Hail History

Hail history for Hillsborough, North Carolina

NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Hillsborough since 1961, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Hillsborough

Last hail
Feb 24, 2016
1.25 in, half dollar size
Hail days, last 5 years
0
since Nov 3, 2021 · 0 reports
Largest ever
2.75 in
baseball · May 14, 1967

25 reports on 22 days since 1961 · #57 of 255 North Carolina places

Hail map · Hillsborough

Hillsborough Mebane Chapel Hill Durham Rougemont Graham Burlington Butner 10 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
25 most recent reports with a location; Orange County is shaded. Open street map

For homeowners

Concerned about your roof after hail?

Send a request to Moxisync Labs for review. The latest hail report in Hillsborough is from February 24, 2016. We’re building local roofer coverage. Submitting a request does not guarantee a quote or book an inspection.

Phone line opening soon

What would a claim cost you? Try the hail claim calculator

Roofer? Get hail alerts for your area with StormScope

What the record says about Hillsborough

The latest hail report in and around Hillsborough is from February 24, 2016, 1.25 in (half dollar size). There has been no hail report here in the five years since November 3, 2021.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Hillsborough logged 11 reports on 9 hail days, about 0.6 reports a year. That is 22% more than the median North Carolina town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #57 of 255 North Carolina cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Hillsborough accounts for 30% of the 84 reports filed in Orange County.

4% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 0% for the median North Carolina town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 2.75 in (baseball) on May 14, 1967.

Reports were down 90% in 2016–2025 (1) compared with 2006–2015 (10). The busiest year was 2008, with 3 reports on 2 days. Hail here peaks in May (32% of reports); 72% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Hillsborough 0.6
  • Orange County 1.9
  • Median North Carolina town on this site 0.5

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Hillsborough 9
  • Orange County 26
  • Median North Carolina town on this site 7

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Hillsborough 4%
  • Orange County 1%
  • Median North Carolina town on this site 0%

Hail over time

0123 1961: 1 reports, largest 1.50 in 1967: 1 reports, largest 2.75 in 1970 1980 1983: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 1985: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 1990: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1990 1991: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1992: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1996: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1997: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1998: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 2000 2006: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 2008: 3 reports, largest 0.88 in 2010: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2010 2012: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2015: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2016: 1 reports, largest 1.25 in 2020
Reports per year, 1961–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
02468 Jan February: 1 reports (4%) Feb March: 4 reports (16%) Mar April: 3 reports (12%) Apr May: 8 reports (32%) May June: 7 reports (28%) Jun July: 1 reports (4%) Jul August: 1 reports (4%) Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
All 25 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 0
2025 0
2024 0
2023 0
2022 0
2021 0
2020 0
2019 0
2018 0
2017 0

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Hillsborough
Date Size Location County Time · source
May 14, 1967 2.75 inbaseball — Orange 17:15 local · NCEI
Apr 8, 2006 1.75 ingolf ball Hillsborough Orange 08:05 local · NCEI
Jun 3, 1998 1.75 ingolf ball Hillsborough Orange 18:45 local · NCEI
Mar 20, 1998 1.75 ingolf ball Hillsborough Orange 21:22 local · NCEI
Jun 26, 1961 1.50 inping pong ball — Orange 10:00 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 Hillsborough
Date Size Location County Time · source
Feb 24, 2016 1.25 inhalf dollar 2.15 SSE Hillsborough Orange 15:55 local · NCEI
Jun 25, 2015 1.00 inquarter 0.74 SE Hillsborough Orange 17:05 local · NCEI
Mar 24, 2012 1.00 inquarter 1.12 W Occoneechee Orange 18:15 local · NCEI
May 28, 2010 1.00 inquarter 0.69 N Hillsborough Orange 21:18 local · NCEI
May 28, 2010 1.00 inquarter 0.45 NNE Hillsborough Orange 21:00 local · NCEI
Jun 22, 2008 0.88 innickel 2.98 SSW Occoneechee Orange 15:35 local · NCEI
Jun 22, 2008 0.88 innickel 2.35 SSW Occoneechee Orange 15:35 local · NCEI
May 20, 2008 0.75 inpenny 1.14 WNW Occoneechee Orange 15:10 local · NCEI
Jun 6, 2006 0.75 inpenny 2 ESE Efland Orange 16:25 local · NCEI
May 14, 2006 0.88 innickel 3 S Hillsborough Orange 16:39 local · NCEI
Apr 8, 2006 1.75 ingolf ball Hillsborough Orange 08:05 local · NCEI
Jun 3, 1998 1.75 ingolf ball Hillsborough Orange 18:45 local · NCEI

Hail history near Hillsborough

Questions about hail in Hillsborough

How often does it hail in Hillsborough, North Carolina?

25 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Hillsborough since 1961. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 0.6 reports a year. That ranks #57 of 255 North Carolina places by number of reports.

When is hail season in Hillsborough?

Most reports come in May, June, March. May alone accounts for 32% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Hillsborough?

2.75 in (baseball size) on May 14, 1967. 4% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Hillsborough?

The most recent report in this data is from February 24, 2016 (1.25 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

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

None: there has been no hail report in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Hillsborough since November 3, 2021. The last one was on February 24, 2016.

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.