Hail and tornadoes in Shelby County, IA
Since December 2020, radar estimated hail somewhere in Shelby County, IA on 66 days. The biggest estimate: 2 in or larger (hen egg), on Sun, May 31, 2026. Hail was reported to the National Weather Service inside the county on 4 days.
Still loading: radar estimates go back to Wed, Oct 14, 2020, and the earlier years are being added.
Radar estimates are NOAA's MESH: the largest hail the radar estimates aloft, on cells about 0.7 mile across, shown as the lower bound of a size band (“1.5+”). They often run larger than what reached the ground, and they aren't evidence of damage at any address.
Hail on record since 1955
NOAA's Storm Events database lists 116 hail reports in Shelby County, IA on 74 days, 4 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest: 3 in, near Harlan, on Mon, Jun 30, 2014.
By decade: 1990s: 13 · 2000s: 54 · 2010s: 40 · 2020s: 9
Tornadoes since 1950
16 tornadoes have touched Shelby County, IA since 1950, 1 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Strongest
- Fri, Apr 26, 2024 · EF3 · 25.56 mi long, 1,900 yd wide · near Shelby
- Mon, May 6, 2024 · EF1 · 0.17 mi long, 100 yd wide · near Shelby
- Fri, Apr 26, 2024 · EF1 · 0.35 mi long, 100 yd wide · near Irwin
- Fri, Apr 26, 2024 · EF1 · 3.82 mi long, 300 yd wide · near Defiance
- Wed, Jul 12, 2023 · EF1 · 0.52 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Portsmouth
Most recent
- Fri, May 24, 2024 · EF0 · 0.09 mi long, 40 yd wide · near Westphalia
- Mon, May 20, 2024 · EFU · 0.42 mi long, 20 yd wide · near Tennant
- Mon, May 6, 2024 · EF1 · 0.17 mi long, 100 yd wide · near Shelby
- Fri, Apr 26, 2024 · EF1 · 3.82 mi long, 300 yd wide · near Defiance
- Fri, Apr 26, 2024 · EF1 · 0.35 mi long, 100 yd wide · near Irwin
- Fri, Apr 26, 2024 · EF3 · 25.56 mi long, 1,900 yd wide · near Shelby
- Wed, Jul 12, 2023 · EF1 · 0.52 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Portsmouth
- Wed, Nov 11, 2015 · EF1 · 7.34 mi long, 150 yd wide · near Shelby
- Sun, Jun 29, 2014 · EF0 · 0.5 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Panama
- Tue, Mar 22, 2011 · EF0 · 1 mi long, 40 yd wide · near Defiance
By decade: 2000s: 6 · 2010s: 3 · 2020s: 7
Still loading: NOAA's record goes back to 1950, and 1995 onward is in so far.
Every hail day since December 2020
- Sun, Sep 6, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
- Thu, Aug 13, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Aug 8, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, Aug 4, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, Jul 27, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Wed, Jul 8, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Jul 4, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, May 31, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 2 in or larger (hen egg)
No hail reported in the county.
- Thu, Apr 23, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
- Wed, Apr 15, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, Mar 30, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, Aug 17, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Aug 9, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Thu, Jul 10, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 2 in or larger (hen egg)
No hail reported in the county.
- Wed, Jul 9, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, Jun 16, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, Jul 29, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Jul 6, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, Jun 25, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 2 in or larger (hen egg)
Reported in the county- 1.75 in (Harlan, IA)
- 1 in (1 ENE Shelby, IA)
- Sat, Jun 15, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, May 21, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, May 20, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 2 in or larger (hen egg)
Reported in the county- 2 in (3 N Harlan, IA)
- Tue, Apr 30, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Fri, Apr 26, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, Sep 19, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, Sep 18, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, Aug 1, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, Jul 23, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, Jul 17, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, Jul 16, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Jun 24, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Jun 17, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, May 8, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, May 7, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Wed, Apr 19, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Fri, Apr 14, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, Oct 11, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, Aug 28, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Fri, Aug 19, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, Aug 7, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
- Thu, Aug 4, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Thu, Jul 14, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, Jul 3, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Wed, Jun 15, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, Jun 14, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, Jun 7, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, May 29, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, May 17, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
Reported in the county- 1 in (2 NW HARLAN, IA)
- 1 in (6 W EARLING, IA)
- Sat, May 14, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Fri, Apr 29, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Fri, Apr 22, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
Reported in the county- 1.75 in (ELK HORN, IA)
- Tue, Apr 12, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Mar 5, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, Jan 3, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Mon, Aug 30, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Fri, Aug 27, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Thu, Aug 26, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Aug 7, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Fri, Jul 30, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sun, Jul 25, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Sat, Jul 10, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Fri, Jul 9, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
- Wed, Jun 16, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, May 25, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
- Thu, Jan 7, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
- Tue, Jan 5, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Radar estimates and reports are for anywhere inside the county's boundary. Radar estimates come from NOAA's MRMS estimated hail size (MESH), the largest hail the radar estimates aloft on a ~1 km grid. They often run larger than the hail that reached the ground, and they aren't an observation at any address. Reports are what people reported to the National Weather Service. Neither is proof of damage or an official record for an insurance claim. From NOAA's Storm Events Database (NCEI), which records tornadoes from 1950, hail and thunderstorm wind from 1955, and every kind of storm from 1996. A tornado that crossed county lines is counted in each county it touched. Recent months are added as NCEI publishes them, a few months behind. Damage is in the dollars of its year and is often an estimate.