Waukee Hail — Storm History & NOAA Data for Waukee, IA

Data current as of 2026-10-16 · Sourced from NOAA Storm Events

Over the past five years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has recorded 170 hail storms within 25 miles of Waukee, IA. Of those, 125 produced hail at least quarter-size — the threshold most insurance carriers consider potentially damaging to asphalt shingles. The largest reported hail in this window was baseball-sized or larger, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 57 documented hail events.

Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Waukee

Hail Severity Breakdown — Waukee Area (Last 5 Years)

SeverityCountWhat it means for roofs
Catastrophic1 eventBaseball+ size, structural roof damage likely
Destructive9 eventsEgg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage
Severe24 eventsPing pong-size, granule loss and bruising common
Significant91 eventsQuarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold
Moderate45 eventsMarble-size, possible cosmetic damage

Waukee Hail Storms by Year

YearReported Hail Events Within 25 mi
202657 events
202515 events
202432 events
202327 events
202239 events

2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Waukee, with 57 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Waukee typically peaks in spring and early summer, when the jet stream pushes Gulf moisture into the area and supercell thunderstorms become more frequent.

Notable Recent Waukee Hail Storms

Recent Hail Events Near Waukee

DateLocationSeveritySizeNOAA Comments
2026-10-09 2 E Cumming, IA Significant 1.00" Picture of hail between Cumming and Norwalk. Time and location estimated from radar. Relayed via social media.
2026-10-09 1 S Cumming, IA Severe 1.75" Picture of golf ball sized hail south of Cumming. Relayed via broadcast media. Time and location estimated with radar. Delayed report.
2026-10-09 4 N Indianola, IA Significant 1.00" Social media report and picture of quarter sized hail north of Indianola. Time and location radar estimated. Delayed report.
2026-10-09 W Norwalk, IA Significant 1.25" —
2026-10-09 3 E Redfield, IA Severe 1.75" Social media report of gold ball sized hail east of Redfield. Time and location estimated with radar. Delayed report.
2026-10-09 Redfield, IA Significant 1.00" Broadcast media relayed report of quarter-size hail out of Redfield.
2026-10-09 De Soto, IA Significant 1.00" Social media report with picture of hail at least one inch in diameter in De Soto. Delayed report.
2026-09-08 4 SE Ankeny, IA Significant 1.25" Relayed public photo of a hailstone estimated at half dollar sized. Time and location also estimated.
2026-09-08 3 E Ankeny, IA Severe 1.50" Report from mPING: Ping Pong Ball (1.50 in.).
2026-09-08 Ankeny, IA Destructive 2.25" Report of 2.25 inch hail relayed from broadcast media via email.
2026-09-08 2 E Ankeny, IA Severe 1.50" Trained spotter reported largest hail around 1.5 inches and minor siding damage.
2026-09-08 1 NW Bondurant, IA Severe 1.75" Report from mPING: Golf Ball (1.75 in.).
2026-09-08 1 NW Altoona, IA Moderate 0.88" Time estimated.
2026-09-08 1 NW Bondurant, IA Significant 1.25" Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.).
2026-07-21 3 SSE Alleman, IA Significant 1.00" —
2026-07-21 West Des Moines, IA Significant 1.00" —
2026-07-21 2 SE Waukee, IA Significant 1.00" —
2026-07-21 Luther, IA Significant 1.00" —
2026-07-02 3 NE Windsor Heights, IA Severe 1.50" —
2026-07-02 4 NW Polk City, IA Significant 1.00" Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).

Wind Storm History — Waukee Area (Last 5 Years)

NOAA has recorded 133 high-wind events within 25 miles of Waukee, IA in the past five years. Of those, 133 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 81 mph.

