Ames, Iowa Hail Report and Map: June 17, 2026
Was there hail in Ames, IA on June 17, 2026? Radar estimated hail up to 0.97 inch inside the town limits of Ames on June 17, 2026 (Eastern time). Radar estimates of at least 0.5 inch covered 100% of the town. Across the report area, the maximum radar estimate was 1.59 inches. The strongest part of the swath was about 50 miles southeast of Ames, IA. Radar detected hail aloft in this area between about 3:25 a.m. and 7:55 a.m. CT on June 17, 2026.
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Hail estimates at a glance
| Storm date (Eastern time) | June 17, 2026 (Wednesday) |
|---|---|
| Maximum radar estimate across the area | 1.59 inches; strongest part of the swath about 50 miles southeast of Ames, IA |
| Maximum radar estimate inside Ames | 0.97 inch |
| Share of Ames with radar estimates of at least 0.5 inch | 100% |
| Approximate radar timing | Between about 3:25 a.m. and 7:55 a.m. CT on June 17, 2026 (Central time) |
| County coverage includes (0.5 inch or larger) | Mahaska County (423 sq mi), Jasper County (393 sq mi), Webster County (295 sq mi), Calhoun County (284 sq mi), Wapello County (243 sq mi) and Story County (237 sq mi) |
| Area with radar estimates of 0.5 inch or larger | about 3,088 square miles |
| Area with radar estimates of 1 inch or larger | about 172 square miles |
| Source | NOAA MRMS radar hail estimates (MESH) |
Which towns had hail on June 17, 2026?
Radar estimated hail of at least 0.5 inch inside these town limits, using U.S. Census boundaries. Each percentage is the share of town area with those estimates.
| Town | County | Maximum radar estimate inside town limits | Town area with estimates of at least 0.5 inch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm Lake, IA | Buena Vista County | 1.03 inches | 86% |
| Batavia, IA | Jefferson County | 1.02 inches | 100% |
| New Sharon, IA | Mahaska County | 0.99 inch | 100% |
| Ottumwa, IA | Wapello County | 0.98 inch | 66% |
| Manson, IA | Calhoun County | 0.98 inch | 97% |
| Ames, IA | Story County | 0.97 inch | 100% |
| Rockwell City, IA | Calhoun County | 0.97 inch | 100% |
| Callender, IA | 0.96 inch | 100% | |
| Twin Lakes, IA | 0.96 inch | 100% | |
| Sac City, IA | Sac County | 0.9 inch | 91% |
| Larrabee, IA | 0.89 inch | 90% | |
| Pella, IA | Marion County | 0.86 inch | 51% |
| Holstein, IA | Ida County | 0.84 inch | 63% |
| Sully, IA | Jasper County | 0.84 inch | 100% |
| Libertyville, IA | 0.84 inch | 100% | |
| Lynnville, IA | 0.82 inch | 100% | |
| Nevada, IA | Story County | 0.81 inch | 99% |
| Dayton, IA | Webster County | 0.81 inch | 100% |
| Early, IA | Sac County | 0.8 inch | 100% |
| Gilbert, IA | Story County | 0.78 inch | 100% |
| Knierim, IA | 0.78 inch | 100% | |
| Newton, IA | Jasper County | 0.77 inch | 70% |
| Oskaloosa, IA | Mahaska County | 0.76 inch | 93% |
| University Park, IA | 0.76 inch | 100% | |
| Agency, IA | Wapello County | 0.75 inch | 100% |
How big was the hail in Ames?
Radar estimated hail up to 0.97 inch inside the town limits of Ames. Among the listed towns, the highest estimate was 1.03 inches inside the limits of Storm Lake. A town's maximum isn't an estimate for every home. Check the swath for estimates around an address.
What time did radar detect hail?
Radar detected hail aloft in this area between about 3:25 a.m. and 7:55 a.m. CT on June 17, 2026. We used 173 NOAA radar hail detections in this area to estimate the window. We trim outlying detection times when enough are available, then round down to five-minute marks. It doesn't give an arrival time at an address.
Data source and limits
We use NOAA's MRMS radar product MESH (Maximum Estimated Size of Hail) for hail-size estimates. Each town's figure is the maximum inside its Census town limits. The percentage is the town area with estimates of at least 0.5 inch. A town's maximum isn't an estimate for every home. Each storm date covers one calendar day in Eastern time. A late-evening storm west of the Eastern time zone can appear under two dates. Radar estimates don't confirm hail on the ground or roof damage. Hail of 0.5 to 0.75 inch can damage roofs, especially older roofs. An estimate below 1 inch doesn't rule out damage. Read how we calculate sizes and times.