Hail, Pocahontas
- When
- May 10, 10:29 AM CST
- Where
- Pocahontas County, Pocahontas
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.733, -94.667
Hail in Iowa, May 10, 2001
An area of thunderstorms formed ahead of an advancing cold frontal system to the northwest. Though most of the storms were not severe, one cell did produce nickle size hail as it moved across the town of Pocahontas.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS DMX wrote it up.
An area of thunderstorms formed ahead of an advancing cold frontal system to the northwest. Though most of the storms were not severe, one cell did produce nickle size hail as it moved across the town of Pocahontas. Damage was minor with this storm.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Des Moines, IA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 10, 8:50 AM CST, 1 hour 39 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 10, 8:50 AM CST, 1 hour 39 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 950 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001 SHORT TERM... ANOTHER INTERESTING MESOSCALE FORECAST TODAY, WITH NUMEROUS OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES, AND MCS POTENTIAL. THREATS SHOULD REMAIN HAIL, DAMAGING WINDS, BUT ALSO LOCAL FLASH FLOODING IN SOUTHERN IA AFTER LAST NIGHTS RAINFALL. CONVECTION IN NW IA IS DEVELOPING ON RETURN FLOW AROUND SURFACE TO 850 MB MESO HIGH IN SE IA AND MO. 850 MB FRONTOGENESIS HAS INCREASED FROM SW MN IN NORTHERN NEBR AS WELL WITH MCS GENERATION OCCURING ON SOUTHERN PERIPHERY. INFLOW ENVIRONMENT LOOKS FAVORABLE FOR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT BASED ON OAX AND TOP SOUNDINGS WITH MODIFIED ENVIRONMENT FOR THIS AFTERNOON INCREASING CAPES TO 2500-3000 J/KG. FBY WIND PROFILE MUCH MORE FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELLS THAN SLA/NLG, BUT THAT IS NOT ACCOUNTING FOR STRONGER E-SE STORM MOTION CURRENTLY DEPICTED ON 88D. WILL UPDATE ZONES TO ACCOUNT FOR EARLIER SEVERE THREAT IN CENTRAL AND NC IA. MESOETA APPEARS TO HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THIS, WITH MESOHIGH/OUTFLOW BOUNDARY IN SOUTHERN IA BY 21Z AND RELOADING FOR MCS THIS EVENING. WILL CONSIDER FFA FOR SOUTHERN IA AS SITUATION EVOLVES. .DSM...NONE KULA
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 10, 4:32 AM CST, 5 hours 57 minutes before
CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
532 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
A COLD FRONT WILL STEADILY MOVE SOUTH ACROSS THE STATE TODAY.
MEANWHILE...AN UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ALONG THE
FRONT WITH THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHERN IOWA BY LATE
THIS MORNING. THESE STORMS WILL MOVE STEADILY SOUTH ACROSS THE
STATE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING HOURS BEFORE EXITING
SOUTHERN IOWA AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE HIGHEST THREAT FOR SEVERE
WEATHER WILL BE ACROSS SOUTHERN IOWA WHERE THE HIGHEST INSTABILITY
WILL EXIST. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE FROM LARGE HAIL AND STRONG
WINDS BUT AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS ALSO POSSIBLE. LOCALIZED HEAVY
RAIN MAY ALSO OCCUR.
SEE SITE SPECIFIC DETAILS BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.
IAZ057>062-070>075-081>086-092>097-111100-
ADAIR-ADAMS-APPANOOSE-AUDUBON-CASS-CLARKE-DALLAS-DAVIS-DECATUR-
GUTHRIE-JASPER-LUCAS-MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION-MONROE-POLK-POWESHIEK-
RINGGOLD-TAYLOR-UNION-WAPELLO-WARREN-WAYNE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ATLANTIC...CENTERVILLE...CHARITON...
CRESTON...DES MOINES...GRINNELL...INDIANOLA...KNOXVILLE...LAMONI...
NEWTON...OSKALOOSA...OTTUMWA...PELLA AND PERRY
512 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
* EVENT TIMING... 2 PM THROUGH MIDNIGHT
* THREAT CATEGORIES...
TORNADO.......... LOW
DAMAGING WINDS... MODERATE
LARGE HAIL....... MODERATE
FLASH FLOODING... LOW
* SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK... MODERATE
* MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION - A FEW SUPERCELLS ARE EXPECTED WITH
INITIAL DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON. THE SUPERCELLS MAY PRODUCE LARGE
HAIL OR AN ISOLATED TORNADO BUT THE STORMS SHOULD EVENTUALLY EVOLVE
INTO A LINE STRUCTURE WITH HAIL...WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN BECOMING THE MAIN
THREATS.
