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Hail in Franklin County, Iowa
125 hail events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Hail.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 125 hail events in Franklin County, Iowa, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 39 years.
May is the busiest month, with 36 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 63 events against 53 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 15,950 hail events recorded in Iowa; its 21.5 per 100 square miles compares with 28.6 statewide.
27 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 3.00 inches (tea cup size).
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Franklin County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 125 | 15,950 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 21.5 | 28.6 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 125.6 | 50.0 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 4 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
17May
36Jun
29Jul
20Aug
13Sep
6Oct
1Nov
0Dec
1
Magnitude distribution
NWS hail-size descriptors
- under 1 in
- pea to quarter
- 1–1.74 in
- quarter to golf ball
- 1.75–2.74 in
- golf ball to baseball
- 2.75–3.99 in
- baseball to softball
- 4 in and larger
- softball and larger
Hail size in inches as recorded by NCEI; events without a size are not binned.
Recorded events
All 125 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Sep 2025 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Sep 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2023 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2023 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2022 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Dec 2021 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2020 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2018 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2018 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2018 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2018 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2017 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2017 | Hail | 1.50 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2015 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2014 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2014 | Hail | 1.25 in | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2013 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2013 | Hail | 1.75 in | $5K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2013 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2010 | Hail | 1.25 in | $5K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2010 | Hail | 1.25 in | $5K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2010 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $10K | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2007 | Hail | 0.88 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Mar 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | $1K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.25 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | $2K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2004 | Hail | 1.50 in | $10K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | $1K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | $2K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | $1K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $3K | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | $2K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | $1K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2003 | Hail | 1.75 in | $20K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2003 | Hail | 2.50 in | $25K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2003 | Hail | 1.75 in | $20K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | $2K | $2K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | $2K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2000 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 1999 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1999 | Hail | 1.00 in | $2K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Hail | 1.00 in | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Hail | 1.00 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | $2K | $40K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1997 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | $5K | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | $1K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 1995 | Hail | 1.75 in | $5K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1995 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1995 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 1995 | Hail | 0.75 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1993 | Hail | 0.75 in | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1990 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1989 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 1988 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1985 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 1984 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 1981 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1974 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1973 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1973 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1968 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 1961 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1961 | Hail | 3.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Franklin County had?
125 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of hail became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded hail event in Franklin County?
16 Sep 2025 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Franklin County?
The hail of 24 Aug 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2K and crop damage at $40K.
How does Franklin County compare with Iowa for hail?
21.5 events per 100 square miles against 28.6 statewide; the county holds 125 of the state's 15,950 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Hail hub and the county page.