Reference chart · NWS size equivalents

Hail sizes at actual size

"Golf ball hail" is 1.75 inches. Here is exactly how big that is — every standard size name, drawn true to scale. Print it, keep it, measure against it.

  • Pea 0.25″
  • Mothball 0.5″
  • Penny 0.75″
  • Nickel 0.88″
  • Quarter 1.0″ NWS severe threshold
  • Half dollar 1.25″
  • Ping-pong ball 1.5″
  • Golf ball 1.75″
  • Hen egg 2.0″
  • Tennis ball 2.5″
  • Baseball 2.75″ destructive class
  • Tea cup 3.0″
  • Softball 4.0″
  • Grapefruit 4.5″
Circles are drawn at their measured diameter. Screens vary slightly — for exact scale, and check the 1″ quarter against a real one.

The scale, in numbers

National Weather Service hail size equivalents
Common nameDiameterClassification
Pea 0.25″ Sub-severe
Mothball 0.5″ Sub-severe
Penny 0.75″ Sub-severe
Nickel 0.88″ Sub-severe
Quarter 1.0″ NWS severe (≥1″)
Half dollar 1.25″ NWS severe (≥1″)
Ping-pong ball 1.5″ NWS severe (≥1″)
Golf ball 1.75″ NWS severe (≥1″)
Hen egg 2.0″ NWS severe (≥1″)
Tennis ball 2.5″ NWS severe (≥1″)
Baseball 2.75″ Destructive class
Tea cup 3.0″ Destructive class
Softball 4.0″ Destructive class
Grapefruit 4.5″ Destructive class
Why 1″ matters: quarter-size is the National Weather Service's severe-thunderstorm criterion, and it's where roof and vehicle damage starts becoming common. HailHistory's county pages count ≥1″ and ≥2″ events separately for exactly that reason.

Common questions

What size hail damages a roof?

The National Weather Service severe threshold is 1″ (quarter size), and roof damage becomes common from about 1″ upward depending on the roofing material, hail density, and wind. From 2.75″ (baseball) up, hail is destructive-class for most materials. Whether a specific roof was damaged is an inspection question — talk to your insurer or a licensed roofer.

How is hail size measured?

Reports to the National Weather Service record the diameter of the largest stone, in inches — measured when possible, otherwise estimated against the household objects on this chart. That's why the public record speaks in quarters, golf balls, and baseballs.

Is this chart really actual size?

On paper, yes: print at 100% scale (no "fit to page") and the 1″ quarter circle will match a real quarter. On screens it's the CSS reference inch, which is close on most phones — the print version is the exact one.

What's the biggest hailstone ever recorded in the U.S.?

The record is 8.0″ in diameter — Vivian, South Dakota, July 23, 2010 — twice the softball on this chart. Check what your own county's record is with the county lookup.

Size names and inch equivalents follow the National Weather Service hail conversion chart. Damage always depends on material, stone density, and wind — this page is a measuring reference, not a damage assessment.