking.

How do I see the actual swath on a map?

A HailMate plan puts the whole of Iowa on a real interactive map with this swath and three years of others already on it. $79/mo, and the canvassing tools come with it.

Iowa · May 21, 2024

Iowa hail map — May 21, 2024

Name: Iowa hail map — May 21, 2024
Creator: HailMate

NOAA radar detected hail of an inch or more over 3 Iowa cities on May 21, 2024. The largest stones — 2.00″, hen egg size — fell over Council Bluffs.

Hail swath map for Council Bluffs, IA on May 21, 2024 showing 2.00 inch hail. — Swath over Council Bluffs on May 21, 2024 — 2.00″ hail. Each city below has its own map for this storm.

Cities hit: 3; in Iowa
Largest stone: 2.00″; hen egg size
Impact rating: 7/10; from stone size

Sizes come from NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), which runs about ±0.25″ against ground truth. It is canvass-targeting quality, not claim evidence.

Roofing contractors

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All of Iowa at street level, with this storm already on it
Three years of hail swaths, filterable by stone size
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Homeowners

Did hail hit your address?

This page covers Iowa as a whole. Check your own address to see every storm on record for your roof — the date and the stone size for each one — and we'll email you the full report to keep.

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Free, and no account needed to look it up. If hail did hit, you can ask for a free inspection from a vetted local roofer.

Iowa cities hit on May 21, 2024

Council Bluffs, IA2.00″ · hen egg Dubuque, IA1.00″ · quarter Cedar Falls, IA1.00″ · quarter

What people on the ground measured in Iowa on May 21, 2024

12 reports filed with the National Weather Service — 3 from trained spotters or officials. These are measured stones, not radar estimates, so they are the closest thing to proof that hail actually reached the ground.

2.00″ hen egg size Public
2 SSE Pella, IA11:20 AM CDTMarion County
via social media.
2.00″ hen egg size CO-OP Observer
2 S Pella, IA11:20 AM CDTMarion County
1.75″ golf ball size Amateur Radio
3 N Council Bluffs, IA6:06 AM CDTPottawattamie County
1.75″ golf ball size Fire Dept/Rescue
5 WNW New Sharon, IA11:39 AM CDTMahaska County
Golf ball hail in Taintor. Time estimated from radar.
1.75″ golf ball size Trained Spotter
1 NNW Center Junction, IA6:02 PM CDTJones County
JO100 spotter ID called in Hail report.. sent picture to Facebook. Kurt Andreesen Farmstead. 1 mile north Center Junction IA.
1.75″ golf ball size Emergency Mngr
3 E Tipton, IA6:46 PM CDTCedar County
1.75″ golf ball size Public
Bennett, IA7:55 PM CDTCedar County
Social media report of golf ball size hail. Time estimated by radar.
1.50″ half dollar size Trained Spotter
2 E Melrose, IA5:38 PM CDTMonroe County
1.50″ half dollar size Public
3 W Delmar, IA6:41 PM CDTClinton County
Report from mPING: Ping Pong Ball (1.50 in.).
1.25″ half dollar size Public
2 N Council Bluffs, IA6:12 AM CDTPottawattamie County
1.25″ half dollar size Public
4 W Red Oak, IA2:32 PM CDTMontgomery County
Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.).
1.25″ half dollar size Public
Creston, IA3:42 PM CDTUnion County
Estimated half dollar sized hail in Creston. Time estimated with radar.

Showing the 12 largest of 43 hail reports filed that day.

Reports come from the National Weather Service Local Storm Report feed, ingested every 15 minutes. A report records where the observer was, not the full extent of the swath — treat it as evidence about the storm, not about any one roof.

Other states hit on May 21, 2024

Oklahoma6 cities · 2.00″Nebraska3 cities · 1.50″Florida11 cities · 1.50″Kansas2 cities · 1.00″New York1 city · 1.00″

The full US hail map for May 21, 2024 →

Other Iowa hail days

August 12, 20262 cities · 1.00″August 7, 20262 cities · 1.00″July 27, 20263 cities · 1.00″July 21, 20261 city · 1.00″July 20, 20267 cities · 1.50″July 4, 20261 city · 1.00″July 3, 20263 cities · 1.00″July 2, 20267 cities · 1.00″July 1, 20261 city · 1.50″June 30, 20261 city · 1.00″June 28, 20262 cities · 1.00″June 17, 20261 city · 1.00″

Every hail day across Iowa →

FAQ

Iowa hail on May 21, 2024

NOAA radar put hail of an inch or more over 3 Iowa cities that day. The largest stones — 2.00 inches, hen egg size — were over Council Bluffs. Every city hit is listed above with its own stone size.

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