Hail history in Worcester, MA
On average, NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Worcester on 1.0 days a year from 2016 to 2025, 0.9 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Worcester on 26 days since 2010. The largest hail reported was 2.0 in, in 2011. 18 of those days had hail of 1 inch or larger. June has the most hail days, 6 since 2010. The most recent was August 26, 2024. NOAA also recorded high wind on 79 days, with gusts up to 81 mph.
Ranks #120 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
- Hail days since 2010
- 26
- Largest hail
- 2.0 in
- Highest gust
- 81 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
26 hail days within 15 miles since 2010, largest 2.0 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. 26 hail days in total; the most was 4 in 2010.
Hail days by month
Hail days by month since 2010: Jan 0, Feb 0, Mar 1, Apr 0, May 5, Jun 6, Jul 5, Aug 6, Sep 2, Oct 1, Nov 0, Dec 0.
Most recent hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 26, 2024 | 1.0 in | 9.6 mi |
| Sep 8, 2023 | 1.0 in | 11.5 mi |
| Jun 6, 2023 | 1.0 in | 12.7 mi |
| Jul 17, 2021 | 1.25 in | 11.9 mi |
| Oct 7, 2020 | 0.75 in | 9.6 mi |
| Aug 23, 2020 | 1.0 in | 0.1 mi |
| Mar 29, 2020 | 1.75 in | 0.1 mi |
| Jul 31, 2019 | 1.0 in | 4.9 mi |
| Jun 30, 2019 | 1.0 in | 5.2 mi |
| Jun 27, 2017 | 1.25 in | 0.1 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Worcester, 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.
79 high-wind days within 15 miles since 2010, strongest gust 81 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Most recent high-wind days
| Date | Highest gust | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2026 | Not recorded | 14.3 mi |
| Jul 1, 2026 | Not recorded | 14.3 mi |
| Jun 18, 2026 | Not recorded | 12.4 mi |
| Jun 6, 2026 | Not recorded | 4.9 mi |
| May 19, 2026 | Not recorded | 3.2 mi |
| Apr 14, 2026 | Not recorded | 7.9 mi |
| Sep 6, 2025 | 58 mph | 0.7 mi |
| Jul 8, 2025 | 58 mph | 12.0 mi |
| Jul 1, 2025 | 58 mph | 11.1 mi |
| Jun 6, 2025 | 58 mph | 9.6 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Worcester, 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 Worcester
Estimated peak gusts
1 day since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Worcester.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Dec 19, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Mar 7, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Feb 17, 2025 | 58 mph or more |
| Feb 16, 2025 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 18, 2023 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 17, 2023 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 2, 2021 | 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 12 tornadoes whose path came within 10 miles of Worcester since 1950; the strongest was rated EF4.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 6, 2025 | EF0 | 0.15 miles | 5.2 miles |
| Sep 6, 2025 | EF0 | 0.13 miles | 5.5 miles |
| Sep 6, 2025 | EF0 | 0.17 miles | 6.9 miles |
| Aug 31, 2014 | EF0 | 2.06 miles | 1.8 miles |
| Jul 10, 1989 | EF1 | 0.4 miles | 7.1 miles |
| Aug 10, 1979 | EF2 | 9.7 miles | 7.2 miles |
| Aug 31, 1966 | EF0 | 1 miles | 5.6 miles |
| Aug 31, 1966 | EF2 | 1 miles | 2.1 miles |
Show all 12Show fewer
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 1958 | EF1 | 2 miles | 1.4 miles |
| Oct 24, 1955 | EF1 | 3 miles | 3.2 miles |
| Jun 9, 1953 | EF3 | 28 miles | 7.1 miles |
| Jun 9, 1953 | EF4 | 34.9 miles | 6.9 miles |
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center. Ratings before 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
30 storms in NOAA's records brought modeled tropical-storm-force winds (39 mph or more) to Worcester.
| Storm | Modeled peak gust | Sustained | Closest pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wanda (2021) | 52 mph | 42 mph | 138 miles |
| Sandy (2012) | 53 mph | 43 mph | 237 miles |
| Irene (2011) | 58 mph | 48 mph | 67 miles |
| Noel (2007) | 59 mph | 48 mph | 203 miles |
| Floyd (1999) | 48 mph | 39 mph | 3 miles |
| Bertha (1996) | 52 mph | 42 mph | 6 miles |
| Bob (1991) | 66 mph | 53 mph | 48 miles |
| Gloria (1985) | 84 mph | 69 mph | 31 miles |
Show all 30Show fewer
| Storm | Modeled peak gust | Sustained | Closest pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belle (1976) | 48 mph | 39 mph | 36 miles |
| Doria (1971) | 54 mph | 44 mph | 50 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1968 | 59 mph | 48 mph | 49 miles |
| Esther (1961) | 56 mph | 46 mph | 86 miles |
| Donna (1960) | 73 mph | 60 mph | 8 miles |
| Edna (1954) | 54 mph | 44 mph | 87 miles |
| Carol (1954) | 83 mph | 67 mph | 7 miles |
| 1944 Great Atlantic hurricane | 68 mph | 55 mph | 45 miles |
| 1938 New England hurricane | 101 mph | 82 mph | 61 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1924 | 60 mph | 49 mph | 63 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1916 | 48 mph | 39 mph | 50 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1896 | 53 mph | 43 mph | 59 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1894 | 51 mph | 41 mph | 4 miles |
| 1893 Sea Islands hurricane | 60 mph | 48 mph | 57 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1893 | 61 mph | 50 mph | 73 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1888 | 48 mph | 39 mph | 148 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1878 | 62 mph | 50 mph | 41 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1874 | 61 mph | 49 mph | 11 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1869 | 57 mph | 46 mph | 76 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1869 | 82 mph | 67 mph | 24 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1861 | 49 mph | 40 mph | 23 miles |
| Unnamed storm, 1858 | 60 mph | 48 mph | 12 miles |
Modeled from NOAA’s best tracks for open, flat ground; not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
8 radar hail days within 15 miles since 2020, largest 1.75 in or more
Source: NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), from October 14, 2020. Estimates of the largest hail in each 1 km cell, not measurements.
