Hail history for Kearney, Nebraska
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Kearney since 1956, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Kearney
- Last hail
- Apr 16, 2024
- 0.88 in, nickel size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 7
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 9 reports
- Largest ever
- 5.00 in
- softball · Jun 12, 2002
95 reports on 78 days since 1956 · #10 of 469 Nebraska places
Hail map · Kearney
- 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 Kearney is from April 16, 2024. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Kearney
The latest hail report in and around Kearney is from April 16, 2024, 0.88 in (nickel size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 7 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 2.00 in on August 10, 2023.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Kearney logged 54 reports on 42 hail days, about 2.7 reports a year. That is 4.5 times the median Nebraska town on this site (0.6 a year) and ranks #10 of 469 Nebraska cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Kearney accounts for 25% of the 385 reports filed in Buffalo County.
10% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 9% for the median Nebraska town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 5.00 in (softball) on June 12, 2002 near Kearney.
Reports were down 41% in 2016–2025 (20) compared with 2006–2015 (34). The busiest year was 2013, with 7 reports on 4 days. Hail here peaks in June (32% of reports); 73% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Kearney 2.7
- Buffalo County 11.3
- Median Nebraska town on this site 0.6
Hail days 2006–2025
- Kearney 42
- Buffalo County 114
- Median Nebraska town on this site 10
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Kearney 10%
- Buffalo County 9%
- Median Nebraska town on this site 9%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 2021 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2019 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2017 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2024 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
| Aug 10, 2023 | 2 | 2.00 in | — |
| Jul 22, 2023 | 1 | 1.50 in | — |
| May 5, 2023 | 1 | 1.50 in | — |
| Jun 14, 2022 | 2 | 1.50 in | — |
| Jun 12, 2022 | 1 | 0.88 in | — |
| Apr 29, 2022 | 1 | 1.75 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 12, 2002 | 5.00 insoftball | Kearney | Buffalo | $50.0 million15 injured | 19:40 local · NCEI |
| Jun 4, 2008 | 2.75 inbaseball | Kearney | Buffalo | $75K | 23:01 local · NCEI |
| May 7, 2005 | 2.75 inbaseball | Kearney | Buffalo | $1.0 million | 16:31 local · NCEI |
| Jul 6, 1996 | 2.75 inbaseball | Kearney | Buffalo | $30K | 15:31 local · NCEI |
| Sep 9, 2015 | 2.50 intennis ball | 1 N Kearney | Buffalo | $400K | 17:00 local · NCEI |
Size of every report
- Under 1 in 36 38%
- 1–2 in 50 53%
- 2 in + 9 9%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 16, 2024 | 0.88 innickel | 1.48 SSW (Ear)kearney Arpt | Buffalo | — | 01:48 local · NCEI |
| Aug 10, 2023 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 1.48 SSE Glenwood Park | Buffalo | — | 16:25 local · NCEI |
| Aug 10, 2023 | 2.00 inhen egg | 2.51 WSW Glenwood Park | Buffalo | $5.0 million | 16:18 local · NCEI |
| Jul 22, 2023 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 4.68 WSW Kearney | Buffalo | $50K | 15:28 local · NCEI |
| May 5, 2023 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 1.73 W Kearney | Buffalo | $8.0 million | 21:12 local · NCEI |
| Jun 14, 2022 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 1.48 SSE Kearney | Buffalo | — | 22:41 local · NCEI |
| Jun 14, 2022 | 1.50 inping pong ball | Kearney | Buffalo | — | 22:27 local · NCEI |
| Jun 12, 2022 | 0.88 innickel | 1 N Kearney | Buffalo | — | 04:18 local · NCEI |
| Apr 29, 2022 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Kearney | Buffalo | — | 16:10 local · NCEI |
| Jun 27, 2020 | 0.88 innickel | 2 S Kearney | Buffalo | — | 23:55 local · NCEI |
| Mar 19, 2020 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 2 SW Kearney | Buffalo | — | 14:04 local · NCEI |
| Sep 30, 2019 | 2.00 inhen egg | 2.77 WSW Kearney | Buffalo | $150K | 17:19 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Kearney
Questions about hail in Kearney
How often does it hail in Kearney, Nebraska?
95 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Kearney since 1956. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 2.7 reports a year. That ranks #10 of 469 Nebraska places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Kearney?
Most reports come in June, May, April. June alone accounts for 32% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Kearney?
5.00 in (softball size) on June 12, 2002 near Kearney. 9% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Kearney?
The most recent report in this data is from April 16, 2024 (0.88 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Kearney had in the last five years?
7 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 9 reports. The most recent was April 16, 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.