Hail history for Ottumwa, Iowa
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Ottumwa since 1966, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Ottumwa
- Last hail
- Jul 17, 2023
- 0.75 in, penny size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 4
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 8 reports
- Largest ever
- 2.75 in
- baseball · May 10, 2001
69 reports on 42 days since 1966 · #16 of 483 Iowa places
Hail map · Ottumwa
- 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 Ottumwa is from July 17, 2023. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
Phone line opening soon
What the record says about Ottumwa
The latest hail report in and around Ottumwa is from July 17, 2023, 0.75 in (penny size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 4 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 2.50 in on June 24, 2023.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Ottumwa logged 37 reports on 23 hail days, about 1.9 reports a year. That is 4.1 times the median Iowa town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #16 of 483 Iowa cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Ottumwa accounts for 55% of the 125 reports filed in Wapello County.
7% 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 2.75 in (baseball) on May 10, 2001 near 4 SW State Center.
Reports were down 58% in 2016–2025 (11) compared with 2006–2015 (26). The busiest year was 2001, with 9 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in April (28% of reports); 70% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Ottumwa 1.9
- Wapello County 3.3
- Median Iowa town on this site 0.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Ottumwa 23
- Wapello County 37
- Median Iowa town on this site 7
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Ottumwa 7%
- Wapello County 6%
- 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 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 | |||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2017 | 0 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2023 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 4 | 2.50 in | — |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 2 | 1.75 in | — |
| Aug 29, 2022 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10, 2001 | 2.75 inbaseball | 4 SW State Center | Marshall | $30K | 17:12 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 2.50 intennis ball | 1.71 WNW Agency | Wapello | — | 16:25 local · NCEI |
| Oct 14, 1966 | 2.50 intennis ball | — | Wapello | — | 17:00 local · NCEI |
| Oct 22, 2001 | 2.00 inhen egg | 1 S Orient | Adair | $30K | 13:28 local · NCEI |
| Aug 29, 1990 | 2.00 inhen egg | — | Wapello | — | 00:35 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 24 35%
- 1–2 in 40 58%
- 2 in + 5 7%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2023 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.09 W Ottumwa | Wapello | — | 07:42 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.25 WSW Ottumwa | Wapello | — | 16:26 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 2.50 intennis ball | 1.71 WNW Agency | Wapello | — | 16:25 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.2 ENE Rutledge | Wapello | — | 16:22 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 2.2 WNW Rutledge | Wapello | — | 16:16 local · NCEI |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.19 ESE Ottumwa | Wapello | — | 15:02 local · NCEI |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.87 SW Ottumwa | Wapello | — | 15:02 local · NCEI |
| Aug 29, 2022 | 0.88 innickel | 1.71 WSW Agency | Wapello | — | 08:05 local · NCEI |
| Apr 7, 2019 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.09 NE Agency | Wapello | — | 17:50 local · NCEI |
| Jul 19, 2018 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.81 N Rutledge | Wapello | — | 16:42 local · NCEI |
| Jun 28, 2018 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.56 W Ottumwa | Wapello | $5K | 12:38 local · NCEI |
| Jun 28, 2015 | 1.00 inquarter | Ottumwa | Wapello | — | 20:20 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Ottumwa
Questions about hail in Ottumwa
How often does it hail in Ottumwa, Iowa?
69 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Ottumwa since 1966. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 1.9 reports a year. That ranks #16 of 483 Iowa places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Ottumwa?
Most reports come in April, June, May. April alone accounts for 28% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Ottumwa?
2.75 in (baseball size) on May 10, 2001 near 4 SW State Center. 7% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Ottumwa?
The most recent report in this data is from July 17, 2023 (0.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Ottumwa had in the last five years?
4 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 8 reports. The most recent was July 17, 2023.
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.