Hail History

Hail history for Essex County, Massachusetts

Every NOAA hail report filed in Essex County since 1957, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Essex County

Last hail
Sep 8, 2023
1.00 in, quarter size
Hail days, last 5 years
1
since Nov 3, 2021 · 1 report
Largest ever
3.50 in
teacup · Aug 28, 1965

98 reports on 63 days since 1957 · #7 of 14 Massachusetts counties

Hail map · Essex County

Peabody Haverhill 20 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
97 most recent reports with a location. Dot size and colour follow hail size. Open street map

For homeowners

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What the record says about Essex County

The latest hail report in Essex County is from September 8, 2023, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 3, 2021 there has been one hail day; the biggest stones in that time were 1.00 in on September 8, 2023.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Essex County logged 63 reports on 35 hail days, about 3.1 reports a year. That is about the same as the median Massachusetts county (3.0 a year) and ranks #7 of 14 Massachusetts counties for all-time reports. Essex County holds 6% of all 1,541 hail reports in Massachusetts.

7% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 3% for the median Massachusetts county. The largest hail on record here is 3.50 in (teacup) on August 28, 1965.

Reports were down 66% in 2016–2025 (16) compared with 2006–2015 (47). The busiest year was 2012, with 12 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in July (46% of reports); 32% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Essex County 3.1
  • Median Massachusetts county 3.0

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Essex County 35
  • Median Massachusetts county 30

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Essex County 7%
  • Median Massachusetts county 3%

Hail over time

051015 1957: 1 reports, largest ? in 1960 1961: 2 reports, largest 2.75 in 1965: 3 reports, largest 3.50 in 1966: 1 reports, largest 1.50 in 1968: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1970 1972: 2 reports, largest 2.00 in 1973: 5 reports, largest 2.00 in 1980 1981: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1982: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1986: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1990 1993: 1 reports, largest 0.80 in 1996: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1998: 4 reports, largest 0.88 in 1999: 3 reports, largest 1.50 in 2000: 1 reports, largest 1.25 in 2000 2001: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2003: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2004: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2006: 6 reports, largest 3.00 in 2007: 5 reports, largest 1.00 in 2008: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2009: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2010: 6 reports, largest 1.50 in 2010 2011: 5 reports, largest 1.00 in 2012: 12 reports, largest 1.50 in 2013: 4 reports, largest 1.00 in 2014: 3 reports, largest 0.88 in 2015: 4 reports, largest 1.00 in 2016: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2017: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2019: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2020: 4 reports, largest 0.75 in 2020 2021: 6 reports, largest 1.25 in 2023: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in
Reports per year, 1957–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
0204060 Jan Feb March: 1 reports (1%) Mar April: 1 reports (1%) Apr May: 5 reports (5%) May June: 25 reports (26%) Jun July: 45 reports (46%) Jul August: 16 reports (16%) Aug September: 5 reports (5%) Sep Oct Nov Dec
All 98 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 0
2025 0
2024 0
2023 1 1
2022 0
2021 24 6
2020 121 4
2019 1 1
2018 0
2017 21 3

Hail days since Nov 3, 2021

DateReportsLargestStorm page
Sep 8, 2023 1 1.00 in —

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Essex County
Date Size Location Damage Time · source
Aug 28, 1965 3.50 inteacup — — 17:30 local · NCEI
Jul 11, 2006 3.00 inteacup Peabody $150K 14:10 local · NCEI
Jul 2, 1961 2.75 inbaseball — — 17:00 local · NCEI
Aug 31, 1973 2.00 inhen egg — — 17:00 local · NCEI
Aug 31, 1973 2.00 inhen egg — — 17:00 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

Most recent reports

Most recent hail reports in Essex County
Date Size Location Time · source
Sep 8, 2023 1.00 inquarter 0.86 SW Shawsheen Vlg 14:00 local · NCEI
Jul 23, 2021 1.25 inhalf dollar 1.38 W Georgetown 16:35 local · NCEI
Jul 23, 2021 1.00 inquarter 0.51 W Haverhill 16:20 local · NCEI
Jul 23, 2021 1.00 inquarter Merrimac 16:09 local · NCEI
Jul 7, 2021 1.00 inquarter Methuen 15:47 local · NCEI
Jun 15, 2021 1.25 inhalf dollar 1.23 SW Newburyport 16:45 local · NCEI
Jun 15, 2021 1.00 inquarter 0.33 SW Ayers Vlg 16:34 local · NCEI
Aug 23, 2020 0.75 inpenny 0.51 W Lynn 15:55 local · NCEI
Jul 30, 2020 0.75 inpenny 0.51 W Lynn 17:34 local · NCEI
Jul 14, 2020 0.75 inpenny 0.51 W Haverhill 09:04 local · NCEI
Mar 29, 2020 0.75 inpenny 0.51 W Haverhill 20:02 local · NCEI
Jun 30, 2019 0.75 inpenny Methuen 13:10 local · NCEI

Cities and towns in Essex County

PlaceReportsLargest
Peabody123.00 in
Haverhill112.00 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.

PlaceReportsHail daysLatest
Lynn98Aug 23, 2020
Beverly88Jul 24, 2012
Danvers88Jun 27, 2017
Methuen77Jul 7, 2021
Newburyport55Jun 15, 2021
Rowley54Jun 5, 2010
Salisbury44Jul 23, 2016
Boxford33Jun 23, 2012
Lawrence33Jul 3, 2014
Saugus32Jul 18, 2012
Amesbury22Jul 23, 2021
Andover22Sep 8, 2023
Gloucester22Jun 4, 1972
Ipswich22Jun 5, 2010
Salem22May 21, 2006
Topsfield22Jun 24, 2013
Nahant11Jul 18, 2012
Swampscott11Jul 18, 2012

Questions about hail in Essex County

How often does it hail in Essex County, Massachusetts?

98 hail reports have been logged in Essex County since 1957. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 3.1 reports a year. That ranks #7 of 14 Massachusetts counties by number of reports.

When is hail season in Essex County?

Most reports come in July, June, August. July alone accounts for 46% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Essex County?

3.50 in (teacup size) on August 28, 1965. 7% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Essex County?

The most recent report in this data is from September 8, 2023 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

How many hail storms has Essex County had in the last five years?

1 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 1 reports. The most recent was September 8, 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.