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Hail in McLean County, Kentucky
44 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.
McLean County, Kentucky, has 44 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 19 events against 22 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 6,621 hail events recorded in Kentucky; its 17.4 per 100 square miles compares with 16.8 statewide.
8 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 Kentucky
| Measure | McLean County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 44 | 6,621 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 17.4 | 16.8 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 48.4 | 14.7 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
9Apr
8May
10Jun
5Jul
3Aug
3Sep
1Oct
1Nov
2Dec
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 44 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Apr 2026 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2025 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2022 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2014 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2013 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2006 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2005 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2004 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Nov 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1993 | Hail | 1.75 in | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1973 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1967 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1960 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has McLean County had?
44 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 McLean County?
27 Apr 2026 (Hail, 1.25 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in McLean County?
The hail of 26 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $100K.
How does McLean County compare with Kentucky for hail?
17.4 events per 100 square miles against 16.8 statewide; the county holds 44 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.