HailHistory › Hail by county › Kentucky › McCracken County
Kentucky · county FIPS 21145
Hail history for McCracken County, KY
McCracken County has 76 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 40 of them 1″ or larger and 3 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 2.5″ (tennis ball) on May 4, 2003.
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 McCracken County
Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks McCracken County's peak: May.
Most recent recorded events
| Date | Size | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| 1.75″ | Golf ball | |
| 1.75″ | Golf ball | |
| 1.75″ | Golf ball | |
| 1.25″ | Half dollar | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 1.25″ | Half dollar | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.88″ | Nickel |
Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for McCracken County.
From the storm reports
Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).
· 1.25″ (half dollar)
Quarter size hail was measured west of Barkley Regional Airport, while half-dollar size hail was estimated at the airport.
· 2.1″ (hen egg)
The hailstones were covered with icy spikes. The diameters of the largest hailstones were just over two inches from the end of one spike to the other spike.
· 2.0″ (hen egg)
A photo of the hail was posted on a social media website. Hail slightly larger than golf balls occurred in extreme southwest McCracken County, from the Ballard County line near Lovelaceville to two miles northeast of Lovelaceville.
Events by decade
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 22 | 23 | 14 |
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 McCracken County
Has it ever hailed in McCracken County?
Yes — 76 hail events have been recorded for McCracken County, KY in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1956, including 40 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.
When did it last hail in McCracken County?
The most recent recorded hail event for McCracken County, KY is May 16, 2025, with 1.75″ (golf ball) 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 McCracken County?
2.5″ (tennis ball), recorded on May 4, 2003. 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 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.