2 days with radar hail 1 inch or larger, 0 at 2 inches or larger, within 15 miles of Worcester’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 |
|---|---|
| Jun 5, 2025 | 0.75 in or more |
| Aug 26, 2024 | 1.0 in or more |
| Aug 15, 2024 | 0.75 in or more |
| Sep 8, 2023 | 0.75 in or more |
| Jun 2, 2023 | 0.75 in or more |
| Aug 26, 2022 | 0.75 in or more |
Storms in Worcester
Worcester's 2025 hazard mitigation plan states that southern New England typically has 10 to 15 days a year with severe thunderstorms.1 A Storm Prediction Center study of Northeast severe weather from 1999 to 2009 found that 67% of events came in June through August and that damaging wind made up 84% of all reports.2 Golf ball size hail fell in Worcester on the evening of March 29, 2020.3
Notable storms
- October 7, 2020A squall line that the Storm Prediction Center classified as a derecho raced across Massachusetts with gusts of 50 to 80 mph. Tree limbs came down across Worcester, including on Main Street and Brantwood Road, and winds near 75 mph downed trees in Webster.4,5
- July 22, 2016In Westborough, an NWS survey found numerous trees, some very large, uprooted or snapped by a microburst with winds estimated near 81 mph, and a few landed on houses and vehicles. In Southborough, a series of telephone poles were snapped along Route 30.6,7
- August 31, 2014An EF0 tornado touched down in Worcester near Perry Avenue and Fairfax Road and cut a narrow 2-mile path to Gordon Street, uprooting and snapping trees. Some trees fell on cars and a couple landed on houses. NOAA's storm records list $100,000 in property damage.8
- June 1, 2011Hail 2 inches across fell in Millbury. The same day, an EF3 tornado tracked about 38 miles from Westfield and lifted in southwest Charlton, and damage in Sturbridge and Southbridge led to the two towns being added to the federal disaster declaration.9,10
- May 24, 2009Hail 2 inches across fell in Grafton, covering Route 122A and breaking car windows, and golf ball size hail dented cars in Shrewsbury.11,12
- June 9, 1953An F4 tornado stayed on the ground for 84 minutes over a 46-mile path from Petersham to Framingham, passing through Worcester. NWS Boston counts 94 deaths, the most for any New England tornado, along with 1,288 injuries, 4,000 buildings destroyed and $52 million in damage.13
Warnings and alerts
ALERTWorcester, the city's free emergency notification system, sends severe weather alerts to cell phones, home phones or email in 23 languages.14
Sources
- 1. City of Worcester: City of Worcester, MA Hazard Mitigation Plan Update (April 2025)
- 2. NOAA Storm Prediction Center: Environments of Northeast U.S. Severe Thunderstorm Events from 1999 to 2009
- 3. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Worcester County, March 29, 2020
- 4. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Worcester County, October 7, 2020 (Worcester)
- 5. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Worcester County, October 7, 2020 (Webster)
- 6. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Worcester County, July 22, 2016 (Westborough)
- 7. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Worcester County, July 22, 2016 (Southborough)
- 8. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Worcester County, August 31, 2014 (Worcester)
- 9. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Worcester County, June 1, 2011 (Millbury)
- 10. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Worcester County, June 1, 2011 (Sturbridge to Charlton)
- 11. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Worcester County, May 24, 2009 (Grafton)
- 12. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Worcester County, May 24, 2009 (Shrewsbury)
- 13. NWS Boston: Remembering the Worcester Tornado of June 9, 1953
- 14. City of Worcester: ALERTWorcester: Be the First to Know
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Questions about hail in Worcester
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Worcester?
- NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Worcester on 1.0 days a year on average from 2016 to 2025, 0.9 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. Since 2010 it recorded 26 hail days.
- When is hail season in Worcester?
- June has the most hail days within 15 miles of the center of Worcester, 6 since 2010, then August (6) and May (5).
- What is the largest hail recorded in Worcester?
- 2.0 in, in 2011: the largest hail NOAA recorded within 15 miles of the center of Worcester since 2010.
- When did it last hail in Worcester?
- NOAA's most recent hail report within 15 miles of the center of Worcester is from August 26, 2024, with hail up to 1.0 in reported 9.6 miles from the center. Data through November 1, 2026.