Hail history for Kearney County, NE

Kearney County has 178 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 131 of them 1″ or larger and 20 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 4.5″ (grapefruit) on June 12, 2002.

Records 1950–present Data through April 2026 Peak month May

Core sample · every recorded event, 1955–2026

Mark size = measured hail diameter; slivers are events with no recorded size. Amber ≥2″, red ≥2.75″ (baseball class). Denser recent decades partly reflect better reporting, not only more storms.

Recorded events 178 since 1956

1″ or larger 131 NWS severe threshold

2″ or larger 20 hen egg class and up

Largest recorded 4.5″ grapefruit · June 12, 2002

Read the record honestly: Storm Events contains what was reported to the National Weather Service. Sparse or rural counties under-report, and coverage improved sharply after the mid-1990s — a quiet-looking stretch is not proof nothing fell.

When it hails in Kearney County

Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks Kearney County's peak: May.

Most recent recorded events

Latest 8 of 178 recorded events · data through April 2026
Date	Size	Comparable to
July 6, 2024	1.25″	Half dollar
July 6, 2024	1.75″	Golf ball
July 6, 2024	1.5″	Ping-pong ball
July 6, 2024	1.5″	Ping-pong ball
June 7, 2024	2.75″	Baseball
June 7, 2024	2.0″	Hen egg
June 7, 2024	1.5″	Ping-pong ball
May 3, 2024	0.88″	Nickel

Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for Kearney County.

From the storm reports

Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).

June 7, 2024 · 2.0″ (hen egg)

Hail ranging in size from quarters up to two inches in diameter was reported along and within a few miles on each side of this path.

April 29, 2022 · 4.0″ (softball)

Facebook photo of hail next to a ruler revealed a giant stone approximately four inches in diameter.

September 13, 2010 · 2.75″ (baseball)

Damage reports from across town included windows knocked out of homes, roof, siding and shingle damage, cars dented, windshields broken, as well as a lot of crop and tree damage.

Events by decade

1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
2	9	7	7	35	53	36	29

The climb across decades is largely a reporting story: spotter networks, radar, and digital filing pulled far more storms into the record after the 1990s.

Questions about hail in Kearney County

Has it ever hailed in Kearney County?

Yes — 178 hail events have been recorded for Kearney County, NE in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1956, including 131 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.

When did it last hail in Kearney County?

The most recent recorded hail event for Kearney County, NE is July 6, 2024, with 1.25″ (half dollar) hail. The database is currently updated through April 2026, so a storm from the last few weeks may not appear yet. To check a specific day, use the did-it-hail date lookup.

What is the largest hail ever recorded in Kearney County?

4.5″ (grapefruit), recorded on June 12, 2002. Hail that size is destructive-class and typically damages roofs, vehicles, and siding. See how big that really is on the actual-size hail chart.

Does a recorded hail event mean my roof was damaged?

No. This page reports storm records, not damage. Hail size and damage vary block by block within a county, and only an inspection can establish what happened to a specific roof. If you suspect damage, talk to your insurer or a licensed roofer — they can pull the same NOAA records for your claim.

More Nebraska hail history

All 93 Nebraska counties, ranked by recorded hail →

Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, public domain, updated monthly by NCEI — this site's copy runs through April 2026. HailHistory reports records; it does not give insurance advice or assess damage.