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Hail in Sierra County, New Mexico
41 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 41 hail events in Sierra County, New Mexico, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
June is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 20 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.8% of the 5,297 hail events recorded in New Mexico; its 1.0 per 100 square miles compares with 4.4 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to hail.
9 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 2.50 inches (tennis ball size).
Compared with New Mexico
| Measure | Sierra County | New Mexico | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 41 | 5,297 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.0 | 4.4 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 35.6 | 25.0 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 3 | 29 |
| Busiest month | June | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
0Apr
5May
3Jun
12Jul
5Aug
4Sep
3Oct
7Nov
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 41 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jun 2020 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2020 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2019 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Oct 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Sep 2016 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2016 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2015 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2012 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Sep 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2010 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2008 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Oct 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2007 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Sep 2004 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2004 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Oct 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2002 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jun 2000 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1997 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1995 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1995 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1995 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1991 | Hail | 2.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 1976 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1971 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Oct 1970 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1960 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Oct 1957 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 1957 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 1957 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Sierra County had?
41 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 Sierra County?
24 Jun 2020 (Hail, 0.75 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Sierra County?
The hail of 24 Sep 2004, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10K.
How does Sierra County compare with New Mexico for hail?
1.0 events per 100 square miles against 4.4 statewide; the county holds 41 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.