A strong upper level system lifted northeast out of the southwest U.S. during the day.  Surface low pressure tracked from central Kansas into southeast Iowa during the afternoon and evening hours.  A strong warm front extended northeast out of the low and pushed to the southern Iowa border.  There was a strong contrast in both temperature and dew point with temperatures in the low 70s south of the front with dew points in the mid 50s.  North of the front temperatures remained in the 40s through the day.  The airmass was quite stable aloft with Showalter indices around -6 and a TQ index of 24.  Surface based CAPE just south of the front was in the 1500 to 2000 J/kg range.  A southwest low level jet of 30 to 40 knots pushed across the front.  The main mode of severe weather was in the form of hail as the freezing level was only 9300 MSL.  Thunderstorms erupted to the north of the warm front along the 850 mb warm front.  The storms became severe and most produced hail and heavy rain.  Hail of nickel to golf ball size was quite common.   The largest hail occurred in central Iowa with golf ball size hail reported in Polk, Madison, and Warren Counties.  Quarter size hail completely covered the ground south of Indianola in Warren County.

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:04:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:04:00 (CST)
Location: NORWALK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:58:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:58:00 (CST)
Location: DES MOINES
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:59:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:59:00 (CST)
Location: NORWALK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in JASPER, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:30:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:30:00 (CST)
Location: NEWTON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 2K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in MADISON, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:44:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:44:00 (CST)
Location: WINTERSET
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:52:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:52:00 (CST)
Location: NORWALK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:22:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:22:00 (CST)
Location: NORWALK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in WAYNE, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:20:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:20:00 (CST)
Location: LINEVILLE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:35:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:35:00 (CST)
Location: HARTFORD
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in MARION, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:00:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:00:00 (CST)
Location: PLEASANTVILLE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:18:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:18:00 (CST)
Location: MILO
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 2K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:18:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:18:00 (CST)
Location: INDIANOLA
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in WAPELLO, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 19:05:00 to 08-MAR-06 19:05:00 (CST)
Location: ELDON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: UNKNOWN

Hail in MARSHALL, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:35:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:35:00 (CST)
Location: MARSHALLTOWN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in MARSHALL, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:20:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:20:00 (CST)
Location: LAUREL
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:20:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:20:00 (CST)
Location: MILO
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in POWESHIEK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:25:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:25:00 (CST)
Location: GRINNELL
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:04:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:04:00 (CST)
Location: DES MOINES
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:22:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:22:00 (CST)
Location: MILO
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in DALLAS, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:50:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:50:00 (CST)
Location: VAN METER
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:55:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:55:00 (CST)
Location: DES MOINES
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in JASPER, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:35:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:35:00 (CST)
Location: MONROE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:55:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:55:00 (CST)
Location: URBANDALE
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:59:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:59:00 (CST)
Location: DES MOINES
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in ADAIR, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:08:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:08:00 (CST)
Location: ORIENT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in WAYNE, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:30:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:30:00 (CST)
Location: CLIO
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:58:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:58:00 (CST)
Location: NORWALK
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 2K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in MADISON, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:30:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:30:00 (CST)
Location: EARLHAM
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in BLACK HAWK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:22:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:22:00 (CST)
Location: HUDSON
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in WAYNE, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:36:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:36:00 (CST)
Location: CLIO
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: STORM CHASER

Hail in POWESHIEK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:30:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:30:00 (CST)
Location: DEEP RIVER
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in MARSHALL, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:34:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:34:00 (CST)
Location: MARSHALLTOWN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 2K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:39:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:39:00 (CST)
Location: PLEASANT HILL
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:06:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:06:00 (CST)
Location: NEW VIRGINIA
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:04:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:04:00 (CST)
Location: NORWALK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in MARION, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:21:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:21:00 (CST)
Location: KNOXVILLE
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER

Hail in MARION, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:58:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:58:00 (CST)
Location: KNOXVILLE ARPT
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:02:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:02:00 (CST)
Location: NORWALK
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 15K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in APPANOOSE, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 18:00:00 to 08-MAR-06 18:00:00 (CST)
Location: PLANO
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in JASPER, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:15:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:15:00 (CST)
Location: BAXTER
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in TAMA, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:50:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:50:00 (CST)
Location: GLADBROOK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC

Hail in MADISON, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:40:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:40:00 (CST)
Location: WINTERSET
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 10K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:50:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:50:00 (CST)
Location: DES MOINES ARPT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 5K
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO

Hail in WARREN, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 16:22:00 to 08-MAR-06 16:22:00 (CST)
Location: LACONA
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 08-MAR-06 17:55:00 to 08-MAR-06 17:55:00 (CST)
Location: DES MOINES
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 3K
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO