Hail History

Hail history for Marathon, Iowa

NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Marathon since 1970, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Marathon

Last hail
May 1, 2018
1.25 in, half dollar size
Hail days, last 5 years
0
since Nov 3, 2021 · 0 reports
Largest ever
2.00 in
hen egg · Jun 14, 2012

16 reports on 10 days since 1970 · #247 of 483 Iowa places

Hail map · Marathon

Marathon Laurens Sioux Rapids Rembrandt Linn Grove 10 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
16 most recent reports with a location; Buena Vista County is shaded. Open street map

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What the record says about Marathon

The latest hail report in and around Marathon is from May 1, 2018, 1.25 in (half dollar size). There has been no hail report here in the five years since November 3, 2021.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Marathon logged 6 reports on 2 hail days, about 0.3 reports a year. That is 33% less than the median Iowa town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #247 of 483 Iowa cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Marathon accounts for 10% of the 155 reports filed in Buena Vista County.

6% 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 2.00 in (hen egg) on June 14, 2012 near 0.86 NW Marathon.

The busiest year was 2018, with 3 reports on 1 day. Hail here peaks in June (44% of reports); 81% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Marathon 0.3
  • Buena Vista County 3.6
  • Median Iowa town on this site 0.5

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Marathon 2
  • Buena Vista County 27
  • Median Iowa town on this site 7

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Marathon 6%
  • Buena Vista County 4%
  • Median Iowa town on this site 6%

Hail over time

0123 1970: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1970 1973: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1980: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1980 1987: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1990 1999: 1 reports, largest 0.88 in 2000 2001: 3 reports, largest 1.25 in 2004: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2005: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2010 2012: 3 reports, largest 2.00 in 2018: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 2020
Reports per year, 1970–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
02468 Jan Feb Mar Apr May: 6 reports (38%) May June: 7 reports (44%) Jun July: 1 reports (6%) Jul August: 1 reports (6%) Aug September: 1 reports (6%) Sep Oct Nov Dec
All 16 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 0
2025 0
2024 0
2023 0
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 3 3
2017 0

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Marathon
Date Size Location County Time · source
Jun 14, 2012 2.00 inhen egg 0.86 NW Marathon Buena Vista 17:30 local · NCEI
May 1, 2018 1.75 ingolf ball 3.04 W Marathon Buena Vista 16:30 local · NCEI
Jun 14, 2012 1.75 ingolf ball 2.63 WNW Marathon Buena Vista 17:25 local · NCEI
Jun 13, 1980 1.75 ingolf ball — Buena Vista 16:10 local · NCEI
May 1, 2018 1.50 inping pong ball 2.03 W Marathon Buena Vista 16:34 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 Marathon
Date Size Location County Time · source
May 1, 2018 1.25 inhalf dollar 0.51 W Marathon Buena Vista 16:35 local · NCEI
May 1, 2018 1.50 inping pong ball 2.03 W Marathon Buena Vista 16:34 local · NCEI
May 1, 2018 1.75 ingolf ball 3.04 W Marathon Buena Vista 16:30 local · NCEI
Jun 14, 2012 1.25 inhalf dollar 3.49 N Marathon Buena Vista 17:30 local · NCEI
Jun 14, 2012 2.00 inhen egg 0.86 NW Marathon Buena Vista 17:30 local · NCEI
Jun 14, 2012 1.75 ingolf ball 2.63 WNW Marathon Buena Vista 17:25 local · NCEI
May 8, 2005 1.00 inquarter 1 NE Marathon Buena Vista 15:16 local · NCEI
May 21, 2004 0.75 inpenny 2 E Marathon Buena Vista 21:40 local · NCEI
Jun 11, 2001 0.75 inpenny 8 E Sioux Rapids Buena Vista 22:30 local · NCEI
Jun 11, 2001 1.25 inhalf dollar Marathon Buena Vista 21:25 local · NCEI
Jun 11, 2001 1.00 inquarter 8 E Sioux Rapids Buena Vista 21:10 local · NCEI
Jul 30, 1999 0.88 innickel Marathon Buena Vista 18:37 local · NCEI

Hail history near Marathon

Questions about hail in Marathon

How often does it hail in Marathon, Iowa?

16 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Marathon since 1970. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 0.3 reports a year. That ranks #247 of 483 Iowa places by number of reports.

When is hail season in Marathon?

Most reports come in June, May, July. June alone accounts for 44% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Marathon?

2.00 in (hen egg size) on June 14, 2012 near 0.86 NW Marathon. 6% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Marathon?

The most recent report in this data is from May 1, 2018 (1.25 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

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

None: there has been no hail report in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Marathon since November 3, 2021. The last one was on May 1, 2018.

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.