Hail History

Hail history for Palo Alto County, Iowa

Every NOAA hail report filed in Palo Alto County since 1959, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Palo Alto County

Last hail
Apr 28, 2025
0.88 in, nickel size
Hail days, last 5 years
6
since Nov 3, 2021 · 15 reports
Largest ever
3.00 in
teacup · Jun 24, 2023

125 reports on 74 days since 1959 · #62 of 100 Iowa counties

Hail map · Palo Alto County

Emmetsburg Ruthven Mallard 10 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
120 most recent reports with a location. Dot size and colour follow hail size. Open street map

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What the record says about Palo Alto County

The latest hail report in Palo Alto County is from April 28, 2025, 0.88 in (nickel size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 6 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 3.00 in on June 24, 2023.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Palo Alto County logged 61 reports on 34 hail days, about 3.0 reports a year. That is 18% less than the median Iowa county (3.7 a year) and ranks #62 of 100 Iowa counties for all-time reports. Palo Alto County holds 1% of all 16,032 hail reports in Iowa.

10% 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 3.00 in (teacup) on June 24, 2023 near 2.45 NW Cylinder.

Reports were down 26% in 2016–2025 (26) compared with 2006–2015 (35). The busiest year was 2004, with 12 reports on 5 days. Hail here peaks in May (22% of reports); 58% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Palo Alto County 3.0
  • Median Iowa county 3.7

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Palo Alto County 34
  • Median Iowa county 39.5

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Palo Alto County 10%
  • Median Iowa county 7%

Hail over time

051015 1959: 2 reports, largest 2.00 in 1960 1961: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1963: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1970 1974: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1979: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1980: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1980 1983: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1984: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1985: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1986: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1989: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1990 1992: 1 reports, largest 1.50 in 1995: 4 reports, largest 2.75 in 1997: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1998: 4 reports, largest 2.75 in 1999: 2 reports, largest 0.88 in 2000: 6 reports, largest 1.75 in 2000 2001: 7 reports, largest 1.00 in 2002: 7 reports, largest 1.75 in 2003: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 2004: 12 reports, largest 2.75 in 2005: 5 reports, largest 1.75 in 2007: 1 reports, largest 0.88 in 2008: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2010: 9 reports, largest 1.75 in 2010 2011: 4 reports, largest 1.50 in 2012: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 2013: 10 reports, largest 1.75 in 2014: 3 reports, largest 1.25 in 2015: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2016: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2017: 2 reports, largest 2.50 in 2018: 3 reports, largest 3.00 in 2019: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2020: 3 reports, largest 2.50 in 2020 2022: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2023: 10 reports, largest 3.00 in 2024: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 2025: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in
Reports per year, 1959–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
0102030 Jan Feb March: 1 reports (1%) Mar April: 21 reports (17%) Apr May: 27 reports (22%) May June: 25 reports (20%) Jun July: 20 reports (16%) Jul August: 19 reports (15%) Aug September: 7 reports (6%) Sep October: 5 reports (4%) Oct Nov Dec
All 125 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 0
2025 2 2
2024 2 2
2023 262 10
2022 1 1
2021 0
2020 3 3
2019 1 1
2018 12 3
2017 11 2

Hail days since Nov 3, 2021

DateReportsLargestStorm page
Apr 28, 2025 2 1.00 in —
May 20, 2024 2 1.75 in —
Aug 11, 2023 2 1.25 in —
Jun 24, 2023 6 3.00 in —
May 8, 2023 2 1.00 in —
Apr 12, 2022 1 1.00 in —

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Palo Alto County
Date Size Location Damage Time · source
Jun 24, 2023 3.00 inteacup 2.45 NW Cylinder — 22:00 local · NCEI
Aug 28, 2018 3.00 inteacup 1.71 SE Ayrshire $50K 05:38 local · NCEI
Aug 28, 2018 2.75 inbaseball 0.69 S West Bend $50K 06:12 local · NCEI
Apr 17, 2004 2.75 inbaseball Mallard $25K 21:15 local · NCEI
Aug 24, 1998 2.75 inbaseball 2 NW West Bend $50K 08:45 local · NCEI

Size of every report

Most recent reports

Most recent hail reports in Palo Alto County
Date Size Location Time · source
Apr 28, 2025 0.88 innickel 1.01 E Emmetsburg 20:05 local · NCEI
Apr 28, 2025 1.00 inquarter 6.3 N Ruthven 16:31 local · NCEI
May 20, 2024 1.75 ingolf ball 0.69 N Mallard 20:21 local · NCEI
May 20, 2024 0.88 innickel 0.51 W Curlew 20:04 local · NCEI
Aug 11, 2023 1.00 inquarter 0.69 N Mallard 08:58 local · NCEI
Aug 11, 2023 1.25 inhalf dollar Mallard 08:58 local · NCEI
Jun 24, 2023 1.75 ingolf ball 1.71 NE Cylinder 22:04 local · NCEI
Jun 24, 2023 3.00 inteacup 2.45 NW Cylinder 22:00 local · NCEI
Jun 24, 2023 1.00 inquarter 1.22 NE Cylinder 22:00 local · NCEI
Jun 24, 2023 2.50 intennis ball 1.22 SE Emmetsburg 21:55 local · NCEI
Jun 24, 2023 1.75 ingolf ball 1.66 ESE Emmetsburg 21:55 local · NCEI
Jun 24, 2023 1.75 ingolf ball 1.22 SE Emmetsburg 21:52 local · NCEI

Cities and towns in Palo Alto County

PlaceReportsLargest
Emmetsburg313.00 in
Ruthven222.75 in
Mallard122.75 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.

PlaceReportsHail daysLatest
West Bend97May 8, 2023
Ayrshire88Aug 28, 2018
Graettinger87May 8, 2023
Cylinder65Jun 24, 2023
Curlew53May 20, 2024
Rodman21Jul 8, 1986

Questions about hail in Palo Alto County

How often does it hail in Palo Alto County, Iowa?

125 hail reports have been logged in Palo Alto County since 1959. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 3.0 reports a year. That ranks #62 of 100 Iowa counties by number of reports.

When is hail season in Palo Alto County?

Most reports come in May, June, April. May alone accounts for 22% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Palo Alto County?

3.00 in (teacup size) on June 24, 2023 near 2.45 NW Cylinder. 10% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Palo Alto County?

The most recent report in this data is from April 28, 2025 (0.88 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

How many hail storms has Palo Alto County had in the last five years?

6 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 15 reports. The most recent was April 28, 2025.

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.