Hail history for Polk County, Florida
Every NOAA hail report filed in Polk County since 1960, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Polk County
- Last hail
- May 13, 2024
- 1.75 in, golf ball size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 7
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 11 reports
- Largest ever
- 4.50 in
- softball · Mar 30, 1996
256 reports on 171 days since 1960 · #4 of 68 Florida counties
Hail map · Polk County
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- No size
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 Polk County is from May 13, 2024. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Polk County
The latest hail report in Polk County is from May 13, 2024, 1.75 in (golf ball size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 7 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 2.00 in on May 15, 2022.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Polk County logged 82 reports on 56 hail days, about 4.1 reports a year. That is 3.6 times the median Florida county (1.1 a year) and ranks #4 of 68 Florida counties for all-time reports. Polk County holds 4% of all 5,694 hail reports in Florida.
4% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 2% for the median Florida county. 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 59% in 2016–2025 (24) compared with 2006–2015 (58). The busiest year was 1999, with 21 reports on 11 days. Hail here peaks in May (28% of reports); 64% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Polk County 4.1
- Median Florida county 1.1
Hail days 2006–2025
- Polk County 56
- Median Florida county 18
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Polk County 4%
- Median Florida county 2%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 5 | 5 | |||||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2017 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2024 | 2 | 1.75 in | — |
| Apr 26, 2023 | 3 | 1.75 in | — |
| Apr 25, 2023 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 24, 2023 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jun 18, 2022 | 1 | 1.75 in | — |
| May 15, 2022 | 2 | 2.00 in | — |
| Apr 17, 2022 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 30, 1996 | 4.50 insoftball | Lake Wales | $24.0 million | 15:45 local · NCEI |
| Mar 30, 1996 | 2.75 inbaseball | 5 E Lake Wales | $150K | 15:55 local · NCEI |
| Mar 30, 1996 | 2.75 inbaseball | 4 NE Bartow | $400K1 injured | 15:15 local · NCEI |
| Mar 30, 1996 | 2.75 inbaseball | Mulberry | $250K | 14:45 local · NCEI |
| May 3, 2005 | 2.50 intennis ball | Ft Meade | — | 16:05 local · NCEI |
Size of every report
- Under 1 in 130 51%
- 1–2 in 116 45%
- 2 in + 10 4%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 2024 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 46.76 NE Duette | 15:34 local · NCEI |
| May 13, 2024 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 0.61 W Lake Alfred | 15:30 local · NCEI |
| Apr 26, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.92 SE Mountain Lake Stn | 20:15 local · NCEI |
| Apr 26, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.69 N Lake Hamilton Lake | 19:30 local · NCEI |
| Apr 26, 2023 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.4 ENE Lake Alfred | 19:25 local · NCEI |
| Apr 25, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.51 SSE Loughman | 16:35 local · NCEI |
| Apr 24, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.51 NNW West Frostproof | 15:20 local · NCEI |
| Jun 18, 2022 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 0.69 S Cypress Gardens | 14:16 local · NCEI |
| May 15, 2022 | 2.00 inhen egg | Davenport | 18:55 local · NCEI |
| May 15, 2022 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.84 NW Davenport | 18:46 local · NCEI |
| Apr 17, 2022 | 1.00 inquarter | 1.84 SE Loughman | 19:08 local · NCEI |
| Aug 12, 2020 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.92 SE Eaton Park | 16:20 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns in Polk County
| Place | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|
| Lakeland | 58 | 2.00 in |
| Winter Haven | 25 | 1.75 in |
| Bartow | 16 | 2.75 in |
| Lake Wales | 16 | 4.50 in |
| Mulberry | 13 | 2.75 in |
| Haines City | 11 | 1.75 in |
Smaller places with fewer than 10 reports
These places have too few reports for a page of their own, so their record lives here.
| Place | Reports | Hail days | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport | 8 | 7 | May 15, 2022 |
| Fort Meade | 7 | 7 | May 29, 2014 |
| Frostproof | 7 | 7 | Apr 24, 2023 |
| Polk City | 7 | 7 | Jun 4, 2004 |
| Alturas | 6 | 6 | May 22, 2015 |
| Auburndale | 6 | 6 | Jul 11, 2015 |
| Babson Park | 5 | 5 | Apr 5, 2008 |
| Loughman | 5 | 5 | Apr 25, 2023 |
| Crystal Lake | 4 | 4 | Jun 26, 2001 |
| Highland City | 4 | 4 | Jul 25, 2002 |
| Cypress Gardens | 3 | 3 | Jun 18, 2022 |
| Kathleen | 3 | 2 | Mar 11, 2010 |
| Lake Alfred | 3 | 3 | Apr 26, 2023 |
| Lakeland Highlands | 3 | 3 | Jul 20, 2014 |
| Bradley Junction | 2 | 2 | Jul 2, 1998 |
| Eagle Lake | 2 | 2 | May 5, 1998 |
| Jan Phyl Village | 2 | 2 | Jun 23, 2009 |
| Willow Oak | 2 | 2 | Sep 26, 2016 |
| Dundee | 1 | 1 | Aug 12, 1991 |
| Fuller Heights | 1 | 1 | Jun 7, 2000 |
| Homeland | 1 | 1 | Apr 6, 2017 |
| Indian Lake Estates | 1 | 1 | Jun 1, 1967 |
| Medulla | 1 | 1 | Jun 19, 2008 |
Questions about hail in Polk County
How often does it hail in Polk County, Florida?
256 hail reports have been logged in Polk County since 1960. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 4.1 reports a year. That ranks #4 of 68 Florida counties by number of reports.
When is hail season in Polk County?
Most reports come in May, June, July. May alone accounts for 28% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Polk County?
4.50 in (softball size) on March 30, 1996 near Lake Wales. 4% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Polk County?
The most recent report in this data is from May 13, 2024 (1.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Polk County had in the last five years?
7 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 11 reports. The most recent was May 13, 2024.
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.