Hail history for Lake Wales, Florida
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Lake Wales since 1991, with preliminary reports to November 5, 2026.
Readout · Lake Wales
- Last hail
- Apr 26, 2023
- 1.00 in, quarter size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 1
- since Nov 5, 2021 · 1 report
- Largest ever
- 4.50 in
- softball · Mar 30, 1996
16 reports on 15 days since 1991 · #63 of 131 Florida places
Hail map · Lake Wales
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- No size
For homeowners
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Send a request to Moxisync Labs for review. The latest hail report in Lake Wales is from April 26, 2023. We’re building local roofer coverage. Submitting a request does not guarantee a quote or book an inspection.
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What the record says about Lake Wales
The latest hail report in and around Lake Wales is from April 26, 2023, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 5, 2021 there has been one hail day; the biggest stones in that time were 1.00 in on April 26, 2023.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Lake Wales logged 8 reports on 8 hail days, about 0.4 reports a year. That is 14% more than the median Florida town on this site (0.3 a year) and ranks #63 of 131 Florida cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Lake Wales accounts for 6% of the 256 reports filed in Polk County.
6% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 0% for the median Florida town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 4.50 in (softball) on March 30, 1996 near Lake Wales, which ties or sets the Florida record.
Reports were down 67% in 2016–2025 (2) compared with 2006–2015 (6). The busiest year was 1997, with 2 reports on 2 days. Hail here peaks in May (25% of reports); 56% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Lake Wales 0.4
- Polk County 4.1
- Median Florida town on this site 0.3
Hail days 2006–2025
- Lake Wales 8
- Polk County 56
- Median Florida town on this site 6
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Lake Wales 6%
- Polk County 4%
- Median Florida town on this site 0%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017 | 0 |
Hail days since Nov 5, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 2023 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 1996 | 4.50 insoftball | Lake Wales | Polk | $24.0 million | 15:45 local · NCEI |
| Aug 1, 1999 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Lake Wales | Polk | — | 17:05 local · NCEI |
| Apr 26, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.92 SE Mountain Lake Stn | Polk | — | 20:15 local · NCEI |
| Apr 14, 2016 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.4 ENE Lake Wales Muni Arpt | Polk | — | 18:42 local · NCEI |
| Aug 7, 2014 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.51 SSE Lake Wales | Polk | — | 17:15 local · NCEI |
Size of every report
- Under 1 in 6 38%
- 1–2 in 9 56%
- 2 in + 1 6%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.92 SE Mountain Lake Stn | Polk | 20:15 local · NCEI |
| Apr 14, 2016 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.4 ENE Lake Wales Muni Arpt | Polk | 18:42 local · NCEI |
| Aug 7, 2014 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.51 SSE Lake Wales | Polk | 17:15 local · NCEI |
| Jun 3, 2010 | 0.88 innickel | 5 NE Lake Wales | Polk | 13:50 local · NCEI |
| Jun 23, 2009 | 0.75 inpenny | 3 S Lake Wales | Polk | 11:50 local · NCEI |
| Apr 5, 2008 | 1.00 inquarter | 1 S Lake Wales | Polk | 15:58 local · NCEI |
| Jul 13, 2007 | 1.00 inquarter | 3 W Lake Wales | Polk | 17:21 local · NCEI |
| Feb 3, 2006 | 1.00 inquarter | 4 E Lake Wales | Polk | 14:20 local · NCEI |
| May 3, 2005 | 1.00 inquarter | Lake Wales | Polk | 16:40 local · NCEI |
| Aug 1, 1999 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Lake Wales | Polk | 17:05 local · NCEI |
| May 4, 1998 | 1.00 inquarter | Lake Wales | Polk | 13:35 local · NCEI |
| Jul 8, 1997 | 0.88 innickel | Lake Wales | Polk | 17:35 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Lake Wales
- Winter Haven 19 km · 25
- Haines City 21 km · 11
- Bartow 22 km · 16
- Poinciana 25 km · 14
- Lakeland 38 km · 58
- Mulberry 38 km · 13
- Kissimmee 46 km · 29
- St. Cloud 47 km · 20
Questions about hail in Lake Wales
How often does it hail in Lake Wales, Florida?
16 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Lake Wales since 1991. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 0.4 reports a year. That ranks #63 of 131 Florida places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Lake Wales?
Most reports come in May, April, March. May alone accounts for 25% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Lake Wales?
4.50 in (softball size) on March 30, 1996 near Lake Wales. 6% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Lake Wales?
The most recent report in this data is from April 26, 2023 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 5, 2026.
How many hail storms has Lake Wales had in the last five years?
1 separate days with hail reports since November 5, 2021, adding up to 1 reports. The most recent was April 26, 2023.
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.