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Hail in McKinley County, New Mexico
10 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 10 hail events in McKinley County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 9 years.
September is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 4 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.2% of the 5,297 hail events recorded in New Mexico; its 0.2 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
0 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 1.00 inches (quarter size).
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | McKinley County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 10 | 5,297 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.2 | 4.4 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.4 | 25.0 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 3 | 29 |
| Busiest month | September | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
0Jun
3Jul
0Aug
0Sep
5Oct
1Nov
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 10 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 Jun 2026 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2023 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Oct 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2009 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 1998 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Sep 1997 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Nov 1978 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 1969 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has McKinley County had?
10 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 McKinley County?
26 Jun 2026 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in McKinley County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does McKinley County compare with New Mexico for hail?
0.2 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 10 of the state's 5,297 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.