Hail history for Bourbon County, KS

Bourbon County has 173 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 96 of them 1″ or larger and 13 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 4.25″ (grapefruit) on March 12, 2006.

Records 1950–present Data through April 2026 Peak month April

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 173 since 1961

1″ or larger 96 NWS severe threshold

2″ or larger 13 hen egg class and up

Largest recorded 4.25″ grapefruit · March 12, 2006

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 Bourbon County

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

Most recent recorded events

Latest 8 of 173 recorded events · data through April 2026
Date	Size	Comparable to
April 26, 2026	1.0″	Quarter
June 8, 2025	2.0″	Hen egg
June 8, 2025	1.0″	Quarter
June 8, 2025	2.0″	Hen egg
April 27, 2024	0.75″	Penny
April 26, 2024	1.25″	Half dollar
April 26, 2024	1.25″	Half dollar
April 26, 2024	0.88″	Nickel

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

From the storm reports

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

April 26, 2026 · 1.0″ (quarter)

Quarter sized hail was reported.

June 8, 2025 · 2.0″ (hen egg)

Hail to two inches in diameter occurred in Bronson, Kansas.

April 7, 2013 · 2.5″ (tennis ball)

Hen egg to tennis ball size hail was reported in Fort Scott, Kansas. It was estimated that two thirds of the homes in Fort Scott had damage because of hail. Windows to houses and cars were broken across the Fort Scott area. Damage was reported to siding and roofing of homes. The courthouse lost 66 windows as well as suffered damage to the roof, air conditioning and weather unit.

Events by decade

1950s	1960s	1970s	1980s	1990s	2000s	2010s	2020s
0	5	5	4	27	75	42	15

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 Bourbon County

Has it ever hailed in Bourbon County?

Yes — 173 hail events have been recorded for Bourbon County, KS in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1961, including 96 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.

When did it last hail in Bourbon County?

The most recent recorded hail event for Bourbon County, KS is April 26, 2026, 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 Bourbon County?

4.25″ (grapefruit), recorded on March 12, 2006. 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 Kansas hail history

All 105 Kansas 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.