IAZ026>028-033>039-044>050-111100-
BLACK
HAWK-BOONE-BREMER-BUTLER-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CRAWFORD-FRANKLIN-GREENE-
GRUNDY-HAMILTON-HARDIN-MARSHALL-SAC-STORY-TAMA-WEBSTER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AMES...BOONE...CARROLL...DENISON...FORT
DODGE...IOWA FALLS...MARSHALLTOWN...WATERLOO...WAVERLY AND WEBSTER
CITY
512 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
* EVENT TIMING... NOON THROUGH 9 PM
* THREAT CATEGORIES...
TORNADO.......... NONE
DAMAGING WINDS... LOW
LARGE HAIL....... MODERATE
FLASH FLOODING... LOW
* SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK... MODERATE
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>025-111100-
CERRO GORDO-EMMET-HANCOCK-HUMBOLDT-KOSSUTH-PALO
ALTO-POCAHONTAS-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-WRIGHT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALGONA...ESTHERVILLE AND MASON CITY
512 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
* EVENT TIMING... 10 AM THROUGH 7 PM
* THREAT CATEGORIES...
TORNADO.......... NONE
DAMAGING WINDS... LOW
LARGE HAIL....... LOW
FLASH FLOODING... LOW
* SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK... LOW
-------------------------------------------------------------------
THREAT KEY:
TORNADO.......... ANY TORNADO OCCURRENCE
DAMAGING WINDS... WINDS >= 58 MPH
LARGE HAIL....... HAIL >= 3/4 INCH DIAMETER
FLASH FLOODING... FLOODING CAUSED BY HEAVY RAINS WITHIN 6 HOURS
OF RAIN EVENT. POSES THREAT TO LIFE OR
PROPERTY.
THREAT CATEGORY KEY: PROBABILITY OF THREAT OCCURRING WITHIN 25
MILES OF POINT WITHIN FORECAST AREA
NONE....... NOT EXPECTED. LESS THAN 5% ( 2% FOR TORNADOES)
LOW........ 5-15% (2-15% FOR TORNADOES)
MODERATE... 25-35%
HIGH....... 45% OR GREATER
SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK KEY:
NOT EXPECTED
LOW........ ACTIVATION POSSIBLE BUT NOT LIKELY
MODERATE... POSSIBILITIES ABOUT 50-50
HIGH....... ACTIVATION LIKELY
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PROBABILISTIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOKS...GO
TO THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER WEBSITE AT
WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/PRODUCTS/OUTLOOK/PROBINFO.HTML .
COGILLocal storm report, May 10, 8:34 AM CST, 1 hour 55 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
934 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0715 PM 3 E ODEBOLT IA .88 INCH HAIL
05/09/01 SAC REPORTED BY EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT.
0915 PM YALE IA WIND DAMAGE
05/09/01 GUTHRIE TSTM WINDS BLEW TREE
INTO POWER LINE. POWER
OUT IN PORTIONS OF
EASTERN GUTHRIE CO.
REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.Local storm report, May 10, 9:05 AM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1005 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0925 PM 10 S WEBSTER CITY IA 1 INCH HAIL
05/09/01 HAMILTON REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.Special weather statement, May 10, 9:15 AM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
CENTRAL IOWA THUNDERSTORM OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1015 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
...INCREASING SEVERE WEATHER THREAT FROM 11 AM TO 4 PM IN CENTRAL
AND NORTHERN IOWA...
SEE SITE SPECIFIC DETAILS BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION. MONITOR SHORT
TERM FORECASTS FOR ADDITIONAL FORECAST INFORMATION AS THESE
THUNDERSTORMS EVOLVE AND SPREAD SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE STATE.
IAZ004>007-015>017-023>026-033>037-044>048-111100-
BOONE-CALHOUN-CARROLL-CERRO
GORDO-CRAWFORD-EMMET-FRANKLIN-GREENE-HAMILTON-HANCOCK-HARDIN-
HUMBOLDT-KOSSUTH-PALO
ALTO-POCAHONTAS-SAC-STORY-WEBSTER-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-WRIGHT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALGONA...AMES...BOONE...CARROLL...
