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Hail in Lincoln County, Montana
14 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.
Lincoln County, Montana, has 14 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 9 different years.
July is the busiest month, with 6 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.2% of the 8,391 hail events recorded in Montana; its 0.4 per 100 square miles compares with 5.8 statewide.
3 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 3.00 inches (tea cup size).
Compared with Montana
| Measure | Lincoln County | Montana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 14 | 8,391 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.4 | 5.8 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.8 | 76.0 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | July | July | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
2Jun
2Jul
6Aug
3Sep
1Oct
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 14 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jun 2021 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | $6K | $500 | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2013 | Hail | 1.25 in | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | $500 | $1K | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2009 | Hail | 1.75 in | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 1997 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 1983 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1968 | Hail | 3.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Lincoln County had?
14 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 Lincoln County?
15 Jun 2021 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Lincoln County?
The hail of 17 Jul 2013, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $6K and crop damage at $500.
How does Lincoln County compare with Montana for hail?
0.4 events per 100 square miles against 5.8 statewide; the county holds 14 of the state's 8,391 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.