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Hail in Powell County, Kentucky
53 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 53 hail events in Powell County, Kentucky, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 18 years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 31 events against 21 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 29.6 per 100 square miles compares with 16.8 statewide.
12 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 | Powell County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 53 | 6,621 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 29.6 | 16.8 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 40.4 | 14.7 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
4Mar
5Apr
11May
19Jun
4Jul
7Aug
2Sep
0Oct
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 53 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 May 2023 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2022 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2020 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Mar 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2001 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1995 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 1955 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Powell County had?
53 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 Powell County?
16 May 2023 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Powell County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Powell County compare with Kentucky for hail?
29.6 events per 100 square miles against 16.8 statewide; the county holds 53 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.