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Hail in Smith County, Tennessee
43 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 43 hail events in Smith County, Tennessee, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
April is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 24 events against 16 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 7,175 hail events recorded in Tennessee; its 13.7 per 100 square miles compares with 17.4 statewide.
6 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 2.75 inches (baseball size).
Compared with Tennessee
| Measure | Smith County | Tennessee | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 43 | 7,175 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 13.7 | 17.4 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 21.3 | 10.3 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Busiest month | April | April | May |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
0Mar
4Apr
13May
5Jun
5Jul
5Aug
7Sep
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 43 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Mar 2025 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2023 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2021 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2020 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2018 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2016 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2016 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2015 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2012 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2012 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jan 2010 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 May 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2005 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2001 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1999 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Apr 1999 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jan 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1998 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1998 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1997 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 1997 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 1996 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 1990 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 1990 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 1983 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 1978 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Aug 1961 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Smith County had?
43 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 Smith County?
23 Mar 2025 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Smith County?
The hail of 12 Mar 2010, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $10K.
How does Smith County compare with Tennessee for hail?
13.7 events per 100 square miles against 17.4 statewide; the county holds 43 of the state's 7,175 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.