Hail in Iowa, May 9, 2022

Name: Hail in Iowa, May 9, 2022
Start: 2022-05-09T18:53
End: 2022-05-09T19:02
Location: Iowa

May 9, 2022 · NWS ARX · 3 events in 1 county or zone

A line of storms moved across portions of northeast Iowa during the evening of May 9th. These storms produced some hail with up to golf ball sized reported near Mitchell (Mitchell County).

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

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 ARX wrote it up.

A line of storms moved across portions of northeast Iowa during the evening of May 9th. These storms produced some hail with up to golf ball sized reported near Mitchell (Mitchell 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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 9, 5:19 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 9, 5:19 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
619 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

.DISCUSSION...(This evening through Monday)
Issued at 235 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

Key Messages:

- Severe weather threat this evening

A low pressure system over eastern North Dakota is slated to lift
northeastward through southern Canada as the associated short wave
trough rides up and along the southwest to northeast oriented
pressure gradient with ridging holding steady off to the east.
Satellite imagery shows an expansive field of stable cumulus over
the forecast area with sounding analysis showing a decent capping
inversion in place. Depending on how well surface temperatures reach
this afternoon will play a large roll into how quickly storms can
develop as a front approaches from the west and the lower atmosphere
destabilize. There is a brief window where severe weather is
expected. Should this play out there will be a chance
for surface based storms. With enough overlap of strong shear and
CAPE, some storms could be severe with the main threats being hail,
winds, and a few tornadoes.

Tuesday Through Thursday

Tuesday will depend on the progress of the cold front and where it
settles.  The current trends have the front lingering...then
gradually dropping south during the day.  Scattered showers and
thunderstorms will be possible however convergence along the front
and the warm advection is on the weaker side.  The HREF MUCAPE axis
for Tuesday is from Iowa toward southern WI and this increases from
3000 J/kg during the day to 4500 J/kg.  The HREF also has some max
UH areas along the gradient of MLCAPE near I90 around 16Z and these
shift east through early afternoon, with a second area increasing
farther south across southwest WI into central and eastern WI during
the afternoon. The forecast soundings have shear values of 45 to
55kts. Thus... if can see better convergence could see stronger
storms along the front.  The marginal risk has been elevated to a
slight risk for parts of WI and includes areas from Tomah eastward.

A mid latitude wave will lift northeast Wednesday into Thursday. The
location of the mid-level ridge extends from Arkansas north toward
Wisconsin. Forecast soundings show warm mid level temperatures in
place with the organized convection across the Dakotas into
MN/northern WI and the U.P.  The low level jet strengthens over the
Plains into the Upper Mississippi Valley with a surface front in the
area.  Locally, precipitation chances appear to be isolated, however
storms may try to develop southward Wednesday night. In the shorter
term will need to watch the periphery of the cap each day.
Thursday looks like the warmest day with highs in the 80s to lower
90s.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Tuesday evening)
Issued at 619 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

Main focus for this TAF period is showers and scattered
convection moving through the area this evening. Thunderstorm
cells have developed in SE Minnesota and are moving northeast.
Additional cells could develop south of the current ones, which
would impact the airports. Thunderstorms should impact KRST
briefly this evening, so have included in a TEMPO group for a few
hours. Because KLSE is further downstream, there is lower
confidence on storms directly impacting that site. For now, stuck
with VCTS, but will continue to monitor for storm development and
amend the TAF if necessary. When showers move in, ceilings will
lower to MVFR conditions and gusts up to 28 kts are possible.

Once storms and showers move past the TAF sites, ceilings should
improve to VFR and winds speeds will decrease. Another round of
light showers is expected for tomorrow morning through the end of
the TAF period. Ceilings could lower to MVFR conditions when the
rain moves in.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...NONE.
MN...NONE.
IA...NONE.
&&

DISCUSSION...Peters/MEP/Zapotocny
AVIATION...Dahl

Hazardous weather outlook, May 9, 11:38 AM CST, 7 hours 15 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1238 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

IAZ011-030-WIZ017-029-034-042>044-053>055-061-102145-
Allamakee-Clayton-Taylor-Clark-Jackson-Monroe-Juneau-Adams-Vernon-
Crawford-Richland-Grant-
1238 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast
Iowa and southeast Minnesota through southwest and central
Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Southeast winds will gust up to 40 mph today.

Scattered storms may develop this evening. Any storms that
develop could become severe with large hail, damaging winds, and
possibly a tornado, mainly between 6 PM and 11 PM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

Periodic thunderstorm chances persist through the remainder of
the week, but it is too early to discern any severe weather
potential.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this evening.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

No webinar is scheduled.

IAZ018-019-029-102145-
Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-
1238 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Iowa
and southeast Minnesota.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Southeast winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts upwards of 45 mph
today. A Wind Advisory is in effect.

