Hail history for Waterloo, Iowa
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Waterloo since 1962, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Waterloo
- Last hail
- Sep 16, 2025
- 1.25 in, half dollar size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 7
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 15 reports
- Largest ever
- 4.75 in
- softball · May 8, 2003
98 reports on 47 days since 1962 · #6 of 483 Iowa places
Hail map · Waterloo
- 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 Waterloo
The latest hail report in and around Waterloo is from September 16, 2025, 1.25 in (half dollar size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 7 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 3.00 in on June 24, 2023.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Waterloo logged 58 reports on 23 hail days, about 2.9 reports a year. That is 6.4 times the median Iowa town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #6 of 483 Iowa cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Waterloo accounts for 39% of the 253 reports filed in Black Hawk County.
9% 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 4.75 in (softball) on May 8, 2003 near 8 N Oskaloosa.
Reports were down 24% in 2016–2025 (25) compared with 2006–2015 (33). The busiest year was 2017, with 10 reports on 2 days. Hail here peaks in May (33% of reports); 77% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Waterloo 2.9
- Black Hawk County 8.1
- Median Iowa town on this site 0.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Waterloo 23
- Black Hawk County 45
- Median Iowa town on this site 7
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Waterloo 9%
- Black Hawk County 13%
- 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 | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 7 | 7 | |||||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017 | 1 | 9 | 10 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2025 | 4 | 1.25 in | — |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
| Oct 24, 2024 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jun 25, 2023 | 1 | 1.75 in | — |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 6 | 3.00 in | — |
| Sep 17, 2022 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
| May 8, 2022 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2003 | 4.75 insoftball | 8 N Oskaloosa | Mahaska | $50K | 18:24 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 3.00 inteacup | 1.72 SW Evansdale | Black Hawk | — | 23:55 local · NCEI |
| May 17, 1991 | 3.00 inteacup | — | Black Hawk | — | 14:25 local · NCEI |
| Sep 16, 1978 | 3.00 inteacup | — | Black Hawk | — | 19:55 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 2.75 inbaseball | 2.31 SSW Waterloo | Black Hawk | — | 23:55 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 32 33%
- 1–2 in 57 58%
- 2 in + 9 9%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2025 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 2.31 SSE Waterloo | Black Hawk | 14:58 local · NCEI |
| Sep 16, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.02 E Waterloo | Black Hawk | 14:45 local · NCEI |
| Sep 16, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.72 SW Evansdale | Black Hawk | 14:37 local · NCEI |
| Sep 16, 2025 | 0.88 innickel | 2.07 S Waterloo | Black Hawk | 14:36 local · NCEI |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 0.88 innickel | 0.86 SW Evansdale | Black Hawk | 07:05 local · NCEI |
| Oct 24, 2024 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.51 W Evansdale | Black Hawk | 15:37 local · NCEI |
| Jun 25, 2023 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 2.31 NNW Orange | Black Hawk | 00:03 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 3.00 inteacup | 1.72 SW Evansdale | Black Hawk | 23:55 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 2.75 inbaseball | 2.31 SSW Waterloo | Black Hawk | 23:55 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 2.31 SSW Waterloo | Black Hawk | 23:52 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 0.69 S Waterloo | Black Hawk | 23:50 local · NCEI |
| Jun 24, 2023 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.47 SSE Waterloo | Black Hawk | 23:48 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Waterloo
- Cedar Falls 9 km · 67
- Hudson 10 km · 14
- Washburn 11 km · 11
- Janesville 19 km · 10
- Denver 20 km · 16
- Dike 23 km · 15
- Jesup 24 km · 22
- La Porte City 24 km · 10
Questions about hail in Waterloo
How often does it hail in Waterloo, Iowa?
98 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Waterloo since 1962. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 2.9 reports a year. That ranks #6 of 483 Iowa places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Waterloo?
Most reports come in May, June, April. May alone accounts for 33% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Waterloo?
4.75 in (softball size) on May 8, 2003 near 8 N Oskaloosa. 9% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Waterloo?
The most recent report in this data is from September 16, 2025 (1.25 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Waterloo had in the last five years?
7 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 15 reports. The most recent was September 16, 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.