Iowa, 1973

Hail and Damaging Winds in Iowa, May 21, 1973

May 21, 1973 · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Humboldt

When
May 21, 7:45 PM CST
Where
Humboldt County
Measured
2 in hail
Coordinates
42.680, -94.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Humboldt

When
May 21, 7:45 PM CST
Where
Humboldt County
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
42.680, -94.200

Hail, Kossuth

When
May 21, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Kossuth County
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
43.100, -94.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Kossuth

When
May 21, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Kossuth County
Coordinates
43.100, -94.200

Hail, Wapello

When
May 21, 10:23 PM CST
Where
Wapello County
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
41.100, -92.450

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Iowa in 1973Every state in 1973This day in weather history

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10013316, 10013317, 10013318, 10013319, 10013320.