HailHistory › Hail by county › Delaware › New Castle County
Delaware · county FIPS 10003
Hail history for New Castle County, DE
New Castle County has 73 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 36 of them 1″ or larger and 1 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 2.5″ (tennis ball) on May 22, 2014.
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.
When it hails in New Castle County
Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks New Castle County's peak: June.
Most recent recorded events
| Date | Size | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.75″ | Penny |
Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for New Castle County.
From the storm reports
Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).
· 1.0″ (quarter)
Quarter size hail reported at Marsh Road and Philadelphia Pike. Time estimated from radar.
· 1.75″ (golf ball)
A severe thunderstorm dropped hail as large as golf balls in Claymont. At one home, the hail thoroughly punctured and damaged a plastic table.
Events by decade
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 38 | 8 |
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 New Castle County
Has it ever hailed in New Castle County?
Yes — 73 hail events have been recorded for New Castle County, DE in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1970, including 36 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.
When did it last hail in New Castle County?
The most recent recorded hail event for New Castle County, DE is September 8, 2023, with 1.0″ (quarter) 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 New Castle County?
2.5″ (tennis ball), recorded on May 22, 2014. 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 Delaware hail history
- Sussex County 48
- Kent County 36
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.