Data story · updated November 4, 2026
Largest hailstones ever recorded in every state
The biggest hail on record in each state since 1955, and the biggest since 1996, when NOAA size reports became more reliable.
Largest hailstones by state
- Largest since 1996
- 8.00 in
- South Dakota · Jul 23, 2010
- States with 5 in+ since 1996
- 15
- of 51
- State records set since 2021
- 14
- modern-era records
Chart
- Under 1 in
- 1–1.75 in
- 1.75–2.5 in
- 2.5–4 in
- 4 in +
- Ring: record before 1996
What the data shows
The largest hail in NOAA's records since 1996 fell in South Dakota: 8.00 in on July 23, 2010 near Vivian. 15 states have a report of 5 inches (larger than a softball) or more since 1996.
In 20 states the all-time record is older than 1996 and bigger than anything since. Before the mid-1990s many sizes were estimates written down in round numbers, so we show both records side by side rather than treating the old ones as settled.
14 states set their modern-era record in the last five years, a reminder that "record hail" is not just history.
The numbers
| South Dakota | 8.00 in | Jul 23, 2010 | Vivian | 8.00 in | Jul 23, 2010 | 69 |
| Kansas | 7.75 in | Sep 15, 2010 | 1.75 W (Ict)wichita Arpt | 8.00 in | Sep 3, 1970 | 164 |
| Texas | 7.02 in | Jun 2, 2024 | 3.86 WNW Vigo Park | 7.02 in | Jun 2, 2024 | 356 |
| Nebraska | 7.00 in | Jun 22, 2003 | Aurora | 7.00 in | Jun 22, 2003 | 117 |
| Illinois | 6.60 in | Mar 10, 2026 | 0.52 SSW West Kankakee | 6.60 in | Mar 10, 2026 | 34 |
| Oklahoma | 6.00 in | Mar 14, 2024 | 1.09 E Ada | 8.00 in | Apr 26, 1971 | 106 |
| Minnesota | 6.00 in | Jul 31, 2024 | 4.22 NW Chokio | 6.00 in | Jul 31, 2024 | 37 |
| Missouri | 6.00 in | May 24, 2004 | Meadville | 6.00 in | May 24, 2004 | 55 |
| Iowa | 5.50 in | Aug 26, 2004 | Kanawha | 8.00 in | May 31, 1958 | 35 |
| Wisconsin | 5.50 in | Jun 7, 2007 | Port Edwards | 5.50 in | Jun 7, 2007 | 23 |
| Alabama | 5.38 in | Mar 19, 2018 | 0.77 NW Walter | 5.38 in | Mar 19, 2018 | 21 |
| Colorado | 5.25 in | Aug 8, 2023 | 8.29 ENE Kirk | 5.25 in | Aug 8, 2023 | 56 |
| Arkansas | 5.00 in | May 4, 2020 | 2.13 ESE Johnson | 8.00 in | Jun 19, 1970 | 57 |
| North Dakota | 5.00 in | Jul 13, 2010 | 7.84 SSW Cannon Ball | 8.00 in | Jul 21, 1969 | 26 |
| Ohio | 5.00 in | May 1, 2012 | Chillicothe | 5.00 in | May 1, 2012 | 4 |
| Mississippi | 4.88 in | Jun 14, 2023 | 4.05 E Lynn Creek | 5.00 in | Apr 10, 1962 | 15 |
| Montana | 4.50 in | Jun 18, 2002 | Alzada | 6.00 in | Jun 3, 1971 | 23 |
| Kentucky | 4.50 in | May 16, 2025 | 1.1 NW Gum Corners | 5.00 in | Apr 23, 1968 | 11 |
| Virginia | 4.50 in | Jun 4, 2002 | Free Union | 5.00 in | Jul 2, 1968 | 4 |
| Wyoming | 4.50 in | Jun 20, 2024 | 2.66 WNW Fonda | 5.00 in | Jun 8, 1968 | 30 |
| Florida | 4.50 in | May 13, 2007 | 2.51 ENE Kendrick | 4.50 in | May 13, 2007 | 3 |
| Indiana | 4.50 in | Jun 19, 2009 | 0.69 S Talma | 4.50 in | Jun 19, 2009 | 20 |
| Louisiana | 4.50 in | May 24, 2001 | Wildsville | 4.50 in | May 24, 2001 | 12 |
| Maryland | 4.50 in | Apr 28, 2002 | La Plata | 4.50 in | Apr 28, 2002 | 4 |
| Michigan | 4.50 in | Aug 2, 2015 | 4.97 WNW West Branch | 4.50 in | Aug 2, 2015 | 7 |
| New Mexico | 4.50 in | Jun 12, 2012 | 2 SW Portales | 4.50 in | Jun 12, 2012 | 12 |
| North Carolina | 4.50 in | May 24, 2000 | 11 WSW Morganton | 4.50 in | May 24, 2000 | 11 |
