Hail history for Sterling, Kansas
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Sterling since 1963, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Sterling
- Last hail
- Jun 10, 2026
- 2.50 in, tennis ball size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 2
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 2 reports
- Largest ever
- 2.50 in
- tennis ball · Jun 10, 2026
35 reports on 27 days since 1963 · #219 of 612 Kansas places
Hail map · Sterling
- 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 Sterling is from June 10, 2026. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Sterling
The latest hail report in and around Sterling is from June 10, 2026, 2.50 in (tennis ball size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 2 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 2.50 in on June 10, 2026.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Sterling logged 21 reports on 15 hail days, about 1.1 reports a year. That is 62% more than the median Kansas town on this site (0.7 a year) and ranks #219 of 612 Kansas cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Sterling accounts for 11% of the 328 reports filed in Rice County.
3% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 7% for the median Kansas town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 2.50 in (tennis ball) on June 10, 2026 near 1.48 NNW Sterling.
Reports held about level in 2016–2025 (11) compared with 2006–2015 (10). The busiest year was 2019, with 4 reports on 2 days. Hail here peaks in May (31% of reports); 80% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Sterling 1.1
- Rice County 7.3
- Median Kansas town on this site 0.7
Hail days 2006–2025
- Sterling 15
- Rice County 69
- Median Kansas town on this site 10
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Sterling 3%
- Rice County 9%
- Median Kansas town on this site 7%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2024 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2020 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 2018 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2017 | 1 | 1 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10, 2026 | 1 | 2.50 in | — |
| Jun 17, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10, 2026 | 2.50 intennis ball | 1.48 NNW Sterling | Rice | 20:20 local · NCEI |
| May 5, 2019 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 0.88 SW Sterling | Rice | 18:50 local · NCEI |
| May 11, 2014 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 0.88 SW Sterling | Rice | 20:10 local · NCEI |
| May 9, 1996 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Sterling | Rice | 17:30 local · NCEI |
| Apr 25, 1986 | 1.75 ingolf ball | — | Rice | 19:24 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 8 23%
- 1–2 in 26 74%
- 2 in + 1 3%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 10, 2026 | 2.50 intennis ball | 1.48 NNW Sterling | Rice | 20:20 local · NCEI |
| Jun 17, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.8 ESE Sterling | Rice | 13:39 local · NCEI |
| Aug 15, 2021 | 0.88 innickel | 2.97 NNW Sterling | Rice | 18:01 local · NCEI |
| Aug 12, 2021 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.54 W Sterling | Rice | 21:26 local · NCEI |
| Apr 19, 2020 | 1.00 inquarter | 5.48 W Nickerson | Reno | 17:41 local · NCEI |
| Apr 19, 2020 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 4.18 S Sterling | Rice | 17:38 local · NCEI |
| Jun 11, 2019 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 0.88 SW Sterling | Rice | 21:33 local · NCEI |
| Jun 11, 2019 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.88 NW Sterling | Rice | 21:30 local · NCEI |
| May 5, 2019 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 0.88 SW Sterling | Rice | 18:50 local · NCEI |
| May 5, 2019 | 1.00 inquarter | 3.75 SE Alden | Rice | 18:26 local · NCEI |
| Jun 15, 2017 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.88 SW Sterling | Rice | 17:22 local · NCEI |
| Jul 11, 2016 | 0.88 innickel | 0.88 SW Sterling | Rice | 22:45 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Sterling
Questions about hail in Sterling
How often does it hail in Sterling, Kansas?
35 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Sterling since 1963. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 1.1 reports a year. That ranks #219 of 612 Kansas places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Sterling?
Most reports come in May, April, June. May alone accounts for 31% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Sterling?
2.50 in (tennis ball size) on June 10, 2026 near 1.48 NNW Sterling. 3% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Sterling?
The most recent report in this data is from June 10, 2026 (2.50 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Sterling had in the last five years?
2 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 2 reports. The most recent was June 10, 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.