Hail history for Kentucky
6,632 NOAA hail reports across 121 counties and 156 cities and towns since 1955, updated to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Kentucky
- Last hail
- Sep 21, 2026
- 0.75 in, penny size · preliminary
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 95
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 666 reports
- Largest ever
- 5.00 in
- softball · Apr 23, 1968
6,632 reports on 1,209 days since 1955 · #23 of 51 states
Hail map · Kentucky
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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 Kentucky is from September 21, 2026. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Kentucky
The latest hail report in Kentucky is from September 21, 2026, 0.75 in (penny size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 95 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 4.50 in on May 16, 2025.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Kentucky logged 3,830 reports on 561 hail days, about 191.5 reports a year. That is 10% more than the median US state (173.9 a year) and ranks #23 of 51 states and DC for all-time reports.
6% 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 5.00 in (softball) on April 23, 1968.
Reports were down 48% in 2016–2025 (1,315) compared with 2006–2015 (2,515). The busiest year was 2006, with 453 reports on 51 days. Hail here peaks in May (28% of reports); 64% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Kentucky 191.5
- Median US state 173.9
Hail days 2006–2025
- Kentucky 561
- Median US state 561
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Kentucky 6%
- Median US state 3%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 35 | |||||||
| 2025 | 5 | 45 | 46 | 160 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 262 | |||||
| 2024 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 42 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 103 | ||||
| 2023 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 32 | 60 | 26 | 5 | 10 | 1 | 157 | ||
| 2022 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 71 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 102 | ||||
| 2021 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 52 | ||||
| 2020 | 1 | 28 | 31 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 78 | ||||
| 2019 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 30 | 18 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 69 | ||||
| 2018 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 16 | 24 | 8 | 49 | 1 | 1 | 116 | |||
| 2017 | 14 | 67 | 63 | 55 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 209 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 2026 | 2 | 1.00 in | View |
| Sep 5, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | View |
| Sep 4, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | View |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 6 | 1.25 in | View |
| Aug 11, 2026 | 1 | 0.50 in | View |
| May 19, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| May 16, 2026 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 27, 2026 | 4 | 1.25 in | — |
| Apr 16, 2026 | 10 | 2.00 in | — |
| Feb 19, 2026 | 7 | 1.00 in | — |
| Nov 18, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Sep 19, 2025 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Sep 5, 2025 | 1 | 1.50 in | — |
| Sep 4, 2025 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jun 26, 2025 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| May 20, 2025 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
| May 16, 2025 | 86 | 4.50 in | — |
| May 8, 2025 | 62 | 2.75 in | — |
| May 2, 2025 | 11 | 1.75 in | — |
| Apr 30, 2025 | 10 | 1.50 in | — |
| Apr 29, 2025 | 3 | 1.25 in | — |
| Apr 14, 2025 | 24 | 1.50 in | — |
| Apr 10, 2025 | 4 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 4, 2025 | 2 | 1.75 in | — |
| Apr 3, 2025 | 3 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 8 | 1.50 in | — |
| Mar 23, 2025 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 5 | 1.00 in | — |
| Mar 15, 2025 | 28 | 2.75 in | — |
| Mar 13, 2025 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Feb 27, 2025 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Feb 15, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Feb 6, 2025 | 3 | 1.75 in | — |
| Sep 26, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Sep 24, 2024 | 16 | 3.00 in | — |
| Aug 17, 2024 | 5 | 1.25 in | — |
| Jul 21, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jul 9, 2024 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jun 25, 2024 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
| May 26, 2024 | 4 | 2.50 in | — |
The 40 most recent of 95 hail days.