Scattered storms may develop this evening. Any storms that
develop could become severe with large hail, damaging winds, and
possibly a tornado, mainly between 6 PM and 11 PM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

Periodic thunderstorm chances persist through the remainder of
the week, but it is too early to discern any severe weather
potential.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this early evening.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

No webinar is scheduled.

IAZ008>010-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ032-033-041-102145-
Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-
Fillmore-Houston-Buffalo-Trempealeau-La Crosse-
1238 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
Iowa...northeast Iowa...southeast Minnesota and west central
Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight
Southeast winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts upwards of 50 mph
today. A Wind Advisory is in effect for parts of the area.

Numerous storms may develop this evening. Any storms that develop
could become severe with very large hail, a tornado, possibly
strong, and damaging winds mainly between 6 PM and 11 PM.
Lightning can be expected with any storms.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday

Periodic thunderstorm chances persist through the remainder of the
week, but it is too early to discern any severe weather potential.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed late this afternoon and early evening.

Zapotocny

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 9, 6:27 PM CST, 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
727 PM CDT MON MAY 9 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0726 PM     HAIL             1 W DOUGLAS             44.11N 92.59W
05/09/2022  M0.75 INCH       OLMSTED            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

Special weather statement, May 9, 6:29 PM CST, 24 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
729 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

MNZ079-087-088-100100-
Wabasha MN-Olmsted MN-Winona MN-
729 PM CDT Mon May 9 2022

...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northwestern Winona,
northern Olmsted and Wabasha Counties through 800 PM CDT...

At 728 PM CDT, trained weather spotters reported a strong
thunderstorm near Oronoco, or 7 miles north of Rochester, moving
northeast at 60 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Trained weather spotters reported penny sized hail near
         Douglas, MN.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
         possible.

This strong thunderstorm will be near...
  Elgin around 740 PM CDT.
  Plainview around 745 PM CDT.
  Wabasha and Kellogg around 755 PM CDT.
  Alma around 800 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this storm include South Troy, Pioneer
Campground, Rattelsnake Point, Potsdam, Hidden Meadows R V Park, West
Albany, Kings Park, Rattlesnake Ridge, Bremen and Theilman.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT for southeastern
Minnesota...and west central Wisconsin.

&&

LAT...LON 4441 9209 4440 9205 4438 9203 4436 9197
      4433 9192 4431 9191 4429 9193 4427 9190
      4425 9189 4423 9189 4420 9187 4419 9185
      4400 9252 4415 9265
TIME...MOT...LOC 0028Z 238DEG 53KT 4413 9248

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

KAA

Local storm report, May 9, 6:30 PM CST, 23 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
730 PM CDT MON MAY 9 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0729 PM     HAIL             BYRON                   44.03N 92.65W
05/09/2022  M0.88 INCH       OLMSTED            MN   BROADCAST MEDIA

&&

Local storm report, May 9, 6:32 PM CST, 21 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
732 PM CDT MON MAY 9 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0731 PM     HAIL             LAKE CITY               44.44N 92.26W
05/09/2022  U1.00 INCH       WABASHA            MN   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: QUARTER (1.00 IN.).

0731 PM     HAIL             LAKE CITY               44.45N 92.27W
05/09/2022  M0.75 INCH       WABASHA            MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0730 PM     HAIL             LAKE CITY               44.45N 92.27W
05/09/2022  U1.25 INCH       WABASHA            MN   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: HALF DOLLAR (1.25 IN.).

&&

Local storm report, May 9, 6:48 PM CST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
748 PM CDT MON MAY 9 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0747 PM     HAIL             3 SSW ROCHESTER         43.98N 92.49W
05/09/2022  M0.88 INCH       OLMSTED            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

Local storm report, May 9, 6:50 PM CST, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
750 PM CDT MON MAY 9 2022

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0737 PM     HAIL             SAINT ANSGAR            43.38N 92.92W
05/09/2022  M0.50 INCH       MITCHELL           IA   PUBLIC

&&

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 137 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:53 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Mitchell

When: May 9, 6:53 PM CST
Where: Mitchell County, 2.6 mi WNW of Little Cedar
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 43.390, -92.780

Hail, Mitchell

When: May 9, 6:58 PM CST
Where: Mitchell County, 0.5 mi E of Osage
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.280, -92.810

Ping pong ball sized hail was reported in Osage.

Hail, Mitchell

When: May 9, 7:02 PM CST
Where: Mitchell County, 4.08 mi ENE of Mitchell
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.350, -92.810

Golf ball sized hail was reported northeast of Mitchell.

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

Every storm in Iowa in 2022 Every state in 2022 This day in weather history Warnings in Iowa, May 2022

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: 1025590, 1025589, 1025591.