Hail history for Columbia, South Carolina
NOAA hail reports in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Columbia since 1959, with preliminary reports to November 3, 2026.
Readout · Columbia
- Last hail
- Sep 5, 2026
- 0.25 in, pea size · preliminary
- Hail days, last 5 years
- 5
- since Nov 3, 2021 · 12 reports
- Largest ever
- 3.00 in
- teacup · Sep 25, 1988
130 reports on 84 days since 1959 · #2 of 185 South Carolina places
Hail map · Columbia
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- No size
For homeowners
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What the record says about Columbia
The latest hail report in and around Columbia is from September 5, 2026, 0.25 in (pea size). Since November 3, 2021 there have been 5 separate hail days; the biggest stones in that time were 1.00 in on June 16, 2022.
Over the 20 years 2006–2025, Columbia logged 77 reports on 40 hail days, about 3.9 reports a year. That is 7.7 times the median South Carolina town on this site (0.5 a year) and ranks #2 of 185 South Carolina cities and towns on this site for all-time reports. Columbia accounts for 56% of the 234 reports filed in Richland County.
2% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 0% for the median South Carolina town on this site. The largest hail on record here is 3.00 in (teacup) on September 25, 1988.
Reports were down 36% in 2016–2025 (30) compared with 2006–2015 (47). The busiest year was 2011, with 11 reports on 5 days. Hail here peaks in June (28% of reports); 54% fall between April and June.
Reports a year 2006–2025 average
- Columbia 3.9
- Richland County 6.2
- Median South Carolina town on this site 0.5
Hail days 2006–2025
- Columbia 40
- Richland County 62
- Median South Carolina town on this site 8
Share 2 in or larger of sized reports
- Columbia 2%
- Richland County 2%
- Median South Carolina town on this site 0%
Hail over time
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2025 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||
| 2023 | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2022 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2020 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2019 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 2018 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2017 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Hail days since Nov 3, 2021
Largest hail on record
| Date | Size | Location | County | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25, 1988 | 3.00 inteacup | — | Richland | 18:07 local · NCEI |
| May 23, 2014 | 2.75 inbaseball | 2.15 SSE Langfords Xrds | Richland | 19:15 local · NCEI |
| May 2, 1984 | 2.75 inbaseball | — | Richland | 11:10 local · NCEI |
| Jun 2, 2011 | 1.75 ingolf ball | 1.34 ESE Killian | Richland | 17:55 local · NCEI |
| Jun 16, 2009 | 1.75 ingolf ball | Sims | Richland | 19:23 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 61 47%
- 1–2 in 66 51%
- 2 in + 3 2%
Most recent reports
| Date | Size | Location | County | Damage | Time · source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 5, 2026 | 0.25 inpea | Columbia | Richland | — | 21:48 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | 0.50 inmarble | 5 SE Blythewood | Richland | — | 21:26 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Aug 10, 2026 | 0.70 inmarble | 2 E Sesquicentennial SP | Richland | — | 18:51 UTC · NWS prelim. |
| Feb 23, 2024 | 0.25 inpea | 1.83 ESE Capitol View | Richland | $100 | 17:14 local · NCEI |
| Feb 23, 2024 | 0.50 inmarble | 0.33 NE Greenlawn | Richland | $100 | 17:10 local · NCEI |
| Feb 23, 2024 | 0.50 inmarble | 0.57 W Capitol View | Richland | $100 | 17:09 local · NCEI |
| Feb 23, 2024 | 0.25 inpea | 0.69 N Columbia | Richland | $100 | 17:00 local · NCEI |
| Feb 23, 2024 | 0.25 inpea | 0.82 SW Columbia | Richland | $100 | 17:00 local · NCEI |
| Feb 23, 2024 | 0.25 inpea | 1.75 E St Andrews | Richland | $100 | 17:00 local · NCEI |
| Jun 16, 2022 | 1.00 inquarter | 0.35 NE Greenlawn | Richland | — | 17:45 local · NCEI |
| May 21, 2022 | 0.25 inpea | 1.38 WNW Horrel Hill | Richland | $10 | 12:55 local · NCEI |
| May 21, 2022 | 0.25 inpea | 1.47 NNW Woodfield | Richland | $10 | 01:11 local · NCEI |
Hail history near Columbia
- Cayce 16 km · 17
- Hopkins 16 km · 10
- Elgin 18 km · 14
- St. Andrews 18 km · 11
- West Columbia 19 km · 14
- Blythewood 21 km · 17
- Oak Grove 24 km · 11
- South Congaree 26 km · 15
Questions about hail in Columbia
How often does it hail in Columbia, South Carolina?
130 hail reports have been logged in and within about 5 km (3 miles) of Columbia since 1959. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 3.9 reports a year. That ranks #2 of 185 South Carolina places by number of reports.
When is hail season in Columbia?
Most reports come in June, July, May. June alone accounts for 28% of all reports.
What is the largest hail recorded in Columbia?
3.00 in (teacup size) on September 25, 1988. 2% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.
When did it last hail in Columbia?
The most recent report in this data is from September 5, 2026 (0.25 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.
How many hail storms has Columbia had in the last five years?
5 separate days with hail reports since November 3, 2021, adding up to 12 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.