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Hail in Wells County, North Dakota
122 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 122 hail events in Wells County, North Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 42 years.
July is the busiest month, with 38 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 74 events against 37 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 10,026 hail events recorded in North Dakota; its 9.6 per 100 square miles compares with 14.5 statewide.
39 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 3.50 inches (tea cup size).
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Wells County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 122 | 10,026 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.6 | 14.5 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 312.4 | 129.4 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | July | July | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
6Jun
34Jul
38Aug
36Sep
8Oct
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 122 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Sep 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2025 | Hail | 1.75 in | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2024 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2022 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2022 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2022 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2022 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2022 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Aug 2021 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Hail | 3.00 in | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Hail | 2.75 in | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2019 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2019 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2019 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2018 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2018 | Hail | 3.50 in | $40K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2018 | Hail | 3.00 in | $850K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2018 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2017 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | $75K | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | $25K | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2015 | Hail | 2.00 in | $750K | $400K | — | — | County |
| 19 Sep 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2014 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2011 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2010 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2010 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2010 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | $100K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2009 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2009 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | $50K | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jul 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2007 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2007 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2007 | Hail | 3.50 in | $5K | $45K | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2004 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2001 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jul 2001 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2000 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2000 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2000 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2000 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2000 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2000 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1999 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1999 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1999 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1998 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | $125K | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1997 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | $100K | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 1995 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 1992 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 1990 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 1988 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1988 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1987 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1984 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1982 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 1980 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 1979 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1978 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1977 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1969 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1966 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 1965 | Hail | 3.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 1964 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 1963 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Wells County had?
122 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 Wells County?
12 Sep 2025 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Wells County?
The hail of 20 Jun 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $750K and crop damage at $400K.
How does Wells County compare with North Dakota for hail?
9.6 events per 100 square miles against 14.5 statewide; the county holds 122 of the state's 10,026 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.