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Hail in Placer County, California
12 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 12 hail events in Placer County, California, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 11 years.
April is the busiest month, with 3 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.3% of the 936 hail events recorded in California; its 0.9 per 100 square miles compares with 0.6 statewide.
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 | Placer County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 12 | 936 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.9 | 0.6 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.2 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 2 | 29 |
| Busiest month | April | March | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
0Apr
3May
0Jun
0Jul
3Aug
1Sep
1Oct
1Nov
1Dec
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 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2023 | Hail | 0.88 in | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2019 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2017 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Oct 2016 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2015 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2003 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1998 | Hail | 0.50 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 1995 | Hail | 0.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 1967 | Hail | 0.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Placer County had?
12 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 Placer County?
19 Feb 2024 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Placer County?
The hail of 18 Aug 2023, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $20K.
How does Placer County compare with California for hail?
0.9 events per 100 square miles against 0.6 statewide; the county holds 12 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.