| South Carolina | 4.50 in | May 10, 2011 | 0.98 SSE Mary | 4.50 in | May 10, 2011 | 10 |
| Tennessee | 4.50 in | Apr 24, 2010 | 1.88 ENE Henderson | 4.50 in | Apr 24, 2010 | 12 |
| Georgia | 4.25 in | May 26, 2011 | 3.2 N Blue Ridge | 4.50 in | May 14, 1995 | 9 |
| West Virginia | 4.25 in | May 23, 2019 | 0.54 E Pinch | 4.50 in | Jul 9, 1980 | 1 |
| Hawaii | 4.25 in | Mar 9, 2012 | 1.38 S Kaneohe Station | 4.25 in | Mar 9, 2012 | 1 |
| Pennsylvania | 4.00 in | May 28, 2019 | 1.83 NNW Fishers Ferry | 4.50 in | Jul 26, 1956 | 2 |
| Massachusetts | 4.00 in | Jun 1, 2011 | 0.32 WSW East Windsor | 4.00 in | Jun 1, 2011 | 1 |
| New York | 4.00 in | May 22, 2014 | 0.86 NW Amsterdam | 4.00 in | May 22, 2014 | 2 |
| Vermont | 3.30 in | Jul 16, 2009 | 1.05 WNW Westford | 3.30 in | Jul 16, 2009 | 0 |
| Arizona | 3.00 in | Oct 22, 2026 | 5 SW Rio Rico | 4.50 in | Sep 28, 1995 | 0 |
| California | 3.00 in | May 24, 2019 | 1.05 E Enterprise | 3.00 in | May 24, 2019 | 0 |
| Connecticut | 3.00 in | Jul 4, 2026 | 0.86 NE Bristol | 3.00 in | Jul 4, 2026 | 0 |
| New Hampshire | 3.00 in | Jun 22, 2008 | 1.38 S Orange | 3.00 in | Jun 22, 2008 | 0 |
| Washington | 3.00 in | Jun 17, 1997 | Cusick | 3.00 in | Jun 17, 1997 | 0 |
| Maine | 2.75 in | Jul 19, 2015 | 3.66 NW North Berwick | 4.00 in | Jun 1, 1986 | 0 |
| Idaho | 2.75 in | Aug 11, 2022 | 0.58 NE State Line | 3.00 in | Jul 14, 1975 | 0 |
| Nevada | 2.75 in | Jul 15, 2026 | 2.83 NE Contact | 3.00 in | May 5, 1994 | 0 |
| New Jersey | 2.75 in | Jun 6, 2002 | Cedar Run | 3.00 in | Jun 23, 1969 | 0 |
| Rhode Island | 2.75 in | Jun 30, 1998 | Richmond | 2.75 in | Jun 30, 1998 | 0 |
| Oregon | 2.50 in | Aug 11, 2022 | 7.9 S Minam | 4.00 in | Jul 9, 1995 | 0 |
| Delaware | 2.50 in | May 22, 2014 | 0.9 WNW Harnous Corner | 2.50 in | May 22, 2014 | 0 |
| Utah | 2.00 in | Sep 18, 2026 | 3 SSW Layton | 2.00 in | Sep 18, 2026 | 0 |
| District of Columbia | 1.75 in | Aug 20, 2019 | 0.88 SE Tenleytown | 2.75 in | Jul 10, 1975 | 0 |
| Alaska | 1.50 in | Jun 22, 2007 | Delta Jct | 1.50 in | Jun 22, 2007 | 0 |
Use this story
Free to republish with a link to this page. Every city, county and state page has the same numbers for a local angle.
Method and caveats
- Sizes are as reported to NOAA, usually the largest stone a spotter measured or estimated, not certified records. The official US record (8.0 in, Vivian, South Dakota, 2010) was measured and weighed by the National Weather Service.
- Source: every hail report in the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database from 1955 to July 31, 2026, plus preliminary NWS Local Storm Reports via the Iowa Environmental Mesonet to November 3, 2026. Full method.
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- Hail season calendar: when each state gets hitWhich months bring hail in each state, the peak month and the shortest stretch of months holding three quarters of reports, 1996 to last year.
- Is hail getting worse? 70 years of US hail reports by regionHail reports rose twentyfold since the 1960s, but most of that is better reporting. Hail days and big-hail reports by region tell a more careful story.
- 2026 hail year in reviewHow this year's hail compares with the previous ten years: reports, hail days, big hail, the worst states and the biggest days.