Sioux City hail storm history
Woodbury County·NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database·~75-day publication lag
Sioux City, located in Woodbury County in western Iowa, has experienced 5 hail events of 1 inch or larger over the past 10 years, with an average frequency of 0.5 events per year. The city's position near the Nebraska border places it in the path of supercell thunderstorms initiated along the dryline, a weather boundary that frequently produces severe hail in this region.
Hail in Sioux City occurs most frequently during May and June, when atmospheric conditions favor supercell development. Storms originating along the Kansas and Nebraska dryline reach peak intensity as they move eastward into the Sioux City area during these months, with April and July presenting secondary risk periods.
Annual frequency — last 10 years
When hail hits — monthly pattern
Avg events per month · all years · NOAA data
All recorded hail events
Of 111 recorded events, 27 (24%) reached 1.5" or larger — the threshold for likely functional damage on standard asphalt shingles.
Observed hail was pea to nickel size, although most hailstones were the size of dimes.
Significant damage occurred to campers at the Willow Creek Campground from wind-driven hail. Hail la…
Hail was mostly dime to nickel size, but some stones were as big as a quarter.
Nickel to quarter size hail fell for around 6 minutes, with a few stones slightly larger than quarte…
Quarter to half-dollar size hail was reported.
The office received a photo of significant damage to siding and windows on a home in Whiting, Iowa. …
Golf ball sized hail was reported by a trained spotter along Interstate 29 west of Whiting.
Hail mainly of half dollar size or a bit larger covered the ground.
Hail size was estimated between 2 and 2.5 inches based on photo with adjacent quarter.
Hail 1.0 inch in diameter fell in Remsen.
Hail varied from dime to nickel size.
The wind-driven hail damage path continued out of Plymouth and Cherokee Counties into Woodbury Count…
Hail was mostly dime to nickel size, but some stones were as large as quarters.
The public reported 1 inch hail in Whiting.
Hail up to the size of golf balls occurred with the storm resulting in a few broken windshields.
Hail covered the ground.
Woodbury County's NOAA Storm Events Database contains 9 documented hail events of 1 inch or larger, including 1 event exceeding 1.5 inches—the threshold at which functional roof damage becomes likely across all shingle types. The largest recorded hail event in the county occurred on September 22, 2025, producing 2-inch hail, which falls into the severe damage category. Current-year data is excluded from the annual frequency table until October, when NOAA's Storm Events Database has processed the full hail season accounting for the standard 75-day reporting lag.
NOAA Storm Events Database source