HailHistory › Hail by county › Kentucky › Ballard County
Kentucky · county FIPS 21007
Hail history for Ballard County, KY
Ballard County has 57 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 35 of them 1″ or larger and 4 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 4.5″ (grapefruit) on May 16, 2025.
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 Ballard County
Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks Ballard County's peak: May.
Most recent recorded events
| Date | Size | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5″ | Grapefruit | |
| 2.75″ | Baseball | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 1.5″ | Ping-pong ball | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 0.75″ | Penny |
Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for Ballard County.
From the storm reports
Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).
· 4.5″ (grapefruit)
Many reports and pictures of large hail came in from the town of Barlow and just south of it including the largest hailstones estimated at grapefruit size on Circle Drive east of Barlow (4.5'', public report) and just above softball size south of town on Hartman Ln (4.25'', public report).
· 2.75″ (baseball)
Hailstones up to baseball size occurred on KC Dunn Rd on the northeast side of Barlow, two miles south of La Center, and in La Center with damage to windows as a potent supercell storm moved through Ballard County.
· 3.4″ (tea cup)
Very large hail struck parts of central Ballard County. At Barlow, a photo was taken of a hailstone measuring 3.4 inches in diameter. The hailstone was spiked in appearance. A couple miles south-southeast of La Center, a photo of quarter-size hail was posted on social media.
Events by decade
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 19 | 17 | 10 |
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 Ballard County
Has it ever hailed in Ballard County?
Yes — 57 hail events have been recorded for Ballard County, KY in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1967, including 35 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.
When did it last hail in Ballard County?
The most recent recorded hail event for Ballard County, KY is May 16, 2025, with 4.5″ (grapefruit) 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 Ballard County?
4.5″ (grapefruit), recorded on May 16, 2025. 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 Kentucky hail history
- Jefferson County 207
- Pulaski County 150
- Daviess County 146
- Christian County 139
- Pike County 138
- Warren County 131
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.