Hail in Dallas Center · May 18, 2026
NEXRAD logged 1 hail signature up to 0.75"; the estimated-size surface reached 0" aloft. Open it on the live map to see the swath over the streets.
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Convective day · May 18, 2026 · noon–noon UTC
Severity
The 8th most severe storm Dallas Center has seen in the last 12 months
Overview's storm severity score weighs hailstone size, homes in the footprint, and ground-truth reports.
- Peak hail signal
- 19 /100
- Homes exposed
- 31 /100
- Ground truth
- 0 /100
Largest radar-indicated size — a signal of damage potential, not confirmation.
How many homes sit inside the storm's footprint.
Independent storm reports filed with the NWS.
Evidence / storm surfaces
How Dallas Center saw the hail — from two instruments
The maps here read the same storm from two angles — point detections from NEXRAD, and modeled hail size aloft. Where the two disagree is informative: it marks where estimated size outran the signatures, or trailed them.
Radar signature field Where NEXRAD flagged hail as the storm passed — point signatures from the radar, which indicate hail overhead rather than confirm what landed.
Estimated size field The modeled maximum hail size across the swath, derived from radar aloft — the largest stone the storm could have supported, which is not necessarily what reached the ground.
The storm in context
Where May 18, 2026 sits in Dallas Center's hail record.
This was Dallas Center's 5th recorded hail day, arriving 25 days after the Apr 23, 2026 storm. By severity it ranks 8th of the 9 storms we have logged here. Radar put the day's largest stone over Dallas Center at 0.75" — the largest NEXRAD radar signature.
The May 18, 2026 convective day was bigger than Dallas Center: the same system put hail over 726 other tracked cities, 102 of them in Iowa. Nearest: Adel (9 miles southwest, up to 0.5"); West Des Moines (10 miles southeast, up to 0.75"); Van Meter (14 miles south, up to 0.5").
These maps are stills. In the app this date is one of 9 Dallas Center storm dates on a live map — both surfaces, the reports, and a replay — and the same map is where you draw the swath. This page rebuilds nightly.
Ground reports
What people on the ground reported
These are storm reports filed with the National Weather Service and released through the NOAA Storm Prediction Center — public-domain observations from spotters, the public, and NWS surveys. We quote each one exactly as filed.
Nobody on the ground filed a report over Dallas Center for this date, which says more about who was watching than about the storm: spotter reports only exist where there is an observer. The radar surfaces above carry the evidence for this one.
Near the severe threshold
What 0.75" hail means for Dallas Center roofs.
A signal this size sits near the National Weather Service severe threshold. Aging shingles and soft metals such as vents, flashing, and gutters may be more vulnerable; roof age, wind, and material condition all matter, and only an inspection can confirm damage.
Radar reading · not confirmed damage
Roofing exposure
What this storm is worth to a roofer.
Potential roof exposure
$408K
Potential roof exposure — 34 homes × the ~$12,000 industry-average hail roof claim. Exposure, not confirmed damage.
Claim window
May 2028
Claims from this storm can typically be filed until around May 2028 — the window to reach these homeowners while it's still open. Deadlines vary by policy and state.
Names and phones for every home in the footprint: at most $7 on top of the $150 plan.
Dallas Center hail history
Other storms in Dallas Center.
Estimated-size surface Jul 20, 2026
2"
Estimated-size surface Jul 3, 2026
1.5"
Estimated-size surface Jul 2, 2026
1.5"
Estimated-size surface Jun 10, 2026
1"
Estimated-size surface Apr 23, 2026
1"
Estimated-size surface Apr 17, 2026
0.5"
Estimated-size surface Mar 30, 2026
1.75"
Estimated-size surface Mar 6, 2026
1.75"The next storm won’t wait for you.
Set your territory and alerts today. When hail hits, use Overview to choose your streets and get moving.
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