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HailIndex

Salina hail storm history

Saline County·NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database·~75-day publication lag

Salina, located in Saline County, has experienced 16 hail events of 1 inch or larger over the past 10 years, with 11 of those classified as significant storms capable of structural damage. The city sits in the central Great Plains, a region where atmospheric conditions regularly produce large-hail supercells during spring and early summer months.

Events ≥1" (10yr)
293
Significant ≥1.5"
127
Avg per year
29.3
Largest recorded
4"
Most recent
Sep 3, 2025
Total records
329
NOAA storm history
events (10 yr)242
≥1.5" significant96
peak year (47)2025

Hail season in Salina peaks during May and June, when the dryline—the boundary between Gulf moisture and drier continental air—drives some of North America's most prolific hail-producing storms. April and July also see notable activity. The largest recorded hail event in Saline County reached 2.75 inches on September 3, 2025, a size capable of severe damage to most roof types.

Annual frequency — last 10 years

2025
49
2024
39
2023
16
2022
39
2021
25
2020
28
2019
34
2018
13
2017
28
≥2.0" severe≥1.5" significant≥1.0" marginal

When hail hits — monthly pattern

Avg events per month · all years · NOAA data

Jan0
Feb0
Mar6
Apr89
May139
Jun34
Jul3
Aug6
Sep40
Oct12
Nov0
Dec0

All recorded hail events

Of 329 recorded events, 127 (39%) reached 1.5" or larger — the threshold for likely functional damage on standard asphalt shingles.

Quarter size hail near Interstate 70.

Jun 8, 20251"quarter
May 20, 20251"quarter

The report was received via MPING.

KWCH relayed a picture sent in by a viewer of two inch hail.

KWCH report of golf ball sized hail.

Hail almost completely covered the ground.

There was a second round of golf ball sized hail along with 45 to 55 mph winds in Beverly.

Jun 16, 20241"quarter

Tree limbs down closer to Bennington. Also have 50 mph wind gusts.

May 26, 20240.88"penny

Nickel size hail, also estimating winds up to 55 mph.

May 20, 20241.5"ping pong ball

Ping pong ball size hail in town of Hope.

Picture sent on social media of estimated golf ball sized hail.

Report from trained spotter in Enterprise.

Quarter size hail and estimated 50 mph winds again east of Carlton.

Pea to quarter sized hail was reported near Gypsum. Small hail was coating the ground.

Quarter sized hail reported via social media photo.

Jul 23, 20231"quarter

Trained spotter reported dime to quarter sized hail.

Golf ball sized hail reported.

Jun 9, 20230.75"penny
Jun 5, 20231"quarter

Quarter sized hail reported.

Half dollar sized hail reported.

Apr 20, 20231"quarter

The ground was about 50 percent covered with hail.

Apr 14, 20230.88"penny

Ping pong sized hail and 60 mph winds.

Jun 22, 20221"quarter

Viewer of KWCH sent a picture of hail next to a quarter.

Quarter sized hail reported.

Baseball sized hail reported.

Golf ball sized hail reported.

Quarter sized hail reported on social media.

Aug 20, 20211"quarter
Aug 12, 20211"quarter

Quarter sized hail reported.

Also reported 1.3 inches of rain and 40 mph winds.

May 25, 20210.88"penny

A lot of nickel sized hail fell in the area.

Report from Mping.

May 8, 20211.5"ping pong ball
Apr 7, 20211"quarter

The hail was pea to quarter size. The report was relayed via social media.

Jun 21, 20201.5"ping pong ball

Lots of ping pong ball sized hail at Iron Drive South of Lincoln.

Jun 19, 20200.75"penny

A measured wind gust of 33 mph was also reported.

Jun 4, 20201.5"ping pong ball

A farmer said the hail was at least ping pong ball size. It was large enough and lasted long enough…

Mostly nickel sized hail with a couple larger.

Quarter and half dollar size hail reported. Lasted for about 3 to 4 minutes.

The hail was nickel to quarter size.

No wind was reported.

Sep 25, 20191"quarter

The hail covered the ground with numerous reports of broken glass.

Jun 22, 20191"quarter
May 27, 20191.75"golf ball

The golf ball-sized hail occurred along Highway K14.

May 23, 20191"quarter

Hail covered the ground 1 mile south of the I-70/I-135 Interchange.

Winds of 50 mph were also reported.

Mar 28, 20191"quarter

There were no reports of damage.

A trained spotter reported quarter to half dollar sized hail just south of Westfall.

Winds of 50 mph were also reported.

Oct 7, 20171"quarter

Sixty mph winds were also reported with the hail.

Sep 19, 20171.5"ping pong ball
Sep 17, 20170.75"penny
Jun 21, 20171"quarter

Also reported 50 mph winds.

Reported in K-4 about 8 miles east of Geneseo.

Nickel to quarter size hail was reported.

Apr 20, 20171"quarter

Reports sent via Twitter. Drifts of hail were also reported.

Seventy mph winds also occurred.

Report near Interstate 135 and old highway 40.

May 27, 20161"quarter

Just north of Detroit, Kansas.

Mostly dime sized hail.

The public sent, via Twitter, a picture of quarter to half dollar-sized hail.

No damage was reported. The Saline County Sheriff also reported quarter-sized hail at 12th and 9th S…

About this data

The 16 events documented for Salina over 10 years represent an average of 1.6 storms per year. Saline County's full NOAA record contains 39 documented hail events of 1 inch or larger, including 21 significant events of 1.5 inches or larger. 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