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 23, 1968 | 5.00 insoftball | — | Harlan | — | 13:00 local · NCEI |
| May 16, 2025 | 4.50 insoftball | 1.1 NW Gum Corners | Ballard | $300K | 15:40 local · NCEI |
| May 1, 2002 | 4.50 insoftball | Countywide | Laurel | $30.0 million | 19:28 local · NCEI |
| May 1, 2002 | 4.50 insoftball | Countywide | Pulaski | $5.0 million | 19:13 local · NCEI |
| May 1, 2002 | 4.50 insoftball | Waynesburg | Lincoln | — | 19:05 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 2,686 41%
- 1–2 in 3,564 54%
- 2 in + 365 6%
- No size 17
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 2026 | 0.75 inpenny | 3 S Mayfield | Graves | 22:42 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Sep 21, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 8 SE Grayson | Carter | 21:42 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 4 ENE Macio | Daviess | 00:29 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Sep 4, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 1 W Cogswell | Rowan | 23:00 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | Garner | Knott | 23:29 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | Soft Shell | Knott | 23:21 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 3 SW Beaumont | Metcalfe | 21:44 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 1 NNE White Mills | Hardin | 19:34 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 0.75 inpenny | 1 E Means | Menifee | 19:31 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 22, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 1 E Lucky Stop | Montgomery | 19:26 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 11, 2026 | 0.50 inmarble | Foster | Bracken | 20:25 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| May 19, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.51 W Herbert | Ohio | 14:56 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns with the most hail reports
- Louisville/Jefferson County 104
- Lexington-Fayette 86
- Bowling Green 66
- Owensboro 61
- London 59
- Somerset 57
- Hopkinsville 52
- Murray 52
- Louisville 46
- Richmond 42
- Henderson 40
- Jackson 36
- Frankfort 34
- Hyden 33
- Campbellsville 31
- Mayfield 30
- Bardstown 29
- Lawrenceburg 29
- Paintsville 29
- Prestonsburg 29
- Salyersville 29
- Corbin 28
- Hardinsburg 28
- Leitchfield 28
- Morehead 28
- Shelbyville 28
- Hickman 27
- Madisonville 27
- Whitley City 26
- Ashland 25
- Monticello 25
- Pikeville 25
- Calvert City 24
- Hazard 24
- Pineville 24
- Williamsburg 24
- Bardwell 22
- Benton 22
- Elizabethtown 22
- Glasgow 22
- Greenville 22
- Inez 22
- La Grange 22
- McKee 22
- Stanton 22
- Berea 21
- Cadiz 21
- Franklin 21
All 156 cities and towns with 10+ reports
- Irvine 21
- Paducah 21
- Clay City 20
- Grayson 20
- Hodgenville 20
- Morgantown 20
- Princeton 20
- Taylorsville 20
- Annville 19
- Barbourville 19
- Brandenburg 19
- Dawson Springs 19
- Independence 19
- Russellville 19
- Beattyville 18
- Columbia 18
- Elkton 18
- Frenchburg 18
- Hartford 18
- Hebron 18
- Alexandria 17
- Booneville 17
- Crofton 17
- Danville 17
- Harlan 17
- Middlesborough 17
- Mount Sterling 17
- Munfordville 17
- Science Hill 17
- Flemingsburg 16
- Lebanon 16
- Manchester 16
- Albany 15
- Florence 15
- Hazel Green 15
- Louisa 15
- Mount Vernon 15
- Oak Grove 15
- Owingsville 15
- Radcliff 15
- Scottsville 15
- Sturgis 15
- Winchester 15
- Boston 14
- Burlington 14
- Burnside 14
- Carrollton 14
- Edmonton 14
- Falmouth 14
- Harrodsburg 14
- Mount Washington 14
- Shepherdsville 14
- Virgie 14
- Williamstown 14
- Wingo 14
- Buckner 13
- Campton 13
- Dexter 13
- Dry Ridge 13
- Greensburg 13
- Greenup 13
- Jeffersontown 13
- Maysville 13
- Sandy Hook 13
- Tompkinsville 13
- Versailles 13
- West Liberty 13
- Whitesville 13
- Wickliffe 13
- Beaver Dam 12
- Clinton 12
- Cynthiana 12
- Fordsville 12
- Ledbetter 12
- Marion 12
- Nicholasville 12
- Reidland 12
- Dixon 11
- Erlanger 11
- Goshen 11
- Irvington 11
- Morganfield 11
- Owenton 11
- Providence 11
- Sebree 11
- Simpsonville 11
- South Williamson 11
- Whitesburg 11
- Beech Grove 10
- Bremen 10
- Brodhead 10
- Brownsville 10
- Caneyville 10
- Eubank 10
- Grand Rivers 10
- Hazel 10
- Kevil 10
- Liberty 10
- New Castle 10
- North Corbin 10
- Pine Knot 10
- St. Joseph 10
- Smithland 10
- Sorgho 10
- Springfield 10
- Stearns 10
- Union 10
- Wayland 10
Recent storm days in Kentucky
- Sep 21, 2026 13 US reports
- Sep 5, 2026 35 US reports
- Sep 4, 2026 20 US reports
- Aug 22, 2026 41 US reports
- Aug 11, 2026 114 US reports
How Kentucky compares
Hail reports by county
Questions about hail in Kentucky
How often does it hail in Kentucky?
6,632 hail reports have been logged in Kentucky since 1955. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 191.5 reports a year. That ranks #23 of 51 states by number of reports.
When is hail season in Kentucky?
Most reports come in May, April, June. May alone accounts for 28% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Kentucky?
5.00 in (softball size) on April 23, 1968. 6% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Kentucky?
The most recent report in this data is from September 21, 2026 (0.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Kentucky had in the last five years?
95 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 666 reports. The most recent was September 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.