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Hail in Orange County, California
13 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.
Orange County, California, has 13 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 7 different years.
March is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 4 events against 7 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 936 hail events recorded in California; its 1.6 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to hail.
1 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 2.00 inches (hen egg size).
Compared with California
| Measure | Orange County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 13 | 936 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.6 | 0.6 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.2 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 2 | 29 |
| Busiest month | March | March | May |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
2Mar
4Apr
2May
0Jun
0Jul
0Aug
0Sep
1Oct
1Nov
0Dec
1
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 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Mar 2019 | Hail | 0.25 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2019 | Hail | 0.70 in | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2015 | Hail | 0.50 in | $100 | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Oct 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2000 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2000 | Hail | 1.50 in | $75K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 4 Dec 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 1998 | Hail | 0.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jan 1979 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jan 1979 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Orange County had?
13 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 Orange County?
20 Mar 2019 (Hail, 0.70 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Orange County?
The hail of 6 Mar 2000, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $75K; 1 death recorded.
How does Orange County compare with California for hail?
1.6 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 13 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.