Hail history for Wapello County, Iowa
Every NOAA hail report filed in Wapello County since 1966, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Wapello County
- Last hail
- Jul 17, 2023
- 0.75 in, penny size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 4
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 13 reports
- Largest ever
- 2.75 in
- baseball · May 11, 2014
125 reports on 68 days since 1966 · #65 of 100 Iowa counties
Hail map · Wapello 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 Wapello County is from July 17, 2023. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Wapello County
The latest hail report in Wapello County 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, Wapello County logged 66 reports on 37 hail days, about 3.3 reports a year. That is 11% less than the median Iowa county (3.7 a year) and ranks #65 of 100 Iowa counties for all-time reports. Wapello County holds 1% of all 16,032 hail reports in Iowa.
6% 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 2.75 in (baseball) on May 11, 2014 near 3.03 NE Blakesburg.
Reports were down 63% in 2016–2025 (18) compared with 2006–2015 (48). The busiest year was 2023, with 12 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in April (27% of reports); 75% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Wapello County 3.3
- Median Iowa county 3.7
Hail days 2006–2025
- Wapello County 37
- Median Iowa county 39.5
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Wapello County 6%
- Median Iowa county 7%
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 | 9 | 1 | 12 | |||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2017 | 1 | 1 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2023 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 9 | 2.50 in | — |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 2 | 1.75 in | — |
| Aug 29, 2022 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2014 | 2.75 inbaseball | 3.03 NE Blakesburg | $25K | 15:00 local · NCEI |
| Apr 30, 2003 | 2.75 inbaseball | 1 S Eddyville | $20K | 17:47 local · NCEI |
| Apr 18, 1996 | 2.75 inbaseball | Eldon | $100K | 14:50 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 2.50 intennis ball | 1.71 WNW Agency | — | 16:25 local · NCEI |
| Apr 27, 1989 | 2.50 intennis ball | — | — | 16:20 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 46 37%
- 1–2 in 71 57%
- 2 in + 8 6%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 17, 2023 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.09 W Ottumwa | — | 07:42 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.09 SW Eldon | — | 16:57 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.25 WSW Ottumwa | — | 16:26 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 2.50 intennis ball | 1.71 WNW Agency | — | 16:25 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.2 ENE Rutledge | — | 16:22 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 2.2 WNW Rutledge | — | 16:16 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.5 WSW Blakesburg Arpt | — | 16:04 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.94 NE Blakesburg | $1K | 16:02 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 3.13 W Blakesburg Arpt | — | 15:59 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 0.75 inpenny | 3.17 NNE Dudley | — | 15:49 local · NCEI |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.19 ESE Ottumwa | — | 15:02 local · NCEI |
| Mar 31, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.87 SW Ottumwa | — | 15:02 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns in Wapello County
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blakesburg | 7 | 5 | Jun 24, 2023 |
| Chillicothe | 6 | 5 | Sep 13, 2005 |
| Agency | 2 | 2 | Mar 12, 2006 |
| Kirkville | 2 | 2 | May 14, 2020 |
Questions about hail in Wapello County
How often does it hail in Wapello County, Iowa?
125 hail reports have been logged in Wapello County since 1966. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 3.3 reports a year. That ranks #65 of 100 Iowa counties by number of reports.
When is hail season in Wapello County?
Most reports come in April, May, June. April alone accounts for 27% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Wapello County?
2.75 in (baseball size) on May 11, 2014 near 3.03 NE Blakesburg. 6% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Wapello County?
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 Wapello County had in the last five years?
4 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 13 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.