Des Moines, IA Hail Storm – March 2026

What Happened

A severe hail storm moved through the Des Moines metro on March 30, 2026, producing spotter-verified 1-inch hail and a series of NWS alerts that stretched from early evening into the late evening hours. The event ended with a maximum confirmed hail size of 1 inch.

The first alert came at 6:03 PM CDT with 1-inch hail and spotter-reported confidence. Additional alerts followed at 8:44 PM CDT, 9:11 PM CDT, 9:53 PM CDT, 10:36 PM CDT, 10:48 PM CDT, and 10:55 PM CDT, all tied to 1-inch hail. The repeated warnings show a long-lived hail-producing storm complex across the metro.

Field reports backed up the warning sequence. At 6:22 PM CDT, a viewer report relayed through KCCI estimated hail at 0.7 inch. Later in the evening, two spotter-verified mPING reports at 10:16 PM CDT documented quarter-size hail at 1.00 inch. Two more spotter-verified reports at 10:20 PM CDT noted 0.75-inch hail, along with a measured 56 mph wind gust.

Damage Assessment

The field reports point to a storm that produced repeated small-to-marginally severe hail across parts of the Des Moines metro, with the strongest observations clustered around the late-evening period. The 10:16 PM CDT spotter reports confirm hail at the severe threshold, while the 10:20 PM CDT reports add a wind component strong enough to produce minor impact concerns in exposed areas.

No widespread structural damage was reported in the data provided. The available reports do show enough hail to affect vehicles, soft metals, and roof surfaces that were already vulnerable. The 56 mph gust measured with the late reports also raises the chance of brief wind-related nuisance damage, especially where hail and wind hit at the same time.

The early evening KCCI viewer report at 6:22 PM CDT, estimated from radar, suggests hail reached the ground before the later spotter-confirmed reports. That sequence fits a storm track that kept producing hail over multiple hours rather than a single short pulse.

For contractors, the most useful signal here is the repetition. Multiple 1-inch alerts and several spotter-verified reports in the same metro mean crews should check for scattered but real hail impact across neighborhoods, not just at the most obvious report points. Focus on vehicle lots, roof edges, soft metal flashings, gutters, siding on exposed elevations, and any homes with prior wear.

What Contractors Should Know

Des Moines received hail reports spread across the evening, so canvass routes should cover a wide metro footprint rather than a single corridor. Start with the areas that saw the late reports, then work backward toward the earlier warning times. Roof and exterior damage may not line up neatly with one alert location, especially where the storm kept redeveloping and dropping hail at different times.

The report set includes both quarter-size hail and sub-severe hail near the same time window, along with a measured 56 mph gust. That combination supports a targeted inspection approach. Check for bruised shingles, dented ridge vents, damaged screens, and roof-mounted mechanicals. On commercial sites, look at flat roof drains, HVAC fins, and perimeter metal trim. On residential streets, parked cars and garage doors may show the clearest first signs.