HailHistory › Hail by county › Tennessee › Rutherford County
Tennessee · county FIPS 47149
Hail history for Rutherford County, TN
Rutherford County has 194 recorded hail events in the NOAA Storm Events Database — 116 of them 1″ or larger and 8 at 2″ or larger. The largest on record: 3.0″ (tea cup) on March 26, 1959.
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 Rutherford County
Recorded events by month, 1950–present. The amber bar marks Rutherford County's peak: April.
Most recent recorded events
| Date | Size | Comparable to |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5″ | Ping-pong ball | |
| 1.5″ | Ping-pong ball | |
| 1.75″ | Golf ball | |
| 2.0″ | Hen egg | |
| 1.25″ | Half dollar | |
| 1.25″ | Half dollar | |
| 0.88″ | Nickel | |
| 1.75″ | Golf ball |
Looking for a specific storm? Use the did-it-hail date lookup for Rutherford County.
From the storm reports
Narratives as filed with the NOAA Storm Events Database (public records; lightly trimmed for length).
· 1.75″ (golf ball)
Estimated golf ball size hail was reported near Christiana from a tornado-warned thunderstorm.
· 2.75″ (baseball)
Hail ranging from quarter up to baseball size fell across a wide area from Barfield northward through central Murfreesboro and across the Murfreesboro Municipal Airport. Some hailstones were measured up to baseball size in Barfield, but most of the hail was quarter to golfball size from Murfreesboro northward to east of Walterhill. Hail also reportedly covered the ground in Murfreesboro.
· 2.75″ (baseball)
Hail about the size of a baseball was reported. Windows were busted out.
Events by decade
| 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 84 | 52 | 27 |
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 Rutherford County
Has it ever hailed in Rutherford County?
Yes — 194 hail events have been recorded for Rutherford County, TN in the NOAA Storm Events Database since 1959, including 116 of 1″ (quarter size) or larger.
When did it last hail in Rutherford County?
The most recent recorded hail event for Rutherford County, TN is May 20, 2025, with 1.5″ (ping-pong 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 Rutherford County?
3.0″ (tea cup), recorded on March 26, 1959. 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 Tennessee hail history
- Shelby County 312
- Davidson County 275
- Williamson County 197
- Knox County 169
- Hamilton County 168
- Sumner County 163
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.