Hail history for Estherville, Iowa
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Estherville since 1961, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Estherville
- Last hail
- Apr 16, 2024
- 1.00 in, quarter size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 2
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 2 reports
- Largest ever
- 2.50 in
- tennis ball · May 28, 1974
35 reports on 28 days since 1961 · #52 of 483 Iowa places
Hail map · Estherville
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- No size
For homeowners
Roof damage after hail? Get a free inspection
Hail bruises shingles and cracks seals in ways you can't see from the ground, and most insurers set a claim deadline after the storm. The latest hail report in Estherville is from April 16, 2024. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Estherville
The latest hail report in and around Estherville is from April 16, 2024, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 2 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.00 in on April 16, 2024.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Estherville logged 12 reports on 11 hail days, about 0.6 reports a year. That is 33% more than the median Iowa town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #52 of 483 Iowa cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Estherville accounts for 29% of the 122 reports filed in Emmet County.
3% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 6% for the median Iowa town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 2.50 in (tennis ball) on May 28, 1974.
Reports were down 67% in 2016–2025 (3) compared with 2006–2015 (9). The busiest year was 1998, with 6 reports on 2 days. Hail here peaks in June (29% of reports); 57% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Estherville 0.6
- Emmet County 2.3
- Median Iowa town on this site 0.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Estherville 11
- Emmet County 23
- Median Iowa town on this site 7
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Estherville 3%
- Emmet County 10%
- Median Iowa town on this site 6%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017 | 0 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jul 10, 2023 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 28, 1974 | 2.50 intennis ball | — | Emmet | — | 19:10 local · NCEI |
| Jun 16, 2014 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.22 SE Estherville | Emmet | — | 16:00 local · NCEI |
| Jun 26, 1998 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 5 SE Estherville | Emmet | $15K | 10:30 local · NCEI |
| Jun 26, 1998 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Estherville Arpt | Emmet | $5K | 10:21 local · NCEI |
| Sep 14, 1987 | 1.75 ingolf ball | — | Emmet | — | 12:37 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
- Under 1 in 19 54%
- 1–2 in 15 43%
- 2 in + 1 3%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2024 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.38 S Estherville | Emmet | — | 16:49 local · NCEI |
| Jul 10, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.89 NW Estherville Arpt | Emmet | — | 17:34 local · NCEI |
| May 25, 2016 | 0.75 inpenny | 1.22 SE Estherville | Emmet | — | 21:20 local · NCEI |
| Jun 16, 2014 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.22 SE Estherville | Emmet | — | 16:00 local · NCEI |
| Jun 14, 2012 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 2.76 N Wallingford | Emmet | $5K | 18:37 local · NCEI |
| May 21, 2011 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 0.69 N Estherville Arpt | Emmet | $3K | 18:52 local · NCEI |
| Jul 17, 2010 | 1.00 inquarter | 3.01 W Estherville | Emmet | $1K | 22:10 local · NCEI |
| Apr 24, 2010 | 0.88 innickel | 1.71 SE Estherville | Emmet | — | 15:15 local · NCEI |
| Jul 14, 2009 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.3 SSE Estherville | Emmet | — | 19:00 local · NCEI |
| Jul 14, 2009 | 0.88 innickel | 2.44 NE Raleigh | Emmet | — | 18:59 local · NCEI |
| Jul 9, 2009 | 0.88 innickel | 1.71 SE Estherville | Emmet | — | 20:53 local · NCEI |
| May 6, 2008 | 0.75 inpenny | 1.71 SE Estherville | Emmet | — | 15:47 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Estherville
- Wallingford 9 km · 19
- Gruver 11 km · 11
- Terril 15 km · 20
- Spirit Lake 23 km · 36
- Arnolds Park 24 km · 11
- Milford 26 km · 16
- Armstrong 28 km · 11
- Ringsted 29 km · 17
Questions about hail in Estherville
How often does it hail in Estherville, Iowa?
35 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Estherville since 1961. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 0.6 reports a year. That ranks #52 of 483 Iowa places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Estherville?
Most reports come in June, July, May. June alone accounts for 29% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Estherville?
2.50 in (tennis ball size) on May 28, 1974. 3% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Estherville?
The most recent report in this data is from April 16, 2024 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Estherville had in the last five years?
2 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 2 reports. The most recent was April 16, 2024.
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.