HailEvidence → hail history by county → North Carolina → McDowell County
Hail dates in McDowell County, North Carolina
The National Weather Service has recorded hail in McDowell County on 21 days since 2016 (36 separate reports, 24 of them quarter-size or larger). The largest stone on record was 2.00" (hen egg) on July 1, 2023; the most recent hail was April 1, 2026. Every row below is an official NWS record. Check hail at your exact address, free →
Every hail day in McDowell County since 2016
One row per day the NWS logged hail somewhere in the county. The narrative names the town; the free check below narrows it to your address.
| Date | Largest hail | Reports | NWS narrative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-01 | 0.75" (penny) | 1 | Public reported 3/4 inch hail. |
| 2026-03-06 | 0.88" (nickel) | 1 | NWS employee reported dime to nickel size hail near the Burke County line. |
| 2025-06-25 | 1.00" (quarter) | 2 | Emergency manager reported quarter size hail in the Little Switzerland area. |
| 2025-05-08 | 1.75" (golf ball) | 3 | Emergency management reported golf ball size hail. Multiple public reports of quarter size hail were received from the Dysartsville community. |
| 2024-04-16 | 0.75" (penny) | 1 | Media reported 3/4 inch hail along Highway 70 near Old Fort. |
| 2023-07-25 | 1.00" (quarter) | 2 | Public reported up to quarter size hail. |
| 2023-07-02 | 1.00" (quarter) | 2 | Public reported nickel size haiPublic reported (via Social Media) quarter size hail on Zion Hill Rd. |
| 2023-07-01 | 2.00" (hen egg) | 2 | Emergency manager measured 2-inch diameter hail near Old Fort. |
| 2023-05-16 | 0.75" (penny) | 1 | Fire dept reported 3/4 inch hail. |
| 2022-06-16 | 1.00" (quarter) | 2 | Emergency manager reported quarter size hail in the Pleasant Gardens area. |
| 2022-06-15 | 1.00" (quarter) | 2 | Spotter reported quarter size hail off Magnolia Dr. |
| 2022-05-01 | 1.00" (quarter) | 2 | Public reported (via Social Media) measured one-inch diameter hail in downtown Marion. |
| 2019-08-19 | 0.75" (penny) | 1 | Media reported 3/4 inch hail in the Sugar Hill area. |
| 2019-05-04 | 1.00" (quarter) | 1 | Media reported quarter size hail just east of Marion. |
| 2018-05-07 | 0.75" (penny) | 1 | Public reported (via Social Media) 3/4 inch hail along Highway 221. |
| 2017-06-16 | 0.88" (nickel) | 1 | Media reported nickel size hail at the I-40 rest area near Marion. |
| 2017-05-19 | 1.00" (quarter) | 1 | Public reported dime to quarter size hail at the corner of Old Fort Sugar Hill Rd and Sugar Hill Rd. |
| 2016-07-19 | 0.75" (penny) | 1 | Media reported 3/4 inch hail near I-40 in western McDowell County. |
| 2016-07-08 | 1.00" (quarter) | 1 | Public reported quarter size hail. |
| 2016-05-02 | 2.00" (hen egg) | 4 | Spotter reported golf ball to 2-inch diameter hail. |
| 2016-05-01 | 2.00" (hen egg) | 4 | EM reported up to 2-inch diameter hail caused considerable damage in the Sugar Hill area. At least one home received considerable exterior damage due to wind… |
Hail days by year
| Year | Hail days | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 | 2 | 0.88" (nickel) |
| 2025 | 2 | 5 | 1.75" (golf ball) |
| 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0.75" (penny) |
| 2023 | 4 | 7 | 2.00" (hen egg) |
| 2022 | 3 | 6 | 1.00" (quarter) |
| 2019 | 2 | 2 | 1.00" (quarter) |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 0.75" (penny) |
| 2017 | 2 | 2 | 1.00" (quarter) |
| 2016 | 4 | 10 | 2.00" (hen egg) |
Damaging wind in McDowell County
Thunderstorm wind of 58 mph or more (the NWS severe threshold), 75 reports since 2016, strongest 81 mph. 2 tornadoes recorded in the county in the same period. Wind and tornado records are included in the extended report.
| Date | Peak gust | Reports | NWS narrative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-05-01 | 81 mph | 1 | NWS Storm Survey team reported numerous trees and power lines blown down across the Sugar Hill community, with trees down on at least 5 h… |
| 2024-05-08 | 63 mph | 2 | Emergency management reported numerous trees blown down in the Old Fort area. |
| 2022-07-05 | 63 mph | 1 | County comms reported numerous trees blown down in Marion and vicinity. |
| 2022-05-22 | 63 mph | 1 | County comms reported numerous trees and power lines blown down in the northwest part of Marion. |
| 2021-08-07 | 63 mph | 1 | Emergency manager reported multiple trees down, including a few large oak trees in the area around Mission Hospital. |
| 2019-08-22 | 63 mph | 1 | Emergency mngr reported numerous trees and power lines blown down in and near Marion. One tree fell on a home on Baldwin Ave. |
| 2017-07-23 | 63 mph | 2 | EM reported numerous trees and large limbs blown down in the Old Fort area, including on Parker Padgett Rd, Greenlee Rd, Ebenezer Rd, Lac… |
| 2017-06-13 | 63 mph | 1 | EM reported around 10 trees blown down in the area around Salem Church Road and Silvers Welch Road. A house and outbuildings also had mos… |
Was hail recorded at your McDowell County address? Check free
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Address lookup by the U.S. Census Bureau geocoder. Records: NOAA NCEI Storm Events (final) plus SPC preliminary reports for storms newer than the latest compile — see methodology.
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10-year hail history for one address + the disputed-date finding.
15-year window, wind & tornado records, plus a drafted claim-appeal letter.
Questions
What date did hail last hit McDowell County?
April 1, 2026, per the NWS Storm Events record. The largest since 2016 was 2.00" (hen egg) on July 1, 2023.
Does a county record prove hail at my house?
No. NWS records are point and path observations. The absence of a nearby report does NOT prove that no hail fell at this address — it means no observation was logged nearby. A report of nearby hail documents the event; it does not by itself prove damage to a specific structure. The free check above shows what was recorded near your specific address, with distances.
Nearby counties
Burke County, NC (24 mi) · Buncombe County, NC (25 mi) · Henderson County, NC (32 mi) · Caldwell County, NC (33 mi) · Cleveland County, NC (38 mi) · Catawba County, NC (44 mi) · Spartanburg County, SC (49 mi) · Greenville County, SC (54 mi)
See also: North Carolina hail history by city · all counties