Hail history in Lexington, KY
On average, NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Lexington on 1.5 days a year from 2016 to 2025, 1.3 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Lexington on 31 days since 2010. The largest hail reported was 3.0 in, in 2022. 24 of those days had hail of 1 inch or larger. April has the most hail days, 7 since 2010. The most recent was February 19, 2026. NOAA also recorded high wind on 133 days, with gusts up to 98 mph.
Ranks #85 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
- Hail days since 2010
- 31
- Largest hail
- 3.0 in
- Highest gust
- 98 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
31 hail days within 15 miles since 2010, largest 3.0 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. 31 hail days in total; the most was 5 in 2012.
Hail days by month
Hail days by month since 2010: Jan 1, Feb 2, Mar 3, Apr 7, May 5, Jun 3, Jul 3, Aug 3, Sep 0, Oct 2, Nov 1, Dec 1.
Most recent hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2026 | 1.0 in | 2.4 mi |
| Apr 30, 2025 | 1.0 in | 14.4 mi |
| Apr 2, 2025 | 1.0 in | 2.2 mi |
| Feb 28, 2024 | 1.25 in | 8.0 mi |
| Jul 17, 2023 | 1.0 in | 12.1 mi |
| Jun 25, 2023 | 2.75 in | 7.1 mi |
| Jan 12, 2023 | 0.88 in | 14.0 mi |
| Nov 29, 2022 | 1.25 in | 1.4 mi |
| May 19, 2022 | 3.0 in | 5.1 mi |
| Aug 10, 2021 | 1.0 in | 15.0 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Lexington, 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.
133 high-wind days within 15 miles since 2010, strongest gust 98 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Most recent high-wind days
| Date | Highest gust | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 11, 2026 | Not recorded | 3.8 mi |
| Aug 5, 2026 | Not recorded | 4.6 mi |
| Jul 27, 2026 | Not recorded | 11.2 mi |
| Jul 21, 2026 | Not recorded | 7.8 mi |
| Jul 7, 2026 | Not recorded | 6.9 mi |
| Jun 17, 2026 | Not recorded | 12.1 mi |
| Apr 27, 2026 | Not recorded | 8.0 mi |
| Mar 15, 2026 | Not recorded | 14.9 mi |
| Jun 26, 2025 | 58 mph | 4.5 mi |
| Jun 18, 2025 | 60 mph | 4.4 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Lexington, 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 Lexington
Estimated peak gusts
1 day since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Lexington.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Sep 27, 2024 | 50 mph or more |
| Mar 3, 2023 | 58 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 11 tornadoes whose path came within 10 miles of Lexington since 1950; the strongest was rated EF3.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2, 2024 | EF1 | 1.94 miles | 9.5 miles |
| Apr 2, 2024 | EF1 | 0.42 miles | 8.7 miles |
| May 27, 2004 | EF3 | 3 miles | 3.5 miles |
| May 28, 1996 | EF0 | 10 miles | 1.5 miles |
| Jun 18, 1992 | EF0 | 2 miles | 9.8 miles |
| Mar 10, 1986 | EF2 | 3.5 miles | 0.4 miles |
| Jul 2, 1980 | EF1 | 6.8 miles | 8.9 miles |
| Jun 10, 1980 | EF0 | 3.6 miles | 2 miles |
Show all 11Show fewer
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 1977 | EF1 | 9.2 miles | 6.9 miles |
| Mar 21, 1962 | EF1 | 0.2 miles | 8.2 miles |
| Jul 13, 1956 | EF1 | 0.1 miles | 6.5 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 Lexington.
Modeled from NOAA’s best tracks for open, flat ground; not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
32 radar hail days within 15 miles since 2020, largest 2.5 in or more
Source: NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), from October 14, 2020. Estimates of the largest hail in each 1 km cell, not measurements.
16 days with radar hail 1 inch or larger, 1 at 2 inches or larger, within 15 miles of Lexington’s center.
