Story County, Iowa: hail history 2014–2026
The National Weather Service logged 153 hail reports in Story County between January 2014 and June 2026. On 27 days the largest stone was an inch or bigger, the size NWS calls severe. The biggest was 2.75 inches, about the size of a baseball, reported on April 12, 2014 near Roland. May is the peak month (34% of reports).
- 153hail reports, 2014–2026
- 27days with hail of 1 in or more
- 8days with hail of 1.75 in or more (golf ball)
- 2.75 inlargest stone reported
Has severe hail hit Story County since my roof was put on?
Our record covers 2014–2026 only. A roof older than 2014 has also been through hail we do not show here. A day counts when at least one report of 1 inch or larger was filed in the county, so it does not mean your own roof was hit; an inspection is the only way to know.
Year by year
| Year | Reports | Days 1 in+ | Days 1.75 in+ | Largest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 2.75 in |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.75 in |
| 2017 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 2 in |
| 2018 | 30 | 5 | 2 | 2.25 in |
| 2019 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1.5 in |
| 2020 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2.5 in |
| 2021 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.88 in |
| 2022 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1.25 in |
| 2023 | 36 | 3 | 2 | 2.5 in |
| 2024 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1.25 in |
| 2025 | 15 | 4 | 0 | 1.5 in |
When hail hits: reports by month
| Jan | 0 |
|---|---|
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 22 |
| Apr | 33 |
| May | 52 |
| Jun | 15 |
| Jul | 17 |
| Aug | 5 |
| Sep | 8 |
| Oct | 1 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
May alone has 34% of the 153 reports. Book an inspection before the first month with reports so crews still have dates.
Where hail of 1 inch or more was reported in Story County
- 1 to 1.74 in
- 1.75 to 2.74 in (golf ball to tennis ball)
- 2.75 in and up (baseball)
115 reports of 1 inch or larger have coordinates. Each dot is a place a spotter, a trained observer or the public reported hail, not a measured storm path.
Sources: NOAA Storm Events (report locations) · US Census cartographic boundary (county outline, public domain)The ten biggest hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Reports | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 12, 2014 | 2.75 in, a baseball | 17 | Roland |
| May 7, 2023 | 2.5 in, a tennis ball | 15 | Ames |
| July 11, 2020 | 2.5 in, a tennis ball | 14 | Roland |
| May 25, 2018 | 2.25 in, a hen egg | 10 | Huxley |
| May 1, 2018 | 2 in, a hen egg | 8 | Nevada |
| June 28, 2017 | 2 in, a hen egg | 3 | Colo |
| March 31, 2023 | 1.75 in, a golf ball | 15 | Ontario |
| May 20, 2014 | 1.75 in, a golf ball | 7 | Ames |
| September 14, 2019 | 1.5 in, a ping-pong ball | 7 | Ames |
| June 6, 2018 | 1.5 in, a ping-pong ball | 6 | Ames |
“Emergency manager relayed a report of tennis ball sized hail at the intersection of 620th ave and 120th st in Story County.”
National Weather Service report, July 11, 2020
“Large hail nearly tennis ball size was measured and reported in Huxley.”
National Weather Service report, May 25, 2018
“After a complex of storms moved through the state in the early morning hours of the 28th, producing a smattering of sub-severe to severe hail, the area found itself entrenched firmly within the warm sector of a low pressure system passing to the northwest.”
National Weather Service report, June 28, 2017
Tornadoes in Story County
NOAA lists 12 tornadoes in the county in 2014–2026; the 8 strongest are below. Tornadoes tear off whole roof sections, which is a different repair from hail bruising.
| Date | Rating | Path length | Width | Near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2024 | EF2 | 23.29 mi | 1000 yd | Cambridge · 0 deaths, 2 injured |
| June 7, 2015 | EF1 | 0.92 mi | 35 yd | Ames Arpt |
| March 6, 2017 | EF0 | 5.34 mi | 85 yd | Gilbert |
| July 19, 2018 | EF0 | 2.79 mi | 60 yd | Roland |
| July 19, 2018 | EF0 | 2.48 mi | 40 yd | Collins |
| July 19, 2018 | EF0 | 2.07 mi | 40 yd | Story City |
| June 30, 2014 | EF0 | 2.01 mi | 90 yd | Zearing |
| August 21, 2017 | EF0 | 1.37 mi | 80 yd | Kelley |
Strongest thunderstorm gusts
| Date | Gust | Near |
|---|---|---|
| August 10, 2020 | 100 mph | Slater |
| August 10, 2020 | 100 mph | Zearing |
| June 7, 2015 | 86 mph | Ames Arpt |
| June 7, 2015 | 86 mph | Ames Arpt |
| April 13, 2018 | 86 mph | Story City |
| June 30, 2014 | 75 mph | Zearing |
Gust speeds are measured or estimated; reports in knots are converted to mph.
What to do with this
- Find the year your roof went on (closing papers, permit, a past invoice). Use the box above to see how many severe hail days it has lived through.
- After any day on the table, photograph the roof and keep the date: insurers ask for it.
- Get a free inspection from a local roofer: Ames.
Story County cities we cover
Other Iowa counties
- Linn County (175 reports)
All counties: hail history hub · live hail map. Data: NOAA Storm Events Database, 2014–2026, county level, public domain. The 2026 row is partial: NOAA's file ran to June 2026 when we loaded it on 2026-10-06. Reports are filed by spotters, trained observers and the public; one storm can produce many reports. Not a forecast, not legal advice.