Hail history for Polk County, Nebraska
Every NOAA hail report filed in Polk County since 1956, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Polk County
- Last hail
- Aug 18, 2025
- 1.75 in, golf ball size
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 9
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 12 reports
- Largest ever
- 3.00 in
- teacup · May 12, 1956
140 reports on 101 days since 1956 · #80 of 94 Nebraska counties
Hail map · Polk 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 Polk County is from August 18, 2025. A local roofer can check and document it at no cost.
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What the record says about Polk County
The latest hail report in Polk County is from August 18, 2025, 1.75 in (golf ball size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 9 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.75 in on August 18, 2025.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Polk County logged 73 reports on 47 hail days, about 3.6 reports a year. That is 37% less than the median Nebraska county (5.8 a year) and ranks #80 of 94 Nebraska counties for all-time reports. Polk County holds 1% of all 25,203 hail reports in Nebraska.
7% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 10% for the median Nebraska county. The largest hail on record here is 3.00 in (teacup) on May 12, 1956.
Reports were down 57% in 2016–2025 (22) compared with 2006–2015 (51). The busiest year was 2011, with 13 reports on 7 days. Hail here peaks in June (30% of reports); 68% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Polk County 3.6
- Median Nebraska county 5.8
Hail days 2006–2025
- Polk County 47
- Median Nebraska county 65
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Polk County 7%
- Median Nebraska county 10%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2025 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2022 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||
| 2021 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2018 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2017 | 2 | 2 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
| Date | Reports | Largest | Storm page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2025 | 2 | 1.75 in | — |
| May 19, 2025 | 2 | 1.75 in | — |
| Apr 1, 2025 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| May 6, 2024 | 1 | 0.75 in | — |
| Jul 4, 2023 | 2 | 1.25 in | — |
| May 12, 2023 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Aug 18, 2022 | 1 | 1.50 in | — |
| Jun 4, 2022 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
| Apr 29, 2022 | 1 | 1.00 in | — |
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 1956 | 3.00 inteacup | — | — | 20:30 local · NCEI |
| Jun 20, 2011 | 2.75 inbaseball | 8 NNW Shelby | $50K | 01:05 local · NCEI |
| May 29, 2004 | 2.75 inbaseball | 4 N Polk | $25K | 17:15 local · NCEI |
| Jun 23, 1998 | 2.75 inbaseball | Stromsburg | $30K | 19:47 local · NCEI |
| Jun 23, 1998 | 2.75 inbaseball | 3 NE Shelby | $30K | 19:30 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 38 27%
- 1–2 in 92 66%
- 2 in + 9 6%
- No size 1
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18, 2025 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Shelby | — | 02:10 local · NCEI |
| Aug 18, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.5 ENE Shelby | — | 02:10 local · NCEI |
| May 19, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | Osceola | — | 15:05 local · NCEI |
| May 19, 2025 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 2.19 ENE Swedehome | $250K | 15:02 local · NCEI |
| Apr 1, 2025 | 1.00 inquarter | Osceola | — | 19:48 local · NCEI |
| May 6, 2024 | 0.75 inpenny | 0.69 S Stromsburg | — | 17:03 local · NCEI |
| Jul 4, 2023 | 1.25 inhalf dollar | 6.99 S Shelby | — | 17:36 local · NCEI |
| Jul 4, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | 2.5 ENE Shelby | — | 17:15 local · NCEI |
| May 12, 2023 | 1.00 inquarter | Osceola | — | 14:17 local · NCEI |
| Aug 18, 2022 | 1.50 inping pong ball | 1.25 ENE Swedehome | — | 18:12 local · NCEI |
| Jun 4, 2022 | 1.00 inquarter | 2 E Stromsburg | — | 21:20 local · NCEI |
| Apr 29, 2022 | 1.00 inquarter | 3 NE Shelby | — | 18:43 local · NCEI |
Cities and towns in Polk County
| Place | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|
| Osceola | 43 | 3.00 in |
| Shelby | 23 | 2.75 in |
| Stromsburg | 20 | 2.75 in |
| Polk | 16 | 2.00 in |
Questions about hail in Polk County
How often does it hail in Polk County, Nebraska?
140 hail reports have been logged in Polk County since 1956. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 3.6 reports a year. That ranks #80 of 94 Nebraska counties by number of reports.
When is hail season in Polk County?
Most reports come in June, May, April. June alone accounts for 30% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Polk County?
3.00 in (teacup size) on May 12, 1956. 6% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Polk County?
The most recent report in this data is from August 18, 2025 (1.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Polk County had in the last five years?
9 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 12 reports. The most recent was August 18, 2025.
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.