Hail History

Hail history for Johnston County, North Carolina

Every NOAA hail report filed in Johnston County since 1973, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Johnston County

Last hail
Sep 5, 2026
0.50 in, marble size · preliminary
Hail days, last 5 years
7
since Nov 3, 2021 · 7 reports
Largest ever
2.75 in
baseball · Aug 5, 1997

177 reports on 110 days since 1973 · #11 of 101 North Carolina counties

Hail map · Johnston County

Clayton Smithfield Benson Princeton Four Oaks 10 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
165 most recent reports with a location. Dot size and colour follow hail size. Open street map

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What the record says about Johnston County

The latest hail report in Johnston County is from September 5, 2026, 0.50 in (marble size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 7 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.25 in on July 8, 2026.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Johnston County logged 102 reports on 51 hail days, about 5.1 reports a year. That is about twice the median North Carolina county (2.4 a year) and ranks #11 of 101 North Carolina counties for all-time reports. Johnston County holds 2% of all 9,947 hail reports in North Carolina.

2% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 3% for the median North Carolina county. The largest hail on record here is 2.75 in (baseball) on August 5, 1997 near Benson.

Reports were down 85% in 2016–2025 (13) compared with 2006–2015 (89). The busiest year was 2006, with 22 reports on 6 days. Hail here peaks in May (45% of reports); 67% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Johnston County 5.1
  • Median North Carolina county 2.4

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Johnston County 51
  • Median North Carolina county 32

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Johnston County 2%
  • Median North Carolina county 3%

Hail over time

0102030 1973: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1978: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1980 1983: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1984: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 1985: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 1986: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 1987: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 1988: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1989: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 1990: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 1990 1993: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 1994: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1995: 7 reports, largest 2.00 in 1996: 6 reports, largest 0.75 in 1997: 7 reports, largest 2.75 in 1998: 6 reports, largest 1.75 in 1999: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 2000: 4 reports, largest 1.50 in 2000 2001: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2002: 4 reports, largest 1.75 in 2003: 7 reports, largest 2.00 in 2005: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2006: 22 reports, largest 1.75 in 2007: 6 reports, largest 1.75 in 2008: 19 reports, largest 1.75 in 2009: 15 reports, largest 1.75 in 2010: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2010 2011: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2012: 20 reports, largest 1.75 in 2013: 3 reports, largest 1.25 in 2015: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2016: 3 reports, largest 1.50 in 2017: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2019: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2020: 1 reports, largest 0.88 in 2020 2021: 4 reports, largest 1.00 in 2022: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2023: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2026: 4 reports, largest 1.25 in
Reports per year, 1973–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
020406080 Jan Feb March: 6 reports (3%) Mar April: 16 reports (9%) Apr May: 80 reports (45%) May June: 23 reports (13%) Jun July: 30 reports (17%) Jul August: 13 reports (7%) Aug September: 7 reports (4%) Sep October: 1 reports (1%) Oct Nov December: 1 reports (1%) Dec
All 177 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 112 4
2025 0
2024 0
2023 11 2
2022 1 1
2021 31 4
2020 1 1
2019 1 1
2018 0
2017 1 1

Hail days since Nov 3, 2021

DateReportsLargestStorm page
Sep 5, 2026 1 0.50 in View
Sep 4, 2026 1 1.00 in View
Aug 11, 2026 1 1.00 in View
Jul 8, 2026 1 1.25 in —
May 9, 2023 1 1.00 in —
Apr 30, 2023 1 0.75 in —
Apr 7, 2022 1 1.00 in —

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Johnston County
Date Size Location Damage Time · source
Aug 5, 1997 2.75 inbaseball Benson $200K 16:15 local · NCEI
Aug 18, 2003 2.00 inhen egg Benson — 17:00 local · NCEI
Jun 12, 1995 2.00 inhen egg Clayton — 11:45 local · NCEI
Aug 2, 2012 1.75 ingolf ball 0.89 SE Kenly — 12:48 local · NCEI
Jul 1, 2012 1.75 ingolf ball 0.56 E Wilsons Mills — 14:43 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 Johnston County
Date Size Location Time · source
Sep 5, 2026 0.50 inmarble 1 N Clayton 19:55 UTC · NWS prelim.
Sep 4, 2026 1.00 inquarter 3 S Linwood 02:10 UTC · NWS prelim.
Aug 11, 2026 1.00 inquarter Princeton 23:01 UTC · NWS prelim.
Jul 8, 2026 1.25 inhalf dollar 2.67 WSW Clayton Flowers Arpt 17:46 local · NCEI
May 9, 2023 1.00 inquarter 0.89 SW Lowell Mill 14:52 local · NCEI
Apr 30, 2023 0.75 inpenny 3.65 ENE Benson 13:25 local · NCEI
Apr 7, 2022 1.00 inquarter 4.83 SSE Coats Xrds 16:37 local · NCEI
Apr 9, 2021 1.00 inquarter 0.89 SW Coats Xrds 16:13 local · NCEI
Mar 27, 2021 1.00 inquarter Kenly 17:43 local · NCEI
Mar 27, 2021 1.00 inquarter 0.56 E Benson 17:18 local · NCEI
Mar 27, 2021 1.00 inquarter 2.45 WNW Wilsons Mills 17:09 local · NCEI
Apr 8, 2020 0.88 innickel 1.04 ENE Drug Store 19:07 local · NCEI

Cities and towns in Johnston County

PlaceReportsLargest
Clayton311.75 in
Smithfield201.75 in
Benson172.75 in
Princeton171.75 in
Four Oaks101.75 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
Kenly99Mar 27, 2021
Wilson's Mills77Mar 27, 2021
Pine Level66May 22, 2012
Archer Lodge55Sep 4, 2026
Micro33May 9, 2023

Questions about hail in Johnston County

How often does it hail in Johnston County, North Carolina?

177 hail reports have been logged in Johnston County since 1973. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 5.1 reports a year. That ranks #11 of 101 North Carolina counties by number of reports.

When is hail season in Johnston County?

Most reports come in May, July, June. May alone accounts for 45% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Johnston County?

2.75 in (baseball size) on August 5, 1997 near Benson. 2% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Johnston County?

The most recent report in this data is from September 5, 2026 (0.50 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

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

7 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 7 reports. The most recent was September 5, 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.