Hail History

Hail history for McDowell County, West Virginia

Every NOAA hail report filed in McDowell County since 1977, with preliminary National Weather Service reports to November 3, 2026.

Readout · McDowell County

Last hail
Jun 16, 2019
1.75 in, golf ball size
Hail days, last 5 years
0
since Nov 3, 2021 · 0 reports
Largest ever
4.50 in
softball · Jul 9, 1980

67 reports on 44 days since 1977 · #21 of 56 West Virginia counties

Hail map · McDowell County

Welch 5 mi
  • Under 1 in
  • 1–1.75 in
  • 1.75–2.5 in
  • 2.5–4 in
  • 4 in +
  • No size
65 most recent reports with a location. Dot size and colour follow hail size. Open street map

For homeowners

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What the record says about McDowell County

The latest hail report in McDowell County is from June 16, 2019, 1.75 in (golf ball size). There has been no hail report here in the five years since November 3, 2021.

Over the 20 years 2006–2025, McDowell County logged 49 reports on 27 hail days, about 2.5 reports a year. That is 81% more than the median West Virginia county (1.4 a year) and ranks #21 of 56 West Virginia counties for all-time reports. McDowell County holds 2% of all 3,163 hail reports in West Virginia.

9% of reports with a size were 2 inches (hen egg) or larger, against 2% for the median West Virginia county. The largest hail on record here is 4.50 in (softball) on July 9, 1980, which ties or sets the West Virginia record.

Reports were down 68% in 2016–2025 (12) compared with 2006–2015 (37). The busiest year was 2008, with 12 reports on 3 days. Hail here peaks in May (34% of reports); 78% fall between April and June.

Reports a year 2006–2025 average

  • McDowell County 2.5
  • Median West Virginia county 1.4

Hail days 2006–2025

  • McDowell County 27
  • Median West Virginia county 18.5

Share 2 in or larger of sized reports

  • McDowell County 9%
  • Median West Virginia county 2%

Hail over time

051015 1977: 1 reports, largest 2.75 in 1980: 2 reports, largest 4.50 in 1980 1983: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 1990 1992: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1993: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 1995: 1 reports, largest 0.88 in 1996: 2 reports, largest 1.75 in 1998: 3 reports, largest 2.00 in 1999: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2000 2002: 2 reports, largest 0.75 in 2003: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2004: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2005: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2006: 4 reports, largest 0.88 in 2007: 1 reports, largest 0.75 in 2008: 12 reports, largest 1.50 in 2009: 4 reports, largest 0.88 in 2010: 1 reports, largest 1.00 in 2010 2011: 3 reports, largest 0.88 in 2012: 3 reports, largest 1.00 in 2014: 4 reports, largest 1.25 in 2015: 5 reports, largest 1.75 in 2016: 8 reports, largest 2.00 in 2018: 2 reports, largest 1.00 in 2019: 2 reports, largest 2.00 in 2020
Reports per year, 1977–2026. Bar colour shows the largest hail that year. Reporting grew sharply after the mid-1990s, so early decades undercount.
0102030 Jan February: 1 reports (1%) Feb March: 1 reports (1%) Mar April: 11 reports (16%) Apr May: 23 reports (34%) May June: 18 reports (27%) Jun July: 8 reports (12%) Jul August: 2 reports (3%) Aug September: 2 reports (3%) Sep October: 1 reports (1%) Oct Nov Dec
All 67 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 2 2
2018 11 2
2017 0

Largest hail on record

Largest hail reports in McDowell County
Date Size Location Damage Time · source
Jul 9, 1980 4.50 insoftball — — 17:00 local · NCEI
Jul 9, 1980 4.50 insoftball — — 17:00 local · NCEI
Jun 6, 1977 2.75 inbaseball — — 11:00 local · NCEI
Jun 16, 2019 2.00 inhen egg 0.55 E Rockbridge — 15:53 local · NCEI
May 2, 2016 2.00 inhen egg 0.3 WSW Kimball $75K 15:32 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 McDowell County
Date Size Location Damage Time · source
Jun 16, 2019 1.75 ingolf ball Lex — 15:54 local · NCEI
Jun 16, 2019 2.00 inhen egg 0.55 E Rockbridge — 15:53 local · NCEI
May 5, 2018 0.88 innickel 2.59 ENE Capels — 16:28 local · NCEI
Mar 17, 2018 1.00 inquarter 2.15 SE Newhall — 16:05 local · NCEI
Sep 29, 2016 1.00 inquarter 1.1 W Havaco — 13:47 local · NCEI
Sep 29, 2016 1.00 inquarter 0.88 NE Havaco — 13:47 local · NCEI
May 2, 2016 2.00 inhen egg 0.3 WSW Kimball $75K 15:32 local · NCEI
May 2, 2016 1.75 ingolf ball 2.24 NE Capels $50K 15:29 local · NCEI
May 2, 2016 1.00 inquarter Premier — 15:12 local · NCEI
May 2, 2016 1.00 inquarter 0.55 SSW Avondale — 15:10 local · NCEI
May 2, 2016 1.10 inquarter 1.1 W Garland $50K 15:00 local · NCEI
May 1, 2016 1.00 inquarter Beartown — 19:07 local · NCEI

Cities and towns in McDowell County

PlaceReportsLargest
Welch204.50 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
Bradshaw75Jun 16, 2019
War65Apr 28, 2014
Iaeger55Apr 8, 2015
Vivian33Jun 23, 2015
Cucumber22Mar 17, 2018
Davy22Jun 30, 2012
Kimball22May 2, 2016
Bartley11Jun 22, 2008
Berwind11Aug 24, 2007
Big Sandy11May 2, 2002
Gary11May 1, 2010
Keystone11May 26, 2011

Questions about hail in McDowell County

How often does it hail in McDowell County, West Virginia?

67 hail reports have been logged in McDowell County since 1977. Over the 20 years 2006–2025 that averages 2.5 reports a year. That ranks #21 of 56 West Virginia counties by number of reports.

When is hail season in McDowell County?

Most reports come in May, June, April. May alone accounts for 34% of all reports.

What is the largest hail recorded in McDowell County?

4.50 in (softball size) on July 9, 1980. 9% of reports here were 2 inches or larger.

When did it last hail in McDowell County?

The most recent report in this data is from June 16, 2019 (1.75 in). Final NOAA data runs to July 31, 2026; preliminary NWS reports run to November 3, 2026.

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

None: there has been no hail report in McDowell County since November 3, 2021. The last one was on June 16, 2019.

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.