Hail, Hardin
- When
- June 24, 4:27 PM CST
- Where
- Hardin County, 5 mi SW of Iowa Falls
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Crop damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.467, -93.333
Flash Flood and Hail in Iowa, June 24 to 25, 2005
An unstable airmass was in place over Iowa as a cold front approached from the northwest. Surface temperatures rose into the upper 80s to low 90s in most areas with dew point readings in the low 70s.
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
- $106,000
- Crop damage
- $25,000
- Events
- 4
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 unstable airmass was in place over Iowa as a cold front approached from the northwest. Surface temperatures rose into the upper 80s to low 90s in most areas with dew point readings in the low 70s. CAPE values were in the 2000 to 3000 J/kg range with lifted indices in the -5 C. range. The freezing level remained quite high, ranging form 15,500 to 17,000 feet over the CWA. Deep moisture was in place with precipitable water values in the 1.5 to 2 inch range. Thunderstorms erupted along the cold front during the late afternoon hours. By evening, some of the storms became severe. Hail size was reduced due to the warm atmosphere in place with the largest hail size around nickel size. The cold front stalled during the night and an east to west line of thunderstorms evolved. Very heavy rainfall occurred along this line, which extended from near Sioux City, through Fort Dodge, to north of Waterloo. In the Fort Dodge area, 6.5 inches of rain fell, resulting in widespread flooding and flash flooding in Webster County.
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 Jun 24, 2:24 PM CST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 24, 2:24 PM CST, 2 hours 3 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 324 PM CDT FRI JUN 24 2005 .DISCUSSION... SITUATION IS A RELIEF FOR THE NRN COUNTIES INUNDATED BY THE RAINFALL THE LAST TWO NIGHTS. WRMFNT HAS ZOOMED NWD AS XPCD YDA...ALTHO REPLACED BY VERY WARM TMPS AND HUMIDITY. HI/S ARE PUSHING 105 IN SVRL LOCATIONS ACRS THE S. NICE BREEZE THO... CU STREETS HAVE FORMED IN THE SLY FLOW AND IMAGERY DOES NOT SHOW ANY ENHANCEMENT ATTM. THERE IS A RESIDUAL PORTION OF THE WRMFNT ACRS THE DVN FA AS INDICATED IN THE WND FLDS AND CELLS GOING UP NR THE MISS RVR. THAT MAY AFFECT THE FAR NERN PTN OF OUR FA FOR A TIME THIS EVENING...OTRW NOT LOOKING FOR PCPN TNGT WHILE IN THE WRM SECTOR. S/W THAT WAS OVR WRN CO/NM THIS MRNG AS PROGRESSED NEWRD TO WRN SD/NEB AND SERN CO. THIS FEATURE SHOULD PROVIDE INCRING SUPPORT FOR CONVECTION TO OUR N TNGT. TMR LOOKING VRY WARM WITH LTL CHG IN AMS. BOTH MDLS ARE INDICATING DVLPMT OF A LRG COMPLEX IN ERN SD/SRN MN TO SINK SWD INTO IA TMR NGT. MDLS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT FOR AT LEAST ONE IF NOT TWO DAYS ON THIS OCCURRENCE. UPR JET STRUCTURE IS LOOKING QUITE IMPRESSIVE WITH A STG WLY STJ AND A STG RR QUAD ON THE POLEWARD JET LEADING THE TROF. THIS JET STRUCTURE ESSENTIALLY HANGS INTO WED NGT UNTIL THE MAIN TROF PRESSES THRU ON THU. LTR SHIFTS WL LIKEY HAVE TO INCR POPS FOR LATE WED INTO WED NGT. THE SIGNALS ARE THERE...BUT NOT ENTIRELY SURE HOW IT WILL EVOLVE...DEPENDING ON HOW PERTURB THE RETURN FLOW BECOMES LATE TUE/TUE NGT. IT DOES APPEAR THAT WE WL HAVE TWO IF NOT THREE PSBLY MAJOR EVENTS TO GO BFR THE MAIN TROF MOVES THRU. PLACEMENT OF HEAVY RAINFALL FROM THESE EVENTS WL BE CRITICAL. THERE SOME EVIDENCE THAT IT WL NOT ALL FALL ACRS NRN IA. .DMX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && MYERS
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 24, 2:19 PM CST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 319 PM CDT FRI JUN 24 2005 IAZ004>007-015>017-023>028-033>039-044>049-057>060-070-251100- EMMET-KOSSUTH-WINNEBAGO-WORTH-PALO ALTO-HANCOCK-CERRO GORDO- POCAHONTAS-HUMBOLDT-WRIGHT-FRANKLIN-BUTLER-BREMER-SAC-CALHOUN- WEBSTER-HAMILTON-HARDIN-GRUNDY-BLACK HAWK-CRAWFORD-CARROLL-GREENE- BOONE-STORY-MARSHALL-AUDUBON-GUTHRIE-DALLAS-POLK-CASS- 319 PM CDT FRI JUN 24 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHERN IOWA...MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF AN ATLANTIC...TO DES MOINES...TO TAMA LINE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SLOW MOVING FRONT FROM ONAWA TO WEBSTER CITY AND DECORAH WILL GRADUALLY STALL ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED NEAR THE FRONT. SOME INITIAL STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS...AND UP TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND POSSIBLY A BRIEF TORNADO. OVERNIGHT...THE THREAT WILL TURN TO EXCESSIVE RAINFALL...WHERE TWO OR THREE INCHES MAY FALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE FRONT WILL RETREAT NORTHWARD OUT OF IOWA EARLY SUNDAY WITH LOW CHANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AFTER 4 PM TODAY. IAZ050-061-062-071>075-081>086-092>097-251100- TAMA-JASPER-POWESHIEK-ADAIR-MADISON-WARREN-MARION-MAHASKA-ADAMS- UNION-CLARKE-LUCAS-MONROE-WAPELLO-TAYLOR-RINGGOLD-DECATUR-WAYNE- APPANOOSE-DAVIS- 319 PM CDT FRI JUN 24 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN IOWA...MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A CORNING...TO INDIANOLA...TO GRINNELL LINE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SLOW MOVING FRONT FROM ONAWA TO WEBSTER CITY AND DECORAH WILL GRADUALLY STALL ACROSS CENTRAL IOWA TONIGHT. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE LESS IN THIS AREA OF THE STATE. HOWEVER...THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL WILL REMAIN...PRIMARILY THOSE LOCATIONS NEAR THE I-80 CORRIDOR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY LOW CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL LINGER SATURDAY INTO MIDDAY SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT NEAR THE I-80 CORRIDOR. MYERS
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jun 24, 2:58 PM CST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DES MOINES IA 358 PM CDT FRI JUN 24 2005 IAZ016>017-023>028-033>039-044>050-057>062-070>075-081>084- 092>094-250400- ADAIR-ADAMS-AUDUBON-BLACK HAWK-BOONE-BREMER-BUTLER-CALHOUN- CARROLL-CASS-CERRO GORDO-CLARKE-CRAWFORD-DALLAS-DECATUR-FRANKLIN- GREENE-GRUNDY-GUTHRIE-HAMILTON-HANCOCK-HARDIN-HUMBOLDT-JASPER- LUCAS-MADISON-MAHASKA-MARION-MARSHALL-POCAHONTAS-POLK-POWESHIEK- RINGGOLD-SAC-STORY-TAMA-TAYLOR-UNION-WARREN-WEBSTER-WRIGHT- 358 PM CDT FRI JUN 24 2005 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 518 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREA... IN IOWA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 41 COUNTIES IN CENTRAL IOWA BOONE... DALLAS... GRUNDY... HAMILTON... HARDIN... JASPER... MARSHALL... POLK... POWESHIEK... STORY... TAMA... WEBSTER... IN NORTH CENTRAL IOWA BUTLER... CERRO GORDO... FRANKLIN... HANCOCK... HUMBOLDT... WRIGHT... IN NORTHEAST IOWA BLACK HAWK... BREMER... IN NORTHWEST IOWA POCAHONTAS... IN SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA CLARKE... DECATUR... LUCAS... MADISON... MAHASKA... MARION... RINGGOLD... UNION... WARREN... IN SOUTHWEST IOWA ADAIR... ADAMS... CASS... TAYLOR... IN WEST CENTRAL IOWA AUDUBON... CALHOUN... CARROLL... CRAWFORD... GREENE... GUTHRIE... SAC... THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...ADEL...AMES...ATLANTIC...AUDUBON... BEDFORD...BOONE...CARROLL...CHARITON...CORNING...CRESTON... DENISON...DES MOINES...EAGLE GROVE...FORT DODGE...GARNER... GREENFIELD...GRINNELL...GRUNDY CENTER...GUTHRIE CENTER... HAMPTON...HUMBOLDT...INDIANOLA...IOWA FALLS...JEFFERSON... KNOXVILLE...LAMONI...MARSHALLTOWN...MASON CITY...MOUNT AYR... NEWTON...OSCEOLA...OSKALOOSA...PARKERSBURG...POCAHONTAS... ROCKWELL CITY...SAC CITY...TAMA...WATERLOO...WAVERLY... WEBSTER CITY AND WINTERSET. MYERS
The radar
The Des Moines radar (KDMX), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:25 UTC.
Event by event
3 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Carroll
- When
- June 24, 5:00 PM CST
- Where
- Carroll County, Glidden
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Crop damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 42.067, -94.733
Hail, Greene
- When
- June 24, 5:05 PM CST
- Where
- Greene County, 4 mi W of Scranton
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Crop damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 42.033, -94.633
Flash Flood, Webster
- When
- June 25, 5:00 AM CST to 1:00 PM CST
- Where
- Webster County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $100,000
- Crop damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 42.417, -94.150
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, June 24, 2005
- Flash Flood in Iowa, June 24 to 25, 2005
- Damaging Wind in Missouri, June 24, 2005
- Hail in Montana, June 24, 2005
- Hail in Colorado, June 24, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Kansas, June 24, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, June 24, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, June 24, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, June 24, 2005
- Hail in Colorado, June 24, 2005
- Hail in Wyoming, June 24, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Minnesota, June 24, 2005
More
Every storm in Iowa in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, June 2005
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: 5453385, 5453386, 5453387, 5453388.