Low pressure from southwest Kansas moved northeast into southeast Iowa by the afternoon of the 26th.  A strong push of warm air took place ahead of the low with 850 mb winds around 40 kts pushing into the central U.S.  Surface dew points rose to the mid 50s just south of Iowa during the afternoon with the 50 degree dew points reaching just north of the southern Iowa border.  At the same time, a strong polar high pressure area was poised over northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.  Sub-zero temperatures reached as far south as the northern South Dakota border during the afternoon.  The atmosphere was marginally unstable with most unstable, elevated, CAPE values in the 500 to 1000 J/kg range in the afternoon.  Shear increased to between 30 and 45 kts with precipitable water values in the three quarters to one inch range over the southeast half of the state.  Thunderstorms in some form occurred through the day.  Over northern Iowa, they produced ice pellets and some small hail.  One half of an inch of ice pellet accumulation occurred in Emmet and Cerro Gordo Counties, with nearly an inch of ice pellet accumulation in Worth County.  These accumulations were the result of thunderstorms.  Thunderstorms were more intense over southeast Iowa.  The freezing level was relatively low, at 8200 feet, resulting in most of the storms producing hail of at least pea size.  Available CAPE was around 200 J/kg at the time.  Penny to quarter size hail fell in central Iowa, across the Des Moines metro area.  Lightning struck an overpass along Interstate 80/35 along the north side of the Des Moines metro area and knocked a chunk of concrete off of it.  The concrete fell onto the windshield of a moving van, smashing through the glass.  The driver was injured and admitted to the hospital with minor injuries.

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 12:38:00 to 26-FEB-09 12:38:00 (CST-6)
Location: ASHAWA
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Employee

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 12:51:00 to 26-FEB-09 12:51:00 (CST-6)
Location: DES MOINES
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Occurred near Drake University.

Sleet in WORTH, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 10:00:00 to 26-FEB-09 14:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Sleet in EMMET, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 09:00:00 to 26-FEB-09 14:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Sleet in CERRO GORDO, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 10:00:00 to 26-FEB-09 13:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 12:47:00 to 26-FEB-09 12:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: CLOVER HILLS
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Penny sized hail fell for about 3 minutes at the intersection of 92nd Street and University Ave in West Des Moines.

Hail in APPANOOSE, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 13:24:00 to 26-FEB-09 13:24:00 (CST-6)
Location: DEAN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 12:41:00 to 26-FEB-09 12:41:00 (CST-6)
Location: LOVINGTON
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Occurred at the intersection of Merle Hay Road and Interstate 80/35.

Hail in POLK, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 12:58:00 to 26-FEB-09 12:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: COMMERCE
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail covered the ground at I-35 and Grand Ave.

Lightning in POLK, IOWA
From 26-FEB-09 13:00:00 to 26-FEB-09 13:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: LOVINGTON
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media