Hail history for Ballard County, Kentucky
Every NOAA hail report filed in Ballard County since 1967, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Ballard County
- Last hail
- Apr 16, 2026
- 1.00 in, quarter size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 6
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 8 reports
- Largest ever
- 4.50 in
- softball · May 16, 2025
58 reports on 43 days since 1967 · #44 of 121 Kentucky counties
Hail map · Ballard 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 Ballard County is from April 16, 2026. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Ballard County
The latest hail report in Ballard County is from April 16, 2026, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 6 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 4.50 in on May 16, 2025.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Ballard County logged 35 reports on 23 hail days, about 1.8 reports a year. That is 30% more than the median Kentucky county (1.4 a year) and ranks #44 of 121 Kentucky counties for all-time reports. Ballard County holds 1% of all 6,632 hail reports in Kentucky.
7% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 5% for the median Kentucky county. The largest hail on record here is 4.50 in (softball) on May 16, 2025 near 1.1 NW Gum Corners.
Reports held about level in 2016–2025 (18) compared with 2006–2015 (17). The busiest year was 2011, with 6 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in May (34% of reports); 71% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Ballard County 1.8
- Median Kentucky county 1.4
Hail days 2006–2025
- Ballard County 23
- Median Kentucky county 19
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Ballard County 7%
- Median Kentucky county 5%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2024 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 2022 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2020 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2018 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2017 | 3 | 3 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2026 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| May 16, 2025 | 2 | 4.50 in | — |
| Jul 20, 2023 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Jul 17, 2023 | 1 | 1.50 in | — |
| May 7, 2023 | 2 | 1.00 in | — |
| Dec 5, 2021 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | 4.50 insoftball | 1.1 NW Gum Corners | $300K | 15:40 local · NCEI |
| Jun 21, 2019 | 3.40 inteacup | Barlow | — | 15:58 local · NCEI |
| May 16, 2025 | 2.75 inbaseball | 1.67 WSW La Center | $30K | 15:42 local · NCEI |
| May 7, 1971 | 2.75 inbaseball | — | — | 17:25 local · NCEI |
| May 27, 2017 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Kevil | — | 14:55 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 21 37%
- 1–2 in 32 56%
- 2 in + 4 7%
- No size 1
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2026 | 1.00 inquarter | Wickliffe | — | 15:01 local · NCEI |
| May 16, 2025 | 2.75 inbaseball | 1.67 WSW La Center | $30K | 15:42 local · NCEI |
| May 16, 2025 | 4.50 insoftball | 1.1 NW Gum Corners | $300K | 15:40 local · NCEI |
| Jul 20, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | Bandana | — | 09:14 local · NCEI |
| Jul 17, 2023 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 2 N Blandville | — | 18:54 local · NCEI |
| May 7, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | Bandana | — | 17:02 local · NCEI |
| May 7, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | Wickliffe | — | 15:38 local · NCEI |
| Dec 5, 2021 | 0.75 inpenny | Gage | — | 19:16 local · NCEI |
| Mar 2, 2020 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.6 WNW Gage | — | 22:22 local · NCEI |
| Mar 2, 2020 | 0.75 inpenny | 2.6 WNW Gage | — | 21:35 local · NCEI |
| Mar 2, 2020 | 1.00 inquarter | La Center | — | 17:15 local · NCEI |
| Jun 21, 2019 | 1.00 inquarter | Wickliffe | — | 16:15 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns in Ballard County
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bandana | 9 | 8 | Jul 20, 2023 |
| La Center | 9 | 8 | May 16, 2025 |
| Barlow | 8 | 8 | May 16, 2025 |
| Blandville | 3 | 3 | Jul 17, 2023 |
Questions about hail in Ballard County
How often does it hail in Ballard County, Kentucky?
58 hail reports have been logged in Ballard County since 1967. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 1.8 reports a year. That ranks #44 of 121 Kentucky counties by number of reports.
When is hail season in Ballard County?
Most reports come in May, April, June. May alone accounts for 34% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Ballard County?
4.50 in (softball size) on May 16, 2025 near 1.1 NW Gum Corners. 7% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Ballard County?
The most recent report in this data is from April 16, 2026 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Ballard County had in the last five years?
6 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 8 reports. The most recent was April 16, 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.