Hail history for California
938 NOAA hail reports across 47 counties and 3 cities and towns since 1957, updated to November 3, 2026.
Readout · California
- Last hail
- Oct 21, 2026
- 0.25 in, pea size · preliminary
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 44
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 66 reports
- Largest ever
- 3.00 in
- teacup · May 24, 2019
938 reports on 490 days since 1957 · #40 of 51 states
Hail map · California
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Counties shaded by all-time hail reports. Select a county for its page.
For homeowners
Roof damage after hail? Get a free inspection
Hail bruises shingles and cracks seals in ways you can't see from the ground, and most insurers set a claim deadline after the storm. The latest hail report in California is from October 21, 2026. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about California
The latest hail report in California is from October 21, 2026, 0.25 in (pea size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 44 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.75 in on June 5, 2023.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, California logged 534 reports on 268 hail days, about 26.7 reports a year. That is 15% of the median US state (173.9 a year) and ranks #40 of 51 states and DC for all-time reports.
1% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 3% for the median US state. The largest hail on record here is 3.00 in (teacup) on May 24, 2019 near 1.05 E Enterprise.
Reports were up 47% in 2016–2025 (318) compared with 2006–2015 (216). The busiest year was 2018, with 79 reports on 21 days. Hail here peaks in March (18% of reports); 25% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- California 26.7
- Median US state 173.9
Hail days 2006–2025
- California 268
- Median US state 561
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- California 1%
- Median US state 3%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 11 | |||||||
| 2024 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 21 | ||||||
| 2023 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 18 | |||||||||
| 2022 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | ||||||
| 2021 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 16 | ||||||||
| 2020 | 8 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 37 | |||||
| 2019 | 2 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 53 | |
| 2018 | 14 | 10 | 29 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 79 | ||||
| 2017 | 18 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 55 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2026 | 1 | 0.25 in | View |
| Sep 24, 2026 | 1 | 0.50 in | View |
| Aug 13, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | View |
| Apr 10, 2026 | 2 | 1.50 in | — |
| Apr 9, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Sep 25, 2025 | 1 | 0.25 in | — |
| Sep 18, 2025 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jul 30, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jul 26, 2025 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jul 2, 2025 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jun 3, 2025 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 26, 2025 | 1 | 0.50 in | — |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Sep 20, 2024 | 1 | 0.50 in | — |
| Sep 8, 2024 | 3 | 1.00 in | — |
| Sep 7, 2024 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Aug 11, 2024 | 2 | 0.50 in | — |
| Jul 14, 2024 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jul 13, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 5, 2024 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Mar 30, 2024 | 4 | 0.25 in | — |
| Mar 24, 2024 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 15, 2024 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 7, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Feb 19, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Aug 18, 2023 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
| Jun 8, 2023 | 1 | 0.25 in | — |
| Jun 5, 2023 | 3 | 1.75 in | — |
| Mar 29, 2023 | 2 | 0.25 in | — |
| Mar 28, 2023 | 1 | 0.25 in | — |
| Mar 23, 2023 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 12, 2023 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 11, 2023 | 4 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 3 | 1.00 in | — |
| Dec 12, 2022 | 1 | 0.50 in | — |
| Dec 1, 2022 | 1 | 0.25 in | — |
| Nov 7, 2022 | 1 | 0.25 in | — |
| Sep 29, 2022 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jul 31, 2022 | 1 | 1.25 in | — |
| Jun 22, 2022 | 1 | 0.25 in | — |
The 40 most recent of 44 hail days.
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 24, 2019 | 3.00 inteacup | 1.05 E Enterprise | Shasta | $8K | 19:05 local · NCEI |
| Jan 23, 2016 | 3.00 inteacup | 4.62 SW Rawson | Tehama | — | 15:05 local · NCEI |
| Sep 2, 1960 | 2.75 inbaseball | — | Riverside | — | 16:30 local · NCEI |
| May 24, 2019 | 2.50 intennis ball | 1.05 E Enterprise | Shasta | — | 19:05 local · NCEI |
| Nov 22, 1996 | 2.50 intennis ball | Lemoore Nas | Kings | $2K | 14:50 local · NCEI |
Sizes filed before 1996 are often rough estimates (round numbers like 7.00 or 8.00 in) without an exact spot; they are shown as NOAA filed them.
Size of every report
- Under 1 in 573 62%
- 1–2 in 336 36%
- 2 in + 13 1%
- No size 16
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 21, 2026 | 0.25 inpea | Clovis | Fresno | — | 17:57 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Sep 24, 2026 | 0.50 inmarble | 3 SW Forest Falls | San Bernardino | — | 23:47 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 13, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | Lee Vining | Mono | — | 19:55 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Apr 10, 2026 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 0.88 SW Rio Vista Muni Arpt | Solano | — | 14:04 local · NCEI |
| Apr 10, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.69 N Ripon | San Joaquin | — | 13:07 local · NCEI |
| Apr 9, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.88 W Orleans | Humboldt | — | 12:30 local · NCEI |
| Sep 25, 2025 | 0.25 inpea | 2.15 NW Toms Place | Mono | —1 injured | 13:00 local · NCEI |
| Sep 18, 2025 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.78 ENE Twenty Nine Palms | San Bernardino | — | 19:05 local · NCEI |
| Jul 30, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 9 S Trinity Center | Trinity | — | 18:20 local · NCEI |
| Jul 26, 2025 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.97 E Echo Lake | El Dorado | — | 12:11 local · NCEI |
| Jul 2, 2025 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.54 E Al Tahoe | El Dorado | — | 15:02 local · NCEI |
| Jul 2, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.69 N Lake Tahoe Arpt | El Dorado | — | 14:45 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns with the most hail reports
Recent storm days in California
- Oct 21, 2026 39 US reports
- Sep 24, 2026 2 US reports
- Aug 13, 2026 22 US reports
How California compares
Hail reports by county
Questions about hail in California
How often does it hail in California?
938 hail reports have been logged in California since 1957. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 26.7 reports a year. That ranks #40 of 51 states by number of reports.
When is hail season in California?
Most reports come in March, July, August. March alone accounts for 18% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in California?
3.00 in (teacup size) on May 24, 2019 near 1.05 E Enterprise. 1% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in California?
The most recent report in this data is from October 21, 2026 (0.25 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has California had in the last five years?
44 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 66 reports. The most recent was October 21, 2026.
Where does this hail data come from?
Hail reports come from the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, which the National Weather Service compiles from spotter, public, law enforcement and media reports. Recent days use preliminary NWS Local Storm Reports via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet until NOAA publishes final data. Only reported hail is counted, so areas with fewer people tend to have fewer reports.