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Hail in Mitchell County, North Carolina
35 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 35 hail events in Mitchell County, North Carolina, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 18 years.
June is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 21 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 9,900 hail events recorded in North Carolina; its 15.8 per 100 square miles compares with 20.4 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 North Carolina
| Measure | Mitchell County | North Carolina | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 35 | 9,900 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 15.8 | 20.4 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 23.4 | 9.4 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | June | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
7May
10Jun
13Jul
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 35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 2026 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Aug 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1998 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 1985 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 1985 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Mitchell County had?
35 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 Mitchell County?
1 Apr 2026 (Hail, 0.75 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Mitchell County?
The hail of 10 May 2005, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10K.
How does Mitchell County compare with North Carolina for hail?
15.8 events per 100 square miles against 20.4 statewide; the county holds 35 of the state's 9,900 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.