National Storms

October 1972 storm reports: hail, wind and tornadoes

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In October 1972, 8 hail, 8 damaging-wind and 34 tornado reports were logged on 15 storm days across 14 states. The largest hail reported was 2.50″ (tennis ball size) in Delaware County, IA on October 10, 1972. The most hail reports came on October 10, 1972 (3).

Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports. Data through November 6, 2026. Methodology

← September 1972 All 1972 storm days November 1972 →

8hail reports
8wind reports
34tornado reports
2.50″largest hail
15storm days
Oct 1: 2Oct 2: 1Oct 3: 0Oct 4: 2Oct 5: 0Oct 6: 0Oct 7: 0Oct 8: 0Oct 9: 0Oct 10: 3Oct 11: 0Oct 12: 0Oct 13: 0Oct 14: 0Oct 15: 0Oct 16: 0Oct 17: 0Oct 18: 0Oct 19: 0Oct 20: 0Oct 21: 0Oct 22: 0Oct 23: 0Oct 24: 0Oct 25: 0Oct 26: 0Oct 27: 0Oct 28: 0Oct 29: 0Oct 30: 0Oct 31: 0Oct 1Oct 4Oct 7Oct 10Oct 13Oct 16Oct 19Oct 22Oct 25Oct 28Oct 31max 3
Hail reports by day, October 1972

Source: National Storms (nationalstorms.com), CC BY 4.0, data from NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports.

Biggest storm days of October 1972

DayHailWindTornadoLargest hailStates
Oct 27, 19720213–3
Oct 21, 1972029–3
Oct 1, 19722021.00″2
Oct 4, 19722011.75″2
Oct 10, 19723002.50″1
Oct 26, 1972012–2
Oct 3, 1972011–2
Oct 15, 1972002–1
Oct 2, 19721000.75″1
Oct 6, 1972010–1

Largest hail reported in October 1972

DaySizeLocation
Oct 10, 19722.50″ (tennis ball)Delaware County, IA
Oct 10, 19722.00″ (hen egg)Cedar County, IA
Oct 4, 19721.75″ (golf ball)Martin County, IN
Oct 4, 19721.75″ (golf ball)Perry County, IN
Oct 1, 19721.00″ (quarter)El Dorado County, CA
Oct 1, 19721.00″ (quarter)Nevada County, CA
Oct 10, 19721.00″ (quarter)Delaware County, IA
Oct 2, 19720.75″ (penny)Polk County, FL

Storm reports by state, October 1972

StateHailWindTornadoLargest hail
Florida10110.75″
Texas019–
Georgia024–
California2031.00″
Iowa3012.50″
Arizona012–
Indiana2001.75″
Oklahoma002–
Alabama001–
Arkansas010–
Louisiana010–
North Carolina001–
New Mexico010–
Nevada010–

Every storm day in October 1972

Oct 1 Oct 2 Oct 3 Oct 4 Oct 6 Oct 10 Oct 15 Oct 17 Oct 18 Oct 21 Oct 22 Oct 24 Oct 26 Oct 27 Oct 29

A storm day runs 7 a.m. to 7 a.m. Eastern (12:00–12:00 UTC), the convention the Storm Prediction Center uses. Read more about NOAA storm reports.