Indianapolis hail storm history
Marion County·NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database·~75-day publication lag
Marion County, which includes Indianapolis, has recorded zero hail events of 1 inch or larger over the past 10 years according to NOAA Storm Events Database records. However, Indianapolis sits at the convergence of storm tracks from the Ohio Valley and Great Plains, placing the city in a region where spring storm systems regularly develop.
Hail risk in Indianapolis peaks during April, May, and June, when northeast-tracking storm systems from the Plains and Midwest squall lines converge over central Indiana. Secondary hail risk occurs in March and July. The geographic position of Indianapolis at the intersection of multiple storm track corridors means that when severe weather develops regionally, the city can experience hail-producing thunderstorms even during years with low recorded event counts.
Annual frequency — last 10 years
When hail hits — monthly pattern
Avg events per month · all years · NOAA data
All recorded hail events
Of 118 recorded events, 22 (19%) reached 1.5" or larger — the threshold for likely functional damage on standard asphalt shingles.
Hail was mostly around three-eighths of an inch in diameter at CoCoRaHS site IN-MG-11 and lasted 10 …
Large volume of hail.
Numerous pea to nickel hailstones included quarter to half dollar-sized hail along the west and nort…
One-inch hail along Indiana Route 135.
Hail as large as hen eggs east of Brownsburg.
Thunderstorm hail as large as ping pongs along a path to east-northeast through southern and eastern…
Photograph of 3.4 inch hailstone with tape measure next to the stone.
Hail of varying sizes up to 1 inch near the intersection of Raymond Street and Franklin Road.
The hail fell at the interchange of Interstate 70 and State Road 267.
This report was received via mPING.
Hail started as pea to nickel size then diminished to pea size over a five to ten minute period. The…
This report originated from the county emergency manager.
Hail was covering the ground with some stones up to one inch in diameter.
Most of the hail observed in this location was a half inch, with some as large as a penny.
Lots of pea to dime sized hail observed just east of the Highway 267 and Highway 36 intersection.
Hail was covering the ground.
This event was observed at mile marker 53 on Interstate 70 near the Little Point exit.
Quarter size hail was observed on the south side of Indianapolis near Highway 31 and Thompson Road.
The largest stones were quarter size.
Marion County's reported hail event count may underestimate actual hail exposure in Indianapolis. NOAA's Storm Events Database relies on trained spotters and official reports, and reporting density in this region is lower than in areas with dense weather service offices or higher population coverage. This means some smaller hail events—particularly in less densely populated parts of the county—may not appear in the official record. Current-year data is excluded from the annual frequency table until October, when NOAA's Storm Events Database has processed the full hail season accounting for the standard 75-day reporting lag.
NOAA Storm Events Database source