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Hail in Ritchie County, West Virginia
34 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 34 hail events in Ritchie County, West Virginia, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 19 years.
April is the busiest month, with 11 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 16 events against 17 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.1% of the 3,144 hail events recorded in West Virginia; its 7.5 per 100 square miles compares with 13.1 statewide.
6 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 West Virginia
| Measure | Ritchie County | West Virginia | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail events since 1950 | 34 | 3,144 | 424,356 |
| Per 100 square miles | 7.5 | 13.1 | 12.0 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 40.6 | 17.6 | 12.8 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 1 | 29 |
| Busiest month | April | June | May |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
4Apr
11May
3Jun
10Jul
2Aug
1Sep
2Oct
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 34 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Mar 2025 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2024 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2023 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2023 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2020 | Hail | 1.25 in | $11K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2020 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2018 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2018 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Hail | 1.75 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2016 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2015 | Hail | 1.25 in | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jul 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2007 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2007 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jun 2006 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2004 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2004 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2002 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2002 | Hail | 1.75 in | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2001 | Hail | 0.88 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1998 | Hail | 1.75 in | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 1996 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1995 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 1995 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 1994 | Hail | 1.00 in | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 1991 | Hail | 1.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 1991 | Hail | 0.75 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 1991 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 1989 | Hail | 1.50 in | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1967 | Hail | 1.00 in | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many hail events has Ritchie County had?
34 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 Ritchie County?
15 Mar 2025 (Hail, 0.75 in). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging hail event recorded in Ritchie County?
The hail of 16 Jun 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K.
How does Ritchie County compare with West Virginia for hail?
7.5 events per 100 square miles against 13.1 statewide; the county holds 34 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.