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Hail in Kern County, California
41 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.
Kern County, California, has 41 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 18 different years.
August is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 27 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 4.4% of the 936 hail events recorded in California; its 0.5 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 | Kern County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 41 | 936 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.5 | 0.6 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.2 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 2 | 29 |
| Busiest month | August | March | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
6Mar
5Apr
1May
2Jun
5Jul
1Aug
10Sep
5Oct
4Nov
0Dec
2
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 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2019 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 2019 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2016 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Oct 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2005 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2003 | Hail | 0.50 in | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2000 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Feb 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 1999 | Hail | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Sep 1997 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 1997 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 1996 | Hail | 0.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Dec 1995 | Hail | 0.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Dec 1995 | Hail | 0.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1991 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1982 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Kern County had?
41 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 Kern County?
5 Jun 2023 (Hail, 1.75 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Kern County?
The hail of 11 Jul 1999, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $20K.
How does Kern County compare with California for hail?
0.5 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 41 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.