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Hail in McDowell County, West Virginia
67 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.
McDowell County, West Virginia, has 67 hail events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 25 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 23 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 45 events against 18 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2.1% of the 3,144 hail events recorded in West Virginia; its 12.6 per 100 square miles compares with 13.1 statewide.
10 of the hail reports with a recorded size were golf-ball size (1.75 inches) or larger; the largest recorded stone was 4.50 inches (grapefruit size).
Compared with West Virginia
| Measure | McDowell County | West Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 67 | 3,144 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 12.6 | 13.1 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 36.5 | 17.6 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| Busiest month | May | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
1Apr
11May
23Jun
18Jul
8Aug
2Sep
2Oct
1Nov
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 67 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jun 2019 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2019 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 2018 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Mar 2018 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Sep 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2016 | Hail | 1.10 in | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2016 | Hail | 2.00 in | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2016 | Hail | 1.75 in | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.50 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2015 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Oct 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jun 2014 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Hail | 1.25 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2012 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2011 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2010 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2009 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2009 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2009 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 May 2008 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2006 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2005 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 2003 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 1999 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1998 | Hail | 2.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1998 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1996 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 May 1995 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 1993 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1992 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 1983 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1980 | Hail | 4.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 1980 | Hail | 4.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 1977 | Hail | 2.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has McDowell County had?
67 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 McDowell County?
16 Jun 2019 (Hail, 1.75 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in McDowell County?
The hail of 2 May 2016, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $75K.
How does McDowell County compare with West Virginia for hail?
12.6 events per 100 square miles against 13.1 statewide; the county holds 67 of the state's 3,144 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.