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
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- No size
For homeowners
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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
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
| 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
- Under 1 in 5 31%
- 1–2 in 10 63%
- 2 in + 1 6%
Most recent reports
| 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
- Webb 10 km · 20
- Laurens 11 km · 16
- Sioux Rapids 14 km · 19
- Rembrandt 15 km · 14
- Gillett Grove 18 km · 15
- Linn Grove 22 km · 12
- Havelock 23 km · 11
- Mallard 26 km · 12
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.