Biggest radar hail days
- 0.75 in+
- 1.0 in+
- 1.5 in+
- 2.0 in+
- 2.5 in+
- 3.0 in+
Most recent radar hail days
| Date | Largest radar estimate |
|---|---|
| Sep 4, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Aug 16, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Aug 15, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Aug 11, 2026 | 1.25 in or more |
| Aug 6, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Feb 19, 2026 | 1.0 in or more |
Storms in Lexington
Shane Holinde of the Kentucky Mesonet and Kentucky Climate Center says April, May and June are the top three months for severe thunderstorm activity in Kentucky.1
Notable storms
- September 27, 2024The remnants of Hurricane Helene brought a 65 mph gust to Blue Grass Airport on the afternoon of September 27, 2024, the highest measured wind NWS Louisville reported across central Kentucky and southern Indiana. City officials said the winds cut power to 40,000 customers in Lexington.2,3
- April 2, 2024An NWS survey found 90 to 100 mph straight-line winds in the Chevy Chase neighborhood, where large trees fell onto homes.4,5
- March 3, 2023A windstorm without thunderstorms on March 3, 2023 brought gusts of 69 mph at Blue Grass Airport and 72 mph at a Kentucky Mesonet station 3 miles south of Lexington. The Herald-Leader reported that the storm knocked out power to more than 45,000 Fayette County residents and killed one county resident.6,7
- May 19, 2022Hail 3 inches across fell near the Chilesburg community in eastern Fayette County. NWS Louisville called it the largest hail reported in the middle Ohio Valley in 2022.8,9
- October 7, 2014Baseball size hail, 2.75 inches across, fell in Georgetown on the evening of October 7, 2014. A second storm crossed Georgetown about an hour later with 1.75-inch hail.10,11
- July 27, 2014An NWS survey found a microburst with winds estimated at 70 to 95 mph and golf ball size hail. The winds downed many trees, 6 of them onto homes, and the worst damage was in the Highlands Park neighborhood.12
Warnings and alerts
Lexington and Fayette County are in the forecast and warning area of the National Weather Service office in Louisville.13 Lexington Emergency Management runs LEXALERTS, and texting JOIN LEXALERTS to 31002 signs up for its weather notifications.14
Sources
- 1. WKYT: Spring severe weather season approaching in Kentucky, climate data shows rising temps and rainfall
- 2. NWS Louisville: Hurricane Helene Remnants Summary for September 27, 2024
- 3. City of Lexington: Storm clean-up underway
- 4. LEX 18: NWS confirms 90-100 mph straight-line winds in Chevy Chase neighborhood
- 5. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Fayette County, April 2, 2024
- 6. NWS Louisville: March 3, 2023 High Winds & Severe Storms
- 7. Lexington Herald-Leader: March wind storms exposed problems in Lexington. Here’s what needs to be fixed, report says
- 8. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Fayette County, May 19, 2022
- 9. NWS Louisville: 2022 Year in Review
- 10. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Scott County, October 7, 2014
- 11. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Scott County, October 7, 2014 (second storm)
- 12. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Fayette County, July 27, 2014
- 13. National Weather Service: Point metadata for Lexington, KY
- 14. Lexington Emergency Management: Upgraded System for LexAlerts
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Questions about hail in Lexington
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Lexington?
- NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Lexington on 1.5 days a year on average from 2016 to 2025, 1.3 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. Since 2010 it recorded 31 hail days.
- When is hail season in Lexington?
- April has the most hail days within 15 miles of the center of Lexington, 7 since 2010, then May (5) and March (3).
- What is the largest hail recorded in Lexington?
- 3.0 in, in 2022: the largest hail NOAA recorded within 15 miles of the center of Lexington since 2010.
- When did it last hail in Lexington?
- NOAA's most recent hail report within 15 miles of the center of Lexington is from February 19, 2026, with hail up to 1.0 in reported 2.4 miles from the center. Data through November 1, 2026.