HailHistory › Hail by county › California
California · 58 counties
Hail history in California
California has 934 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1950 — 348 of them 1″ or larger. The largest on record: 3.0″ (tea cup) in Shasta County on May 24, 2019.
When it hails in California
All recorded California events by month, 1950–present · data through April 2026.
Every California county, ranked by recorded hail
| County | Events | ≥1″ | Largest | Most recent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno County | 85 | 24 | 1.75″ | 2023 |
| San Bernardino County | 67 | 32 | 2.0″ | 2025 |
| San Diego County | 52 | 22 | 1.75″ | 2024 |
| Kern County | 41 | 17 | 1.75″ | 2023 |
| Santa Clara County | 35 | 1 | 1.0″ | 2024 |
| Riverside County | 31 | 12 | 2.75″ | 2025 |
| Los Angeles County | 30 | 20 | 1.75″ | 2024 |
| Humboldt County | 29 | 3 | 1.0″ | 2026 |
| Tulare County | 29 | 9 | 1.5″ | 2024 |
| Shasta County | 26 | 16 | 3.0″ | 2019 |
| Tehama County | 26 | 15 | 3.0″ | 2025 |
| Kings County | 24 | 12 | 2.5″ | 2017 |
| Madera County | 24 | 6 | 1.75″ | 2023 |
| Siskiyou County | 23 | 15 | 2.0″ | 2018 |
| El Dorado County | 22 | 10 | 1.75″ | 2025 |
| Monterey County | 21 | 1 | 1.0″ | 2023 |
| Santa Cruz County | 21 | 3 | 1.75″ | 2023 |
| Sonoma County | 21 | 0 | 0.75″ | 2021 |
| Trinity County | 21 | 14 | 1.5″ | 2025 |
| Alameda County | 20 | 0 | 0.75″ | 2024 |
| Plumas County | 20 | 8 | 1.75″ | 2020 |
| Nevada County | 18 | 12 | 1.75″ | 2023 |
| Lassen County | 16 | 10 | 1.75″ | 2022 |
| Contra Costa County | 14 | 0 | 0.75″ | 2020 |
| Orange County | 13 | 6 | 2.0″ | 2019 |
| Marin County | 12 | 0 | 0.25″ | 2021 |
| Placer County | 12 | 4 | 2.0″ | 2024 |
| Butte County | 11 | 6 | 1.0″ | 2023 |
| Merced County | 11 | 5 | 1.75″ | 2019 |
| Imperial County | 10 | 6 | 1.75″ | 2015 |
| Mariposa County | 10 | 3 | 1.25″ | 2024 |
| Mono County | 10 | 2 | 1.0″ | 2025 |
| San Francisco County | 10 | 0 | 0.5″ | 2023 |
| Sacramento County | 9 | 0 | 0.88″ | 2019 |
| San Mateo County | 9 | 0 | 0.25″ | 2024 |
| Glenn County | 8 | 3 | 1.25″ | 2023 |
| Modoc County | 7 | 6 | 2.0″ | 2003 |
| Napa County | 7 | 3 | 1.75″ | 2017 |
| Inyo County | 6 | 1 | 1.0″ | 2015 |
| Santa Barbara County | 6 | 1 | 1.75″ | 2006 |
| Sierra County | 6 | 5 | 1.0″ | 2015 |
| Solano County | 6 | 1 | 1.5″ | 2026 |
| Tuolumne County | 6 | 4 | 1.25″ | 2023 |
| Alpine County | 5 | 4 | 1.75″ | 2020 |
| San Joaquin County | 5 | 4 | 1.0″ | 2026 |
| San Luis Obispo County | 5 | 1 | 1.0″ | 2017 |
| Ventura County | 5 | 5 | 1.5″ | 2010 |
| Stanislaus County | 4 | 0 | 0.75″ | 2016 |
| Sutter County | 4 | 4 | 1.25″ | 2017 |
| Calaveras County | 3 | 1 | 1.75″ | 2020 |
| Del Norte County | 3 | 0 | 0.75″ | 2022 |
| Mendocino County | 3 | 2 | 1.5″ | 1986 |
| San Benito County | 3 | 1 | 1.0″ | 2018 |
| Yolo County | 3 | 3 | 1.0″ | 2019 |
| Amador County | 2 | 2 | 1.0″ | 2017 |
| Lake County | 2 | 1 | 1.5″ | 2022 |
| Colusa County | 1 | 1 | 1.25″ | 2019 |
| Yuba County | 1 | 1 | 1.0″ | 2020 |
Questions about hail in California
How often does it hail in California?
The NOAA Storm Events Database records 934 hail events for California since 1950, 348 of them 1″ (quarter size) or larger. Recorded frequency varies sharply by county — the table on this page ranks all 58.
What is the largest hail ever recorded in California?
3.0″ (tea cup), recorded in Shasta County on May 24, 2019. See it at true size on the actual-size hail chart.
When is hail season in California?
Recorded events peak in March. The by-month chart on this page shows the full seasonal shape — and each county page carries its own, since timing shifts across the state.
How do I check hail history for my address in California?
Storm Events records events at the county level, so pick your county below or use the ZIP lookup. For "did it hail on this date" claim questions, the date lookup searches every recorded California event.
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, public domain. Each county page shows the full event timeline, month profile, and storm-report narratives.