Hail history in Salinas, CA
On average, NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Salinas on 0.5 days a year from 2016 to 2025, 0.0 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Salinas on 6 days since 2010. The largest hail reported was 1.0 in, in 2010. 1 of those days had hail of 1 inch or larger. January has the most hail days, 2 since 2010. The most recent was March 29, 2023. NOAA also recorded high wind on 1 day.
Ranks #177 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
- Hail days since 2010
- 6
- Largest hail
- 1.0 in
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
6 hail days within 15 miles since 2010, largest 1.0 in
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Hail days by year
Bar chart of hail days per year, 2010 to 2026. 6 hail days in total; the most was 3 in 2018.
Hail days by month
Hail days by month since 2010: Jan 2, Feb 0, Mar 2, Apr 2, May 0, Jun 0, Jul 0, Aug 0, Sep 0, Oct 0, Nov 0, Dec 0.
Most recent hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 29, 2023 | 0.25 in | 14.0 mi |
| Apr 16, 2018 | 0.25 in | 12.6 mi |
| Apr 12, 2018 | 0.25 in | 10.1 mi |
| Mar 3, 2018 | 0.25 in | 12.6 mi |
| Jan 20, 2017 | 0.25 in | 0.8 mi |
| Jan 20, 2010 | 1.0 in | 13.0 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Salinas, not from any one property. Look up a street address below for a single building.
- Reports come from trained spotters and the public, so they cluster near towns and roads.
- No report does not mean no hail. Hail can fall where no one is there to report it.
- This is not a damage or insurance assessment.
1 high-wind day within 15 miles since 2010
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Most recent high-wind days
| Date | Highest gust | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2026 | Not recorded | 13.7 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Salinas, not from any one property. Look up a street address below for a single building.
- Reports come from trained spotters and the public, so they cluster near towns and roads.
- No report does not mean no hail. Hail can fall where no one is there to report it.
- Wind speed is the highest reported gust; some reports have no speed.
- This is not a damage or insurance assessment.
Gusts, tornadoes and hurricanes in Salinas
Estimated peak gusts
No day since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Salinas.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Feb 4, 2024 | 50 mph or more |
| Jan 31, 2024 | 50 mph or more |
| Mar 9, 2023 | 50 mph or more |
| Jan 7, 2023 | 50 mph or more |
| Jan 4, 2023 | 50 mph or more |
Estimates: the highest gust of each storm day in NOAA’s hourly 2.5 km wind analysis (URMA), which fills in between weather stations. Analyses like this smooth out short thunderstorm gusts, so they are best for widespread wind (hurricanes, winter storms, high wind days); for thunderstorm wind, NOAA’s wind reports are the better record. Not a measurement at any building.
Tornadoes within 10 miles
NOAA recorded 2 tornadoes whose path came within 10 miles of Salinas since 1950; the strongest was rated EF0.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 11, 1992 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 7.6 miles |
| Apr 3, 1987 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 5.5 miles |
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center. Ratings before 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No hurricane or tropical storm in NOAA's records brought modeled tropical-storm-force winds (39 mph) to Salinas.
Modeled from NOAA’s best tracks for open, flat ground; not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
No NOAA radar hail estimate within 15 miles since 2020
Source: NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), from October 14, 2020. Estimates of the largest hail in each 1 km cell, not measurements.
Storms in Salinas
NWS Monterey forecasters say tornadoes and severe hail occur only very infrequently in coastal central California.1
Notable storms
- October 14, 2025On October 14, 2025, a sudden storm in Salinas brought more than 20 minutes of heavy rain followed by hail, overwhelming storm drains around Harkins Road and Dayton.2
- February 4, 2024A bomb cyclone brought a 63 mph gust at Monterey Airport, and law enforcement reported power lines, trees and slides blocking a road near East Blanco Street just south of Salinas.3
- January 20, 2017A cold storm brought pea-size hail to Salinas in the afternoon and evening, and a cooperative weather observer reported hail covering the ground.4,5
- January 20, 2010On January 20, 2010, the strongest of a week of storms brought strong winds and heavy rain, and NOAA recorded 1-inch hail in an intense hailstorm near Ryan Ranch, just south-southeast of Del Rey Oaks.6
- October 13, 2009On October 13, 2009, a strong storm brought very strong winds, and Salinas city crews cleared fallen trees from roads and sidewalks at about 100 locations. NOAA's storm records list about $1 million in property damage in the area.7
- December 20, 2001On December 20, 2001, a strong band of storms crossed the Monterey Peninsula and piled hail several inches deep. Later that afternoon, a storm that produced a tornado near Watsonville also brought golf-ball-sized hail.1
Warnings and alerts
Warnings for Salinas come from the NWS San Francisco Bay Area office.8 Alert Monterey County, the county's official alert system, takes sign-ups at AlertMontereyCounty.org or by texting a zip code to 65513.9
Sources
- 1. NWS San Francisco Bay Area: Examination of a Cool-Season Monterey Bay Area Severe Weather Event Using the Weather Event Simulator (WES)
- 2. KSBW: Salinas storm brings hail and flooding, creating chaos and fun
- 3. NWS San Francisco Bay Area: Atmospheric River impacts California (February 3 to 5, 2024)
- 4. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Salinas, January 20, 2017
- 5. NWS San Francisco Bay Area: Heavy Rain, Thunderstorms, Snow and Record Breaking Surf (January 18 to 23, 2017)
- 6. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Monterey County, January 20, 2010
- 7. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: High Wind, Southern Salinas Valley, October 13, 2009
- 8. National Weather Service: Forecast for Salinas CA
- 9. County of Monterey: Stay Informed
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Questions about hail in Salinas
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Salinas?
- NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Salinas on 0.5 days a year on average from 2016 to 2025, 0.0 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. Since 2010 it recorded 6 hail days.
- When is hail season in Salinas?
- January has the most hail days within 15 miles of the center of Salinas, 2 since 2010, then March (2) and April (2).
- What is the largest hail recorded in Salinas?
- 1.0 in, in 2010: the largest hail NOAA recorded within 15 miles of the center of Salinas since 2010.
- When did it last hail in Salinas?
- NOAA's most recent hail report within 15 miles of the center of Salinas is from March 29, 2023, with hail up to 0.25 in reported 14.0 miles from the center. Data through November 1, 2026.