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Hail in Owsley County, Kentucky
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.
NCEI records 41 hail events in Owsley County, Kentucky, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 18 years.
May is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 21 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 6,621 hail events recorded in Kentucky; its 20.8 per 100 square miles compares with 16.8 statewide.
2 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 2.50 inches (tennis ball size).
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | Owsley County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 41 | 6,621 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 20.8 | 16.8 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 103.7 | 14.7 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
3Mar
2Apr
10May
15Jun
6Jul
2Aug
3Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2025 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2020 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2020 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2019 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 2017 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Feb 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2008 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2001 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2000 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jul 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 1999 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Apr 1996 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1991 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Owsley 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 Owsley County?
2 May 2025 (Hail, 0.88 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Owsley County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Owsley County compare with Kentucky for hail?
20.8 events per 100 square miles against 16.8 statewide; the county holds 41 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.