Between 22:53 and 23:17 UTC on September 8, 2026, Ames had 6 hail reports within 25 miles, reported from Polk County. The largest stone measured 2.25 in. at Ankeny, Polk County. Nearest to Ames was a report 20.6 miles out (2 E Ankeny).
The first Ames report is stamped 22:53 UTC: 2.25-inch hail at Ankeny (21.0 mi south). The last is 23:17 UTC: 1.75-inch hail at 1 NW Bondurant (24.2 mi south-southeast).
The farthest report from the center is 1 NW Bondurant (24.2 mi south-southeast): 1.75-inch hail, 3.6 miles beyond the nearest one.
Sizes on Sep 8 run from 1.25 in. at 1 NW Bondurant to 2.25 in. at Ankeny around 22:53 UTC.
The Ames event before this one is Monday, July 20, 2026, 50 days earlier, with 6 reports. Its largest stone measured 2.75 in.; Sep 8 reached 2.25 in.
Where the hail fell
- under 0.75 in
- 0.75 to 0.99
- 1.00 to 1.74
- 1.75 to 2.49
- 2.50 and up
How many reports fell close to the city
| Distance from city center | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|
| Within 5 miles | 0 | — |
| Within 10 miles | 0 | — |
| Within 25 miles | 6 | 2.25″ |
Reported hail, report by report
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22:53 | 2.25″ | Ankeny, Polk County | 21.0 mi |
| 23:17 | 1.75″ | 1 NW Bondurant, Polk County | 24.2 mi |
| 23:08 | 1.50″ | 2 E Ankeny, Polk County | 20.6 mi |
| 23:09 | 1.50″ | 3 E Ankeny, Polk County | 20.6 mi |
| 23:09 | 1.25″ | 1 NW Bondurant, Polk County | 24.2 mi |
| 23:10 | 1.25″ | 4 SE Ankeny, Polk County | 23.4 mi |
The rows above come from preliminary Local Storm Reports of the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Sizes are reported hailstone diameters; times are UTC. Reports can be added or corrected for about a day after the event. Where a report carries no distance, it is measured in a straight line from its coordinates to the city center.
What 2.25 in. hail on September 8, 2026 means for a Ames roof
| Size class | Reports | Share | Largest report in class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | 4 | 67% | 2 E Ankeny, 23:08 UTC |
| 1.75 to 2.49 in | 2 | 33% | Ankeny, 22:53 UTC |
6 of the 6 sized Ames reports reached 1 in. The 2.25 in. stone at Ankeny, Polk County falls in the 1.75 to 2.49 in class; on September 8, 2026 that is golf ball to hen egg territory for Ames.
How the storm moved through the area
| Hour (UTC) | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|
| 22:00 | 1 | 2.25″ |
| 23:00 | 5 | 1.75″ |
What spotters wrote
2.25″, Ankeny at 22:53 UTC: Report of 2.25 inch hail relayed from broadcast media via email.
1.50″, 2 E Ankeny at 23:08 UTC: Trained spotter reported largest hail around 1.5 inches and minor siding damage.
1.25″, 4 SE Ankeny at 23:10 UTC: Relayed public photo of a hailstone estimated at half dollar sized. Time and location also estimated.
How this day compares with other hail days
Ames has 3 hail days in our NOAA log; by largest hailstone, September 8, 2026 ranks #2 of them. Logged days closest in time to September 8, 2026:
The same storm in nearby cities
On September 8 the log holds 1 matched city in 1 state; Ames has no neighbour within 220 miles, so its hail stood alone on September 8.
Where the claim clocks stand for the Ames storm
Ames: that storm was 47 days ago. Rows marked passed are not cut-off dates on their own; the only legal limits are the ones tagged statute. For Ames the photo window, the inspection and the target filing date (Tue, Sep 15) are already behind us.
- 30 days run from the proof of loss you file, not from Sep 8. Statute text
Ames: insurer clocks counted from a claim filed Tue, Sep 15; working-day clocks skip weekends. Claim deadlines for Ames, IA. Hail claim guide for Iowa. Not legal advice; your own reporting deadline comes from your policy.
September 8 against the Story County September record
Ames's September 8 log shows 2.25 in. hail. The record September in Story County since 2014 is 2019, with 7 reports and a largest stone of 1.50 in.
Hail history near Ames: not the first
Ames’s county has logged 126 hail events since 2017; if this one leads to a replacement, ask about Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, which some insurers discount. Check your own address on the hail risk lookup.
See all roofing contractors in Ames, IA
What the sizes reported on September 8, 2026 can do to a roof
| Size class in Ames's reports | Looks like | Reports | What that size can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | quarter to ping-pong ball | 4 | Shingles can bruise and shed granules, often unseen from the ground. |
| 1.75 to 2.49 in | golf ball to hen egg | 2 | Can fracture older shingles and dent vents, flashing and gutters. |
Size classes follow the SPC report diameters; the damage wording is general, not a finding about any one roof.
This date among 2026's matched hail days
In 2026 the feed holds 3 matched hail days for Ames. Ranked by largest stone, then report count, September 8, 2026 is #2 of them.
Ranked by largest stone, then by report count. Only dates the SPC feed matched to a covered city are counted.
The week after September 8, 2026
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Ames or to the 1 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Tue, Sep 8, through Tue, Sep 15.
Questions about this storm
Ames, September 8, 2026: how big was the hail?
At Ankeny, Polk County, the largest SPC report was 2.25 in.
Ames, September 8, 2026: how close did the hail fall?
The nearest report sat 20.6 miles from the city center and the farthest 24.2 miles. Within 10 miles: 0 of 6 reports.
Ames, September 8, 2026: how long did the hail last?
Reports are stamped from 22:53 to 23:17 UTC, a window of 24 minutes. Late reports can still be added for about a day.
Ames, September 8, 2026: was this the worst hail day on record?
Ames has 3 logged hail days; September 8, 2026 ranks #2 for Ames, at 2.25 in. The best other day reached 2.75 in.
Ames, September 8, 2026: what dates apply to a Iowa insurer?
A claim filed on Tue, Sep 15 puts Ames's insurer on the clock: acknowledgment by Wed, Sep 30; decision 30 days after proof of loss. That is Iowa law, applied to Ames. Information, not legal advice; Ames homeowners find their own reporting deadline in the policy.
Do I need an inspection if my roof looks fine?
Often, yes. Hail bruises and granule loss are hard to see from the ground. A dated inspection scope is what ties damage to this storm rather than to ordinary wear.
What did the feed log near Ames in the week after September 8, 2026?
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Ames or to the 1 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Tue, Sep 8, through Tue, Sep 15.
About these numbers
Every figure on this page comes from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center Local Storm Reports file, matched to reports within 25 miles of the city center. Reports are preliminary: they come from trained spotters, emergency managers, the public and mPING app submissions, and sizes are often estimated against a coin or ball. We do not adjust them. A roofer tagged Verified holds a license or registration we confirmed in a public registry. That tag says nothing about coverage, so ask whoever you pick for a current certificate of insurance before signing.
More Resources
All recent local hail · Roofing contractors · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs here · Emergency roof repair