DENISON...ESTHERVILLE...FORT DODGE...IOWA FALLS...MASON CITY AND
WEBSTER CITY
1015 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
* EVENT TIMING... 11 AM THROUGH 4 PM.
* THREAT CATEGORIES...
TORNADO.......... LOW
DAMAGING WINDS... MODERATE
LARGE HAIL....... MODERATE
FLASH FLOODING... LOW
* SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK... MODERATE
* MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION - THUNDERSTORMS EXPANDING NORTH OF
CHEROKEE AND STORM LAKE WILL SPREAD INTO THE WESTERN PART OF THE
OUTLOOK AREA AROUND 11 AM.
IAZ027-028-038-039-049-050-057>062-070>075-111100-
ADAIR-AUDUBON-BLACK
HAWK-BREMER-BUTLER-CASS-DALLAS-GRUNDY-GUTHRIE-JASPER-MADISON-MAHASKA-
MARION-MARSHALL-POLK-POWESHIEK-TAMA-WARREN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ATLANTIC...DES MOINES...GRINNELL...
INDIANOLA...KNOXVILLE...MARSHALLTOWN...NEWTON...OSKALOOSA...PELLA...
PERRY...WATERLOO AND WAVERLY
1015 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
* EVENT TIMING... 1 PM TO 7 PM.
* THREAT CATEGORIES...
TORNADO.......... LOW
DAMAGING WINDS... MODERATE
LARGE HAIL....... MODERATE
FLASH FLOODING... LOW
* SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK... MODERATE
IAZ081>086-092>097-111100-
ADAMS-APPANOOSE-CLARKE-DAVIS-DECATUR-LUCAS-MONROE-RINGGOLD-TAYLOR-
UNION-WAPELLO-WAYNE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CENTERVILLE...CHARITON...CRESTON...LAMONI
AND OTTUMWA
1015 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
* EVENT TIMING... 3 PM TO MIDNIGHT
* THREAT CATEGORIES...
TORNADO.......... LOW
DAMAGING WINDS... MODERATE
LARGE HAIL....... MODERATE
FLASH FLOODING... MODERATE
* SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK... MODERATE
* MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION - THE RISK OF FLASH FLOODING WILL ALSO
INCREASE THIS EVENING AS A SECOND ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPS
OVER ALREADY SATURATED GROUND.
KULA
-------------------------------------------------------------------
THREAT KEY:
TORNADO.......... ANY TORNADO OCCURRENCE
DAMAGING WINDS... WINDS >= 58 MPH
LARGE HAIL....... HAIL >= 3/4 INCH DIAMETER
FLASH FLOODING... FLOODING CAUSED BY HEAVY RAINS WITHIN 6 HOURS
OF RAIN EVENT. POSES THREAT TO LIFE OR
PROPERTY.
THREAT CATEGORY KEY: PROBABILITY OF THREAT OCCURRING WITHIN 25
MILES OF POINT WITHIN FORECAST AREA
NONE....... NOT EXPECTED. LESS THAN 5% ( 2% FOR TORNADOES)
LOW........ 5-15% (2-15% FOR TORNADOES)
MODERATE... 25-35%
HIGH....... 45% OR GREATER
SPOTTER ACTIVATION OUTLOOK KEY:
NOT EXPECTED
LOW........ ACTIVATION POSSIBLE BUT NOT LIKELY
MODERATE... POSSIBILITIES ABOUT 50-50
HIGH....... ACTIVATION LIKELY
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PROBABILISTIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOKS...GO
TO THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER WEBSITE AT
WWW.SPC.NOAA.GOV/PRODUCTS/OUTLOOK/PROBINFO.HTML .Local storm report, May 10, 9:17 AM CST, 1 hour 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED DISTANCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA
1017 AM CDT THU MAY 10 2001
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
...3.COUNTY LOCATION....
0925 PM 6 S WEBSTER CITY IA 1 INCH HAIL
05/09/01 HAMILTON REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Iowa, May 10, 2001
- Tornadoes and Flooding in Iowa, May 10, 2001
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 10, 2001
- Flash Flooding in Puerto Rico, May 10, 2001
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Missouri, May 10, 2001
- Damaging Wind in Michigan, May 10, 2001
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, May 10, 2001
- Tornado and Hail in Iowa, May 10, 2001
- Lightning Strike in Colorado, May 10, 2001
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, May 10, 2001
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Michigan, May 10, 2001
- Hail in Kansas, May 10, 2001
More
Every storm in Iowa in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, May 2001
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5242053.