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Hail in Smyth County, Virginia
55 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.
Smyth County, Virginia, has 55 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 19 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 37 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.9% of the 6,183 hail events recorded in Virginia; its 12.2 per 100 square miles compares with 15.7 statewide.
9 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 2.00 inches (hen egg size).
Compared with Virginia
| Measure | Smyth County | Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 55 | 6,183 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 12.2 | 15.7 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 18.7 | 7.2 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
2Apr
13May
23Jun
6Jul
3Aug
6Sep
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 55 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 May 2024 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 2022 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2020 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Apr 2017 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2016 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jun 2014 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2012 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Aug 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2011 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2011 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2009 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Aug 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2007 | Hail | 0.88 in | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2006 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2005 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 1998 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 1998 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 1997 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 1972 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Smyth County had?
55 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 Smyth County?
26 May 2024 (Hail, 2.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Smyth County?
The hail of 25 Apr 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $8K.
How does Smyth County compare with Virginia for hail?
12.2 events per 100 square miles against 15.7 statewide; the county holds 55 of the state's 6,183 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.