Hail History

Hail history for Buchanan County, Iowa

Every NOAA hail report filed in Buchanan County since 1962, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Buchanan County

Last hail
Oct 13, 2026
1.54 in, ping pong ball size · preliminary
Hail days, last 5 years
9
since Nov 3, 2021 · 19 reports
Largest ever
3.25 in
teacup · Apr 14, 2026

166 reports on 81 days since 1962 · #32 of 100 Iowa counties

Hail map · Buchanan County

Independence Jesup Fairbank Aurora Lamont 20 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
160 most recent reports with a location. Dot size and colour follow hail size. Open street map

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What the record says about Buchanan County

The latest hail report in Buchanan County is from October 13, 2026, 1.54 in (ping pong ball size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 9 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 3.25 in on April 14, 2026.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Buchanan County logged 100 reports on 41 hail days, about 5.0 reports a year. That is 35% more than the median Iowa county (3.7 a year) and ranks #32 of 100 Iowa counties for all-time reports. Buchanan County holds 1% of all 16,032 hail reports in Iowa.

4% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 7% for the median Iowa county. The largest hail on record here is 3.25 in (teacup) on April 14, 2026 near 3.35 ENE Otterville.

Reports were down 53% in 2016–2025 (32) compared with 2006–2015 (68). The busiest year was 2010, with 14 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in May (25% of reports); 67% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Buchanan County 5.0
  • Median Iowa county 3.7

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Buchanan County 41
  • Median Iowa county 39.5

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Buchanan County 4%
  • Median Iowa county 7%

Hail over time

051015 1962: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1970 1972: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1973: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1979: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1980 1982: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1984: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1987: 2 reports, largest 2.50 in 1988: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1989: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 1990 1991: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 1992: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 1993: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 1995: 3 reports, largest 0.75 in 1997: 1 reports, largest 2.00 in 1998: 5 reports, largest 1.75 in 1999: 9 reports, largest 1.75 in 2000: 7 reports, largest 1.75 in 2000 2001: 5 reports, largest 1.75 in 2002: 1 reports, largest 0.88 in 2003: 8 reports, largest 1.75 in 2004: 1 reports, largest 0.80 in 2006: 9 reports, largest 2.50 in 2007: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2008: 9 reports, largest 1.75 in 2009: 13 reports, largest 1.75 in 2010: 14 reports, largest 1.75 in 2010 2011: 5 reports, largest 1.25 in 2012: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 2013: 7 reports, largest 1.75 in 2014: 5 reports, largest 1.00 in 2015: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2016: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 2017: 5 reports, largest 1.00 in 2018: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2020: 10 reports, largest 1.75 in 2020 2021: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2022: 2 reports, largest 2.75 in 2023: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 2024: 5 reports, largest 1.75 in 2026: 8 reports, largest 3.25 in
Reports per year, 1962–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
0204060 Jan Feb March: 4 reports (2%) Mar April: 37 reports (22%) Apr May: 41 reports (25%) May June: 34 reports (20%) Jun July: 30 reports (18%) Jul August: 9 reports (5%) Aug September: 9 reports (5%) Sep October: 2 reports (1%) Oct Nov Dec
All 166 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 62 8
2025 0
2024 5 5
2023 31 4
2022 2 2
2021 1 1
2020 181 10
2019 0
2018 3 3
2017 5 5

Hail days since Nov 3, 2021

DateReportsLargestStorm page
Oct 13, 2026 2 1.54 in View
Apr 14, 2026 6 3.25 in —
May 27, 2024 1 1.50 in —
May 24, 2024 1 1.75 in —
May 8, 2024 1 1.00 in —
May 7, 2024 2 1.00 in —
May 7, 2023 1 1.25 in —
Apr 4, 2023 3 1.75 in —
Jun 15, 2022 2 2.75 in —

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Buchanan County
Date Size Location Damage Time · source
Apr 14, 2026 3.25 inteacup 3.35 ENE Otterville — 16:02 local · NCEI
Apr 14, 2026 2.75 inbaseball 3.6 NNE Independence — 16:06 local · NCEI
Jun 15, 2022 2.75 inbaseball 2.54 W Lamont — 16:09 local · NCEI
Apr 13, 2006 2.50 intennis ball Lamont $20K 18:55 local · NCEI
Aug 21, 1987 2.50 intennis ball — — 00:45 local · NCEI

Sizes filed before 1996 are often rough estimates (round numbers like 7.00 or 8.00 in) without an exact spot; they are shown as NOAA filed them.

Size of every report

Most recent reports

Most recent hail reports in Buchanan County
Date Size Location Time · source
Oct 13, 2026 1.54 inping pong ball 2 ENE Hazleton 22:25 UTC · NWS prelim.
Oct 13, 2026 1.02 inquarter 2 ENE Hazleton 22:23 UTC · NWS prelim.
Apr 14, 2026 1.00 inquarter 1.23 SW Jesup 16:48 local · NCEI
Apr 14, 2026 1.75 ingolf ball 1.02 W Jesup 16:48 local · NCEI
Apr 14, 2026 1.25 inhalf dollar 1.47 NNE Independence 16:09 local · NCEI
Apr 14, 2026 2.75 inbaseball 3.6 NNE Independence 16:06 local · NCEI
Apr 14, 2026 1.75 ingolf ball 1.47 NNW Independence 16:05 local · NCEI
Apr 14, 2026 3.25 inteacup 3.35 ENE Otterville 16:02 local · NCEI
May 27, 2024 1.50 inping pong ball 3.7 SW Rowley 14:00 local · NCEI
May 24, 2024 1.75 ingolf ball 2.31 SSE Buffalo Creek Co Park 06:00 local · NCEI
May 8, 2024 1.00 inquarter 3.14 ENE Lime Creek Co Park 21:39 local · NCEI
May 7, 2024 1.00 inquarter 2.13 NNW Independence 15:13 local · NCEI

Cities and towns in Buchanan County

PlaceReportsLargest
Independence553.25 in
Jesup223.00 in
Fairbank192.00 in
Aurora131.75 in
Lamont112.75 in

Smaller places with fewer than 10 reports

These places have too few reports for a page of their own, so their record lives here.

PlaceReportsHail daysLatest
Hazleton98May 30, 2016
Brandon87Jun 8, 2011
Rowley66May 27, 2024
Stanley44Jun 21, 2013
Winthrop43May 24, 2024
Quasqueton33Jun 21, 2013

Questions about hail in Buchanan County

How often does it hail in Buchanan County, Iowa?

166 hail reports have been logged in Buchanan County since 1962. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 5.0 reports a year. That ranks #32 of 100 Iowa counties by number of reports.

When is hail season in Buchanan County?

Most reports come in May, April, June. May alone accounts for 25% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Buchanan County?

3.25 in (teacup size) on April 14, 2026 near 3.35 ENE Otterville. 4% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Buchanan County?

The most recent report in this data is from October 13, 2026 (1.54 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

How many hail storms has Buchanan County had in the last five years?

9 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 19 reports. The most recent was October 13, 2026.

Where does this hail data come from?

Hail reports come from the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, which the National Weather Service compiles from spotter, public, law enforcement and media reports. Recent days use preliminary NWS Local Storm Reports via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet until NOAA publishes final data. Only reported hail is counted, so areas with fewer people tend to have fewer reports.