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Hail in Carter County, Kentucky
51 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 51 hail events in Carter County, Kentucky, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 20 years.
May is the busiest month, with 18 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 36 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 6,621 hail events recorded in Kentucky; its 12.5 per 100 square miles compares with 16.8 statewide.
5 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 Kentucky
| Measure | Carter County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 51 | 6,621 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 12.5 | 16.8 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 19.3 | 14.7 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
2Apr
9May
18Jun
13Jul
2Aug
3Sep
1Oct
0Nov
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 51 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Feb 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2016 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2016 | Hail | 1.75 in | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2016 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2014 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2012 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2010 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2010 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1998 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1996 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 1995 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1994 | Hail | 0.00 in | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Nov 1993 | Hail | 1.25 in | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 1993 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 1983 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Carter County had?
51 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 Carter County?
28 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 Carter County?
The hail of 17 Nov 1993, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Carter County compare with Kentucky for hail?
12.5 events per 100 square miles against 16.8 statewide; the county holds 51 of the state's 6,621 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.