Hail history in Santa Maria, CA
No NOAA hail reports within 15 miles of the center of Santa Maria since 2010. NOAA also recorded high wind on 2 days, with gusts up to 64 mph.
Ranks #177 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
No NOAA hail reports within 15 miles since 2010
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Santa Maria, 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.
2 high-wind days within 15 miles since 2010, strongest gust 64 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Most recent high-wind days
| Date | Highest gust | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 17, 2026 | 61 mph | 14.7 mi |
| Feb 18, 2011 | 64 mph | 13.0 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria
Estimated peak gusts
No day since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Santa Maria.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Feb 4, 2024 | 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 1 tornado whose path came within 10 miles of Santa Maria since 1950; the strongest was rated EF0.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 29, 2001 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 1.4 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 Santa Maria.
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 Santa Maria
Santa Barbara County's February 2023 hazard mitigation plan says the whole county is exposed to Santa Ana winds, which are most common in autumn and winter, while only the south county gets sundowner winds.1 The plan says hailstorms happen infrequently across the county and generally come in the winter rainy season.1
Notable storms
- February 17, 2026On the evening of February 17, 2026, a squall line downed trees near Arroyo Grande, including one on U.S. 101, and a tree and power line near Pismo Beach, Storm Prediction Center reports show.2
- February 4, 2024An atmospheric river storm on February 4, 2024 brought gusts topping 60 mph to the region, and the City of Santa Maria received more than 75 reports of downed trees or large branches, some falling onto roads, vehicles and homes.3
- December 12, 2014A strong winter storm brought heavy rain and southerly gusts of 60 to 80 mph to the Santa Barbara County Central Coast. Shortly after midnight, floodwater more than a foot deep trapped several vehicles at State Route 135 and Lakeview Road in Santa Maria.4
- November 29, 2001A weak F0 tornado struck the northeast part of Santa Maria around 11 a.m. and caused minor damage to three homes. No one was injured, according to NOAA's storm records.5
- December 9, 1996A line of severe thunderstorms crossed the north coast of Santa Barbara County that afternoon, and NOAA's storm records list a thunderstorm gust of 67 knots (77 mph) at Santa Maria at 4:50 p.m.6
Warnings and alerts
Warnings for Santa Maria come from the NWS Los Angeles office.7 ReadySBC Alerts, run by Santa Barbara County's Office of Emergency Management, sends warnings by text, email and phone, and an account can list up to five county locations.8,9
Sources
- 1. County of Santa Barbara Office of Emergency Management (via California Board of Forestry): Santa Barbara County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (February 2023)
- 2. NOAA SPC: Storm Prediction Center 20260217's Storm Reports
- 3. Santa Maria Times: High winds, rain Sunday down trees, cause some damage in Santa Maria area
- 4. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Flash Flood, Santa Barbara County, December 12, 2014
- 5. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Santa Barbara County, November 29, 2001
- 6. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Santa Barbara County, December 9, 1996
- 7. National Weather Service: Forecast for Santa Maria CA
- 8. City of Carpinteria: Receive emergency alerts through ReadySBC
- 9. Montecito Fire Protection District: Sign Up for ReadySBC Alerts
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Questions about hail in Santa Maria
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Santa Maria?
- NOAA has no hail reports within 15 miles of the center of Santa Maria since 2010. Reports come from people who saw the hail, so no report does not mean no hail.