Hail Reports in Ames, Iowa — Last 90 Days

Hail near Ames in the last 90 days

• 2.25 inLargest hail in 90 days (golf-ball size)
• 1Hail day near Ames
• 6SPC reports
• September 8, 2026Most recent event

Around Ames, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center logged 6 hail reports within 25 miles between September 8 and September 8, 2026, spread over 1 storm day. That day brought stones of 1″ or more, and 0 of the 6 Ames reports with coordinates fell within 10 miles of the city center. In a typical year Ames sees about 5 hail-producing storms.

Ames's storm-climate context

Ames sits in a humid continental climate where roofs face punishment from all directions. The record high of 109 F on July 24, 1901 drives UV degradation and thermal cycling, while the record low of -37 F on January 25, 1894 tests every seal and fastener. Average annual snowfall of 28.3 inches means repeated snow-load stress followed by freeze-thaw cycles that work water under shingles and expand flashing gaps. Central Iowa's hail-prone spring season compounds granule loss on asphalt shingles. Combined, the wide temperature swing and significant snowpack make roof inspections after each winter and after major hailstorms a practical necessity.

Ames reported a 2020 census population of 66,427. Iowa State University is the city's dominant employer at 18,212 workers, followed by Mary Greeley Medical Center (1,407) and the City of Ames (1,382). The university drives a large and stable rental-housing stock where property managers must maintain roofs on a defined cycle, creating steady contractor demand. Historically low unemployment supports homeowner investment in repairs and replacements.

How close the hail came

Of the 6 Ames reports, the closest landed 20.6 miles from the city center on September 8, 2026 (1.50″ at 2 E Ankeny). September 8, 2026 was the heaviest day around Ames, with 6 reports and a top stone of 2.25″. Near Ames, 1 of 1 hail day reached 1″ or larger.

Distances are straight-line from the city center to each SPC report point; reports without coordinates are left out of the table.

Hail events near Ames by date

The Ames tables above list preliminary Local Storm Reports from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Sizes are reported hailstone diameters; times are UTC. Reports can be added or corrected for about a day after each event. A quiet log does not mean no hail: small or unreported events happen. The closest report in this window landed 20.6 miles from Ames's center.

On the Ames map, circle positions are the NOAA SPC report coordinates; tap a circle for the date and hail size.

Hail size: < 1″ 1–1.75″ ≥ 2″ not recorded

How severe was it? The NWS yardstick, applied to Ames's reports

Hail history in Ames: the long picture

County-level NOAA records for the county behind Ames, 2014–June 2026. Each figure shows its source. Storms after the archive ends are not in these numbers. Ranks count from 1, the highest.

Ames against the 209 cities we cover

• #65of 209Days with hail 1 in or larger in Ames: middle
• #61of 209Days with hail 1.75 in or larger (golf ball) in Ames: middle
• #134of 209Days with 58+ mph thunderstorm wind in Ames: middle
• #61of 209Tornadoes in Ames: middle
• #97of 209Reported storm property damage in Ames: middle
• #149of 209Share of homes built before 1980 in Ames: middle

For Ames's county, NOAA records a most severe stone of 2.50″ and 126 hail events since 2017, close to 13 every year. Set against that baseline, the 1 hail day near Ames in the 90-day window above runs below the long-term average rate. Check your own Ames address on the hail risk lookup.

Compared to the Iowa county median of 80 hail events since 2017, Ames's county runs 1.6× above average.

Three ways a storm reaches a roof

2023 was the standout hail year in Ames's county on both counts: the most recorded events (36) and the largest stone (2.50″).

In a market with repeat hail, impact-resistant Class 4 shingles often pay for themselves through insurer premium discounts — worth discussing with a Ames roofer if a recent event tips you into a replacement.

Story County fact sheet for Ames homeowners

Housing age, federal disaster declarations and your state's claim deadlines in one place. All three come from public records, county level.

What to do if your roof was in the hail path

1. Stay off the roof and read the yard instead. 20.6 miles from the Ames city center (2 E Ankeny, September 8, 2026) is where the nearest report fell in the last 90 days. Look at your Ames downspouts for granules and at gutters, vents and screens for dents.
2. Document everything before any repair. September 8, 2026 is the worst day in the Ames log: 6 reports, largest 2.25 in. Dated photos, a hailstone next to a coin and this NOAA log tie the loss to a specific storm day.
3. Have a roofer look before you decide. The single hail day near Ames reached 1 inch or more, yet from the ground a Ames roof can look fine while bruising and granule loss sit on it. Only a roofer's written scope shows whether there is a claim.
4. Know the insurer's clocks in Iowa and your own. Hail last fell near Ames 47 days ago. The policy sets your reporting window, while Iowa law sets how fast the insurer must answer (page linked below).
5. Bring the written scope to the adjuster. A Ames estimate stays honest when the adjuster receives your contractor's written scope. Step-by-step: the roof insurance claim guide.

Insurer clocks for Ames homeowners: rule text, quotes and links on the Iowa claim-deadlines page (checked 2026-10-09). Not legal advice.

Hail in Ames — questions homeowners ask

Check your own ZIP in Ames

The county figures above average over everything inside the county line. For a score tied to your Ames address, run your ZIP through the hail risk lookup — Ames ZIP codes include 50010, 50011, 50014, 500106, 50012.

Ames neighborhoods — hail exposure varies by area

Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in West Ames, Northwest Ames, Old Town Ames, East Village or College Green, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Ames's center is listed for each report.

More resources

• Roofing contractors in Ames
• Storm damage repair in Ames
• Roof repair in Ames
• Roof inspection in Ames
• Insurance claim guide
• Hail insurance claims in Iowa
• Roof replacement costs in Ames
• Emergency roof repair
• All recent hail reports
• Hail risk lookup

Sources: NOAA Storm Prediction Center Local Storm Reports (last 90 days, preliminary) and the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county of the city, 2014–June 2026); U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (housing). The Storm Events archive used here ends in 2025, so storms between that date and the start of the 90-day log are not shown. How we collect data. Are you a roofer in Ames? See how requests reach contractors.