SeverityCount
Severe60 events
Significant73 events

Recent Wind Events Near Waukee

DateLocationGust (mph)SeverityNOAA Comments
2026-09-08 2 NW Ankeny, IA 75 Severe Measured gust from a Personal Weather Station.
2026-09-08 3 NNE Ankeny, IA 68 Severe —
2026-09-08 3 NE Ankeny, IA 71 Severe Ankeny RWIS site measured a 71 MPH gust.
2026-09-08 3 SSE Madrid, IA 74 Severe Measured gust at a Personal Weather Station.
2026-09-08 Des Moines Int Airport, IA 66 Severe —
2026-08-13 2 NW Alleman, IA 61 Significant Measured from personal weather station.
2026-08-13 3 SW Polk City, IA 59 Significant Measured from personal weather station.
2026-07-21 2 W Ankeny, IA 58 Significant Measured from personal weather station.
2026-07-04 1 WNW Carlisle, IA 58 Significant PWS gust.
2026-07-04 Des Moines Int Airport, IA 58 Significant —
2026-07-04 Des Moines Int Airport, IA 58 Significant —
2026-04-24 6 WNW Winterset, IA 65 Severe —
2026-04-24 Des Moines Int Airport, IA 59 Significant —
2025-08-10 ADEL, IA 62 Significant Gust measured by personal weather station.
2025-08-10 HOWE, IA 60 Significant Tree snapped at the base in Stuart. Time estimated by radar.
2025-07-30 CAPITOL HGTS, IA 64 Severe Large hardwood tree uprooted and fell on home. Delayed Report. Time estimated from radar.
2025-07-28 URBANDALE, IA 58 Significant Large tree branches down in Urbandale due to collapsing storm.
2025-07-24 ELKHART, IA 61 Significant Peak wind gust from the RWIS mesonet station RAKI4 Ankeny.
2025-07-24 BONDURANT, IA 63 Significant Several large tree limbs down in town and small trees less than 6 inches in diameter. Some shingle damage. A microburst occurred over the northwest side of town.
2025-07-11 SWANWOOD, IA 60 Significant Ankeny airport reported a 52 kt gust.

Frequently Asked Questions About Waukee Hail

When was the last major hail storm in Waukee, IA?

The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Waukee was on October 9, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.

How often does it hail in Waukee?

Waukee averages roughly 34 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 125 of the 170 events recorded over the last five years.

How big does hail typically get in Waukee?

The largest documented hail near Waukee in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Waukee-area hail falls in the marble-to-quarter range, with destructive storms (egg-size or larger) appearing roughly once every few years.

Does my insurance cover hail damage in IA?

Most homeowners insurance policies in IA cover hail damage to roofs, siding, and gutters under the dwelling and other-structures coverage. Coverage typically requires the damage to be tied to a verifiable storm date — which is where the NOAA hail history above (and a HAAG-style test square validation) becomes important for the claim file.

How do I check hail history for a specific Waukee address?

Use the HailCheck address search to enter any street address in or near Waukee. HailCheck returns every NOAA hail event within a configurable radius, along with severity bands, dates, and storm narratives for Pro members.

What a HAAG-Style Test Square Validation Means in Waukee

If your property in or near Waukee took on hail during one of the storms above, the standard process for documenting damage is a 10×10 foot test square inspection. A HAAG-trained reviewer counts impact indicators — granule displacement, mat fractures, and bruising — within the marked square and produces a PASS or FAIL document for the claim file.

HailCheck offers a $99 photo-based HAAG-style test square validation. You submit photos from the field, our reviewer evaluates the impact indicators and cross-references the NOAA storm dates listed above, and a written PASS/FAIL determination is returned within one business day. We do not send anyone to the roof — the validation is built around the photos you submit.

Learn About $99 HAAG-Style Validation

Why Waukee's Location Matters for Hail

Waukee sits east of the traditional hail alley, where hail events are less frequent than the central plains but tend to be associated with strong squall lines and tropical systems. Local roof systems are less commonly hardened for hail, which can mean even moderate impacts produce claim-worthy damage.

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