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Hail in Barnstable County, Massachusetts
49 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.
Barnstable County, Massachusetts, has 49 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 19 different years.
August is the busiest month, with 16 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 31 events against 15 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 3.2% of the 1,547 hail events recorded in Massachusetts; its 12.4 per 100 square miles compares with 19.8 statewide.
2 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 1.75 inches (golf ball size).
Compared with Massachusetts
| Measure | Barnstable County | Massachusetts | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 49 | 1,547 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 12.4 | 19.8 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 2.1 | 2.2 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | August | July | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
1May
8Jun
9Jul
15Aug
16Sep
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 49 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Aug 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2019 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2014 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2009 | Hail | 1.50 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2009 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Apr 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2001 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2000 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2000 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1997 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1994 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1986 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1981 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1962 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Barnstable County had?
49 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 Barnstable County?
26 Aug 2024 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Barnstable County?
The hail of 22 Jul 2005, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $5K.
How does Barnstable County compare with Massachusetts for hail?
12.4 events per 100 square miles against 19.8 statewide; the county holds 49 of the state's 1,547 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.