States › California › Imperial County › Hail
Hail in Imperial County, California
10 hail events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Hail.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
NCEI records 10 hail events in Imperial County, California, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 9 years.
August is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 3 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 936 hail events recorded in California; its 0.2 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
3 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 1.75 inches (golf ball size).
Compared with California
| Measure | Imperial County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 10 | 936 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.2 | 0.6 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.6 | 0.2 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 2 | 29 |
| Busiest month | August | March | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
0Apr
0May
0Jun
0Jul
1Aug
5Sep
2Oct
1Nov
0Dec
0
Magnitude distribution
NWS hail-size descriptors
- under 1 in
- pea to quarter
- 1–1.74 in
- quarter to golf ball
- 1.75–2.74 in
- golf ball to baseball
- 2.75–3.99 in
- baseball to softball
- 4 in and larger
- softball and larger
Hail size in inches as recorded by NCEI; events without a size are not binned.
Recorded events
All 10 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Jul 2015 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2010 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2010 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2008 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 1992 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1990 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Imperial County had?
10 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of hail became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded hail event in Imperial County?
18 Jul 2015 (Hail, 1.25 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Imperial County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Imperial County compare with California for hail?
0.2 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 10 of the state's 936 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Hail hub and the county page.