Hail history for Howard County, Iowa
Every NOAA hail report filed in Howard County since 1955, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Howard County
- Last hail
- Jul 8, 2026
- 1.00 in, quarter size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 4
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 6 reports
- Largest ever
- 3.50 in
- teacup · Apr 14, 2026
98 reports on 57 days since 1955 · #84 of 100 Iowa counties
Hail map · Howard County
- 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 Howard County is from July 8, 2026. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Howard County
The latest hail report in Howard County is from July 8, 2026, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 4 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 3.50 in on April 14, 2026.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Howard County logged 45 reports on 20 hail days, about 2.3 reports a year. That is 39% less than the median Iowa county (3.7 a year) and ranks #84 of 100 Iowa counties for all-time reports. Howard 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 3.50 in (teacup) on April 14, 2026 near 0.85 SE Elma.
Reports were down 71% in 2016–2025 (10) compared with 2006–2015 (35). The busiest year was 2007, with 12 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in June (29% of reports); 57% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Howard County 2.3
- Median Iowa county 3.7
Hail days 2006–2025
- Howard County 20
- Median Iowa county 39.5
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Howard County 4%
- Median Iowa county 7%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 1 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 2025 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2017 | 3 | 3 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 27, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 2 | 3.50 in | — |
| Sep 19, 2024 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 2026 | 3.50 inteacup | 0.85 SE Elma | $250K | 15:56 local · NCEI |
| Jul 20, 1998 | 3.00 inteacup | 3 E Lime Spgs | $30K | 15:10 local · NCEI |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 2.75 inbaseball | 0.5 E Saratoga | $75K | 16:11 local · NCEI |
| Jul 20, 1998 | 2.00 inhen egg | Lime Spgs | — | 15:06 local · NCEI |
| Jun 17, 2009 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Lime Spgs | $10K | 20:23 local · NCEI |
Size of every report
- Under 1 in 49 51%
- 1–2 in 44 45%
- 2 in + 4 4%
- No size 1
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 8, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 7.02 W Chester | — | 16:49 local · NCEI |
| Apr 27, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | Lourdes | — | 15:31 local · NCEI |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 2.75 inbaseball | 0.5 E Saratoga | $75K | 16:11 local · NCEI |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 3.50 inteacup | 0.85 SE Elma | $250K | 15:56 local · NCEI |
| Sep 19, 2024 | 1.00 inquarter | 4.27 SSE Riceville | — | 16:24 local · NCEI |
| Sep 19, 2024 | 0.88 innickel | 2.76 S Riceville | — | 16:22 local · NCEI |
| Jun 26, 2020 | 1.00 inquarter | Lime Spgs | — | 11:20 local · NCEI |
| Jun 27, 2019 | 0.75 inpenny | Schley | — | 12:02 local · NCEI |
| Jun 27, 2019 | 0.88 innickel | 0.85 SE Elma | — | 11:35 local · NCEI |
| Jun 27, 2019 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.22 NE Maple Leaf | — | 11:30 local · NCEI |
| Apr 13, 2018 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.5 E Cresco Muni Arpt | — | 20:08 local · NCEI |
| Mar 6, 2017 | 1.00 inquarter | 5.03 W Elma | — | 19:19 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns in Howard County
| Place | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|
| Cresco | 26 | 1.75 in |
| Protivin | 14 | 1.75 in |
| Lime Springs | 12 | 3.00 in |
| Elma | 11 | 3.50 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.
| Place | Reports | Hail days | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riceville | 9 | 8 | May 19, 2025 |
| Chester | 5 | 5 | May 8, 2014 |
Questions about hail in Howard County
How often does it hail in Howard County, Iowa?
98 hail reports have been logged in Howard County since 1955. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 2.3 reports a year. That ranks #84 of 100 Iowa counties by number of reports.
When is hail season in Howard County?
Most reports come in June, July, May. June alone accounts for 29% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Howard County?
3.50 in (teacup size) on April 14, 2026 near 0.85 SE Elma. 4% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Howard County?
The most recent report in this data is from July 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 Howard County had in the last five years?
4 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 6 reports. The most recent was July 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.