Ankeny, Iowa Hail Report and Map: March 31, 2026
Was there hail in Ankeny, IA on March 31, 2026? Radar estimated hail up to 0.93 inch inside the town limits of Ankeny on March 31, 2026 (Eastern time). Radar estimates of at least 0.5 inch covered 56% of the town. Across the report area, the maximum radar estimate was 1.34 inches. The strongest part of the swath was about 34 miles west of Ankeny, IA. Radar detected hail aloft in this area between about 11:00 p.m. CT on March 30, 2026 and 12:15 a.m. CT on March 31, 2026.
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Hail estimates at a glance
| Storm date (Eastern time) | March 31, 2026 (Tuesday) |
|---|---|
| Maximum radar estimate across the area | 1.34 inches; strongest part of the swath about 34 miles west of Ankeny, IA |
| Maximum radar estimate inside Ankeny | 0.93 inch |
| Share of Ankeny with radar estimates of at least 0.5 inch | 56% |
| Approximate radar timing | Between about 11:00 p.m. CT on March 30, 2026 and 12:15 a.m. CT on March 31, 2026 (Central time) |
| County coverage includes (0.5 inch or larger) | Dallas County (107 sq mi), Polk County (72 sq mi), Jasper County (30 sq mi) and Guthrie County (5 sq mi) |
| Area with radar estimates of 0.5 inch or larger | about 213 square miles |
| Area with radar estimates of 1 inch or larger | about 6 square miles |
| Source | NOAA MRMS radar hail estimates (MESH) |
Which towns had hail on March 31, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankeny, IA | Polk County | 0.93 inch | 56% |
| Johnston, IA | Polk County | 0.93 inch | 47% |
| Grimes, IA | Polk County | 0.79 inch | 28% |
| Polk City, IA | Polk County | 0.77 inch | 33% |
| Valeria, IA | 0.76 inch | 100% | |
| Mingo, IA | 0.75 inch | 49% |
What time did radar detect hail?
Radar detected hail aloft in this area between about 11:00 p.m. CT on March 30, 2026 and 12:15 a.m. CT on March 31, 2026. We used 17 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.
This report shares at least one town with the report for March 30, 2026. Storm dates run from midnight to midnight Eastern time, so a late-evening storm farther west can appear under two dates. See the Ankeny, IA report for March 30, 2026.
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.