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Hail in Wise County, Virginia
31 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 31 hail events in Wise County, Virginia, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 15 years.
May is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 14 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 6,183 hail events recorded in Virginia; its 7.7 per 100 square miles compares with 15.7 statewide.
5 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 1.75 inches (golf ball size).
Compared with Virginia
| Measure | Wise County | Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 31 | 6,183 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.7 | 15.7 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 8.7 | 7.2 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | May | May |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
1Mar
2Apr
4May
7Jun
5Jul
6Aug
3Sep
0Oct
0Nov
1Dec
1
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 31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Mar 2018 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2013 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2012 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Aug 2011 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2011 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2008 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2005 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2003 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2002 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2002 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2000 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 1999 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jan 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Wise County had?
31 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 Wise County?
17 Mar 2018 (Hail, 1.00 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Wise County?
NCEI records no damage estimate for events of this type in the county.
How does Wise County compare with Virginia for hail?
7.7 events per 100 square miles against 15.7 statewide; the county holds 31 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.