Kingsley, IA Hail Storm – June 2025

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through Kingsley, Iowa, on June 14, 2025, producing spotter-verified stones up to 1.25 inches and a mix of quarter- to half-dollar-size hail across the evening period. The storm generated eight separate NWS alerts from 5:47 PM CDT through 9:48 PM CDT.

The earliest alert at 5:47 PM CDT called for 1-inch hail with radar and spotter verification. Four minutes later, at 5:51 PM CDT, the warning was upgraded to 1.25-inch hail with the same confidence level. Field reports followed quickly. At 5:51 PM CDT, a spotter reported pea to nickel-size hail and 1.25 inches of rain in a half hour. Two minutes later, another report noted pea to nickel-size hail.

By 5:55 PM CDT, a spotter described infrequent larger stones ranging from quarter to half-dollar size. At 5:56 PM CDT, another report tied significant damage to campers at Willow Creek Campground to hail and wind-driven hail that lasted about 10 minutes. A 6:00 PM CDT report from the golf course noted hail on the ground there as well.

The storm remained active into the evening. Additional alerts at 6:30 PM CDT, 6:32 PM CDT, 6:36 PM CDT, 7:08 PM CDT, and 7:13 PM CDT carried 1-inch hail signals, with one 6:32 PM CDT alert based on dual-polarization radar confidence. The final alert came at 9:48 PM CDT and again pointed to 1.25-inch hail on dual-polarization radar. A later spotter report at 7:20 PM CDT described heavy rain, strong winds, small twigs down, and standing water in a backyard.

Damage Assessment

The field reports point to localized impact rather than broad structural loss. Willow Creek Campground took the clearest hit. Spotters reported significant damage to campers from hail and wind-driven hail, with the hail lasting around 10 minutes. That report came during the same period when quarter- to half-dollar-size stones were being observed nearby.

Other reports show surface-level impact across parts of Kingsley. Hail was observed at the golf course around 6:00 PM CDT. One report noted ground coverage from pea to nickel-size hail. Another described pea to dime-size hail earlier in the event. The 7:20 PM CDT report added light debris and ponding, with small twigs down and standing water in a backyard.

Rain also came in hard with the hail. One spotter measured 1.25 inches in a half hour. That amount fell during the same window as the largest hail reports. The combination of hail, heavy rain, and wind-driven hail likely concentrated the impact on exposed property and open areas first, including campers, vehicles, and outdoor recreation sites.

The alert sequence shows repeated hail signals through the evening, but the ground reports were strongest near the campground and golf course. The damage picture matches a storm that produced short-duration but sharp surface impact in a narrow corridor.

What Contractors Should Know