HailHistory › Hail by county › California › Merced County
California · county FIPS 06047
Hail history for Merced County, CA
Merced County has 11 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 5 of them 1″ or larger. The largest on record: 1.75″ (golf ball) on April 12, 2012.
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.
Most recent recorded events
| Date | Size | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 1.75″ | Golf ball | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.5″ | Mothball | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.25″ | Pea |
Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for Merced County.
From the storm reports
Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).
· 0.75″ (penny)
Pictures posted on Twitter indicated dome sized hail in Atwater.
· 1.0″ (quarter)
Facebook user submitted a picture of one inch hail next to coins.
· 1.75″ (golf ball)
A trained spotter reported golf ball (1.75 inches) sized hail in Atwater. The hail accumulated several inches deep on area roads.
Events by decade
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
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 Merced County
Has it ever hailed in Merced County?
Yes — 11 hail events have been recorded for Merced County, CA in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1998, including 5 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.
When did it last hail in Merced County?
The most recent recorded hail event for Merced County, CA is May 26, 2019, with 0.75″ (penny) 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 Merced County?
1.75″ (golf ball), recorded on April 12, 2012. Hail that size meets or exceeds the National Weather Service severe threshold. 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 California hail history
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.