HailHistory › Hail by county › Rhode Island › Newport County
Rhode Island · county FIPS 44005
Hail history for Newport County, RI
Newport County has 13 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 5 of them 1″ or larger. The largest on record: 1.75″ (golf ball) on June 22, 1997.
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 Newport County
Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks Newport County's peak: May.
Most recent recorded events
| Date | Size | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.88″ | Nickel | |
| 0.75″ | Penny | |
| 1.0″ | Quarter | |
| 0.88″ | Nickel | |
| 0.75″ | Penny |
Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for Newport County.
From the storm reports
Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).
· 1.0″ (quarter)
In Portsmouth quarter sized hail was reported.
· 1.0″ (quarter)
Quarter sized hail fell in the area of the Castle Hill Lighthouse.
Events by decade
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 1 |
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 Newport County
Has it ever hailed in Newport County?
Yes — 13 hail events have been recorded for Newport County, RI in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1994, including 5 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.
When did it last hail in Newport County?
The most recent recorded hail event for Newport County, RI is May 8, 2024, 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 Newport County?
1.75″ (golf ball), recorded on June 22, 1997. 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 Rhode Island 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.