Hail History

Hail history for Benson County, North Dakota

Every NOAA hail report filed in Benson County since 1967, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · Benson County

Last hail
Jul 9, 2026
1.00 in, quarter size
Hail days, last 5 years
9
since Nov 3, 2021 · 17 reports
Largest ever
4.50 in
softball · Aug 6, 1994

301 reports on 147 days since 1967 · #6 of 54 North Dakota counties

Hail map · Benson County

Leeds Esmond Maddock Minnewaukan Oberon 25 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
297 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 Benson County

The latest hail report in Benson County is from July 9, 2026, 1.00 in (quarter size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 9 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.50 in on July 9, 2026.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Benson County logged 132 reports on 66 hail days, about 6.6 reports a year. That is 45% more than the median North Dakota county (4.5 a year) and ranks #6 of 54 North Dakota counties for all-time reports. Benson County holds 3% of all 10,117 hail reports in North Dakota.

6% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 9% for the median North Dakota county. The largest hail on record here is 4.50 in (softball) on August 6, 1994 near Ft. Totten.

Reports were down 31% in 2016–2025 (54) compared with 2006–2015 (78). The busiest year was 2002, with 28 reports on 10 days. Hail here peaks in July (33% of reports); 41% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • Benson County 6.6
  • Median North Dakota county 4.5

Hail days 2006–2025

  • Benson County 66
  • Median North Dakota county 48.5

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • Benson County 6%
  • Median North Dakota county 9%

Hail over time

0102030 1967: 1 reports, largest 2.75 in 1970 1972: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1973: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1978: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1980: 1 reports, largest 1.75 in 1980 1981: 3 reports, largest 1.75 in 1982: 6 reports, largest 2.50 in 1983: 1 reports, largest 2.75 in 1986: 4 reports, largest 1.00 in 1988: 3 reports, largest 2.75 in 1989: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 1990: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1990 1991: 10 reports, largest 2.75 in 1992: 2 reports, largest 2.75 in 1994: 3 reports, largest 4.50 in 1996: 12 reports, largest 1.00 in 1997: 7 reports, largest 1.75 in 1998: 7 reports, largest 1.75 in 1999: 10 reports, largest 1.50 in 2000: 12 reports, largest 1.50 in 2000 2001: 12 reports, largest 1.75 in 2002: 28 reports, largest 2.00 in 2003: 8 reports, largest 1.25 in 2004: 11 reports, largest 1.50 in 2005: 17 reports, largest 2.75 in 2006: 8 reports, largest 0.88 in 2007: 18 reports, largest 1.75 in 2008: 19 reports, largest 1.75 in 2009: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2010: 12 reports, largest 1.50 in 2010 2011: 6 reports, largest 1.25 in 2013: 3 reports, largest 1.25 in 2014: 1 reports, largest 1.25 in 2015: 9 reports, largest 2.00 in 2016: 18 reports, largest 2.50 in 2017: 12 reports, largest 2.00 in 2018: 3 reports, largest 1.50 in 2019: 3 reports, largest 1.25 in 2020: 4 reports, largest 2.75 in 2020 2021: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2022: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2023: 2 reports, largest 1.50 in 2024: 5 reports, largest 1.50 in 2025: 3 reports, largest 1.50 in 2026: 4 reports, largest 1.50 in
Reports per year, 1967–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
0255075100 Jan Feb Mar April: 3 reports (1%) Apr May: 27 reports (9%) May June: 92 reports (31%) Jun July: 98 reports (33%) Jul August: 69 reports (23%) Aug September: 9 reports (3%) Sep October: 3 reports (1%) Oct Nov Dec
All 301 reports by calendar month.
Reports per month, 2017–2026. Darker cells had more reports.
YearJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecTotal
2026 22 4
2025 12 3
2024 5 5
2023 2 2
2022 21 3
2021 1 1
2020 1111 4
2019 111 3
2018 21 3
2017 831 12

Hail days since Nov 3, 2021

DateReportsLargestStorm page
Jul 9, 2026 2 1.50 in —
Jun 29, 2026 2 1.00 in —
Sep 12, 2025 2 1.25 in —
Jul 9, 2025 1 1.50 in —
Jul 22, 2024 5 1.50 in —
Oct 3, 2023 2 1.50 in —
Jul 14, 2022 1 1.00 in —
Jun 24, 2022 1 1.00 in —
Jun 13, 2022 1 1.00 in —

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in Benson County
Date Size Location Time · source
Aug 6, 1994 4.50 insoftball Ft. Totten 22:00 local · NCEI
Jul 17, 2020 2.75 inbaseball 0.93 W Tokio 16:04 local · NCEI
Sep 9, 2005 2.75 inbaseball 5 SW Minnewaukan 06:45 local · NCEI
Jul 14, 1992 2.75 inbaseball — 16:30 local · NCEI
Aug 25, 1991 2.75 inbaseball — 20:25 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 Benson County
Date Size Location Time · source
Jul 9, 2026 1.00 inquarter 11.12 SW Hesper 17:50 local · NCEI
Jul 9, 2026 1.50 inping pong ball 1.15 NW Fillmore 16:35 local · NCEI
Jun 29, 2026 1.00 inquarter 0.69 N Leeds 01:12 local · NCEI
Jun 29, 2026 1.00 inquarter 2.49 NNW Baker 00:28 local · NCEI
Sep 12, 2025 1.25 inhalf dollar 2.8 N Leeds 00:40 local · NCEI
Sep 12, 2025 1.25 inhalf dollar 1.15 NW Leeds 00:30 local · NCEI
Jul 9, 2025 1.50 inping pong ball 3.61 SW Oberon 21:03 local · NCEI
Jul 22, 2024 1.00 inquarter 0.92 W Minnewaukan 18:35 local · NCEI
Jul 22, 2024 1.50 inping pong ball 3.32 SSE York 18:05 local · NCEI
Jul 22, 2024 1.00 inquarter 5.52 E Niles 17:45 local · NCEI
Jul 22, 2024 1.00 inquarter 1.98 WSW Tokio 17:38 local · NCEI
Jul 22, 2024 1.25 inhalf dollar 3.93 ENE Niles 17:25 local · NCEI

Cities and towns in Benson County

PlaceReportsLargest
Leeds232.75 in
Esmond201.75 in
Maddock192.75 in
Minnewaukan161.75 in
Oberon111.75 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
Fort Totten99Jun 17, 2016
Warwick99Jul 14, 2022
Knox76Jun 29, 2019
York66Jul 22, 2024
Brinsmade44Jul 21, 2017

Questions about hail in Benson County

How often does it hail in Benson County, North Dakota?

301 hail reports have been logged in Benson County since 1967. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 6.6 reports a year. That ranks #6 of 54 North Dakota counties by number of reports.

When is hail season in Benson County?

Most reports come in July, June, August. July alone accounts for 33% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in Benson County?

4.50 in (softball size) on August 6, 1994 near Ft. Totten. 6% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in Benson County?

The most recent report in this data is from July 9, 2026 (1.00 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

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

9 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 17 reports. The most recent was July 9, 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.