Hail History

Hail history for Buena Vista County, Iowa

Every NOAA hail report filed in Buena Vista County since 1960, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Buena Vista County

Last hail
Oct 8, 2026
1.00 in, quarter size · preliminary
Hail days, last 5 years
7
since Nov 3, 2021 · 13 reports
Largest ever
3.00 in
teacup · Jun 18, 1960

155 reports on 81 days since 1960 · #37 of 100 Iowa counties

Hail map · Buena Vista County

Storm Lake Sioux Rapids Marathon Rembrandt Newell Linn Grove 10 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
148 most recent reports with a location. Dot size and colour follow hail size. Open street map

For homeowners

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What the record says about Buena Vista County

The latest hail report in Buena Vista County is from October 8, 2026, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 7 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.75 in on July 3, 2023.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Buena Vista County logged 72 reports on 27 hail days, about 3.6 reports a year. That is about the same as the median Iowa county (3.7 a year) and ranks #37 of 100 Iowa counties for all-time reports. Buena Vista 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 3.00 in (teacup) on June 18, 1960.

Reports were down 56% in 2016–2025 (22) compared with 2006–2015 (50). The busiest year was 2001, with 15 reports on 5 days. Hail here peaks in June (32% of reports); 68% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Buena Vista County 3.6
  • Median Iowa county 3.7

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Buena Vista County 27
  • Median Iowa county 39.5

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Buena Vista County 4%
  • Median Iowa county 7%

Hail over time

051015 1960: 1 reports, largest 3.00 in 1960 1969: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1970: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1970 1973: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1974: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1980: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 1980 1981: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1983: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1986: 1 reports, largest 2.75 in 1987: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 1990: 1 reports, largest 2.00 in 1990 1991: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1994: 5 reports, largest 1.75 in 1995: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1996: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 1998: 6 reports, largest 1.75 in 1999: 2 reports, largest 0.88 in 2000: 5 reports, largest 1.00 in 2000 2001: 15 reports, largest 2.00 in 2002: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 2003: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 2004: 11 reports, largest 1.00 in 2005: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 2006: 4 reports, largest 1.00 in 2007: 6 reports, largest 1.00 in 2008: 10 reports, largest 1.75 in 2010: 11 reports, largest 1.75 in 2010 2011: 7 reports, largest 1.75 in 2012: 9 reports, largest 2.00 in 2014: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2015: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2016: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2018: 5 reports, largest 1.75 in 2019: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2020: 1 reports, largest 1.25 in 2020 2021: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 2023: 7 reports, largest 1.75 in 2024: 1 reports, largest 1.25 in 2026: 5 reports, largest 1.00 in
Reports per year, 1960–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
0204060 Jan Feb March: 5 reports (3%) Mar April: 17 reports (11%) Apr May: 38 reports (25%) May June: 50 reports (32%) Jun July: 16 reports (10%) Jul August: 16 reports (10%) Aug September: 12 reports (8%) Sep October: 1 reports (1%) Oct Nov Dec
All 155 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 131 5
2025 0
2024 1 1
2023 34 7
2022 0
2021 4 4
2020 1 1
2019 2 2
2018 5 5
2017 0

Hail days since Nov 3, 2021

DateReportsLargestStorm page
Oct 8, 2026 1 1.00 in View
May 15, 2026 3 1.00 in —
Apr 23, 2026 1 1.00 in —
May 24, 2024 1 1.25 in —
Jul 26, 2023 3 1.00 in —
Jul 3, 2023 1 1.75 in —
Jun 24, 2023 3 1.25 in —

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Buena Vista County
Date Size Location Time · source
Jun 18, 1960 3.00 inteacup — 14:30 local · NCEI
Jul 28, 1986 2.75 inbaseball — 19:03 local · NCEI
Jun 14, 2012 2.00 inhen egg 0.86 NW Marathon 17:30 local · NCEI
Jun 11, 2001 2.00 inhen egg Rembrandt 21:03 local · NCEI
Jun 11, 2001 2.00 inhen egg Linn Grove 20:59 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 Buena Vista County
Date Size Location Time · source
Oct 8, 2026 1.00 inquarter 3 NE Storm Lake 04:55 UTC · NWS prelim.
May 15, 2026 1.00 inquarter 2.14 WNW Rembrandt 19:24 local · NCEI
May 15, 2026 1.00 inquarter Newell 17:43 local · NCEI
May 15, 2026 0.88 innickel 2.31 NNW Storm Lake Arpt 17:36 local · NCEI
Apr 23, 2026 1.00 inquarter 2.15 WNW Alta 14:24 local · NCEI
May 24, 2024 1.25 inhalf dollar 0.69 N Newell 00:40 local · NCEI
Jul 26, 2023 0.75 inpenny Albert City 03:41 local · NCEI
Jul 26, 2023 1.00 inquarter Albert City 03:40 local · NCEI
Jul 26, 2023 1.00 inquarter 0.51 E Rembrandt 03:22 local · NCEI
Jul 3, 2023 1.75 ingolf ball 8.19 NNW Alta 16:45 local · NCEI
Jun 24, 2023 1.25 inhalf dollar 1.67 ESE Truesdale 21:26 local · NCEI
Jun 24, 2023 1.00 inquarter 4.84 N Alta 21:18 local · NCEI

Cities and towns in Buena Vista County

PlaceReportsLargest
Storm Lake261.75 in
Sioux Rapids192.75 in
Marathon162.00 in
Rembrandt142.00 in
Newell132.00 in
Linn Grove122.00 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
Alta98Apr 23, 2026
Albert City65Jul 26, 2023
Truesdale65Jun 24, 2023
Lakeside11Sep 6, 1969

Questions about hail in Buena Vista County

How often does it hail in Buena Vista County, Iowa?

155 hail reports have been logged in Buena Vista County since 1960. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 3.6 reports a year. That ranks #37 of 100 Iowa counties by number of reports.

When is hail season in Buena Vista County?

Most reports come in June, May, April. June alone accounts for 32% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Buena Vista County?

3.00 in (teacup size) on June 18, 1960. 4% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Buena Vista County?

The most recent report in this data is from October 8, 2026 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

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

7 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 13 reports. The most recent was October 8, 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.