Rain and hail hit Iowa overnight. See the rainfall totals and biggest hail reports

Kate Kealey, Des Moines Register
·2 min read

More than an inch of rain fell in Des Moines as central Iowa saw another batch of thunderstorms, hail and reports of funnel clouds Tuesday evening into the early hours of Wednesday.

Some areas in central Iowa experienced sporadic wind gusts over 60 mph with hail larger than 2 inches in diameter, according to the National Weather Service. The storms exited the state by the early morning hours of Wednesday.

So what were the rainfall totals for Iowa over the last two days?

What was the rainfall total for Des Moines?

Des Moines saw 1.13 inches of rain on Tuesday and into early Wednesday morning. It was accompanied by scattered thunderstorms and occasional lightning. Tornado warnings were issued in several counties around the Des Moines metro and parts of eastern Iowa.

More: Dozens of funnel clouds, a few tornadoes reported after Tuesday storms

What were the highest rainfall totals in Iowa?

Rainfall totals from across Iowa for June 25-26, 2024.
Rainfall totals from across Iowa for June 25-26, 2024.

Rainfall was mostly concentrated across southern portions of the state, largely sparing communities already hit hard by flooding in northwestern Iowa.

Here are the Iowa towns that had the highest rainfall totals from Tuesday morning to 7 a.m. Wednesday:

  • Clarinda: 1.47 inches

  • Chariton: 1.45 inches

  • Grinnell: 1.4 inches

  • Des Moines: 1.13 inches

  • Fort Madison: 1.13 inches

Did Iowa get gorilla hail? Where were the largest hail reports?

Storm chasers warned about the risk of "gorilla hail" in Iowa ahead of the storms. While the National Weather Service doesn't officially use that term, a meteorologist told the Register that it is often used to signify hail larger than 2 inches in diameter.

Here are the places in Iowa that saw the largest hail:

  • Winterset: 2.75 inches

  • Earlham: 2.5 inches

  • Neola: 2.5 inches

  • Council Bluffs: 2.5 inches

  • Kellerton: 2 inches

What's the Des Moines forecast for the rest of the week?

Des Moines is finally seeing temperatures drop below 90 degrees. Wednesday is expected to be sunny with highs near 85 degrees. There is a 20 percent chance of rain after 1 p.m. Thursday with a high of 80 degrees. Meanwhile, Thursday evening has an 80% chance of rain that will likely lead into Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Rainfall totals show heavy rain, gorilla hail in Iowa