Hail history in Grand Rapids, MI
On average, NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Grand Rapids on 0.7 days a year from 2016 to 2025, 0.6 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Grand Rapids on 20 days since 2010. The largest hail reported was 2.75 in, in 2026. 16 of those days had hail of 1 inch or larger. April has the most hail days, 7 since 2010. The most recent was June 16, 2026. NOAA also recorded high wind on 59 days, with gusts up to 100 mph.
Ranks #140 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
- Hail days since 2010
- 20
- Largest hail
- 2.75 in
- Highest gust
- 100 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
20 hail days within 15 miles since 2010, largest 2.75 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. 20 hail days in total; the most was 3 in 2011.
Hail days by month
Hail days by month since 2010: Jan 0, Feb 0, Mar 3, Apr 7, May 3, Jun 3, Jul 2, Aug 1, Sep 1, Oct 0, Nov 0, Dec 0.
Most recent hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 2026 | 1.0 in | 15.0 mi |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 2.75 in | 2.3 mi |
| Jul 14, 2024 | 0.75 in | 6.3 mi |
| Jun 20, 2024 | 1.5 in | 11.5 mi |
| Apr 23, 2024 | 1.0 in | 8.6 mi |
| Sep 13, 2021 | 1.0 in | 9.5 mi |
| Apr 7, 2020 | 1.0 in | 2.7 mi |
| Aug 3, 2017 | 1.0 in | 12.1 mi |
| Apr 25, 2016 | 1.0 in | 7.2 mi |
| Jun 18, 2014 | 1.75 in | 9.4 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Grand Rapids, 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.
59 high-wind days within 15 miles since 2010, strongest gust 100 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Most recent high-wind days
| Date | Highest gust | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 3, 2026 | Not recorded | 10.8 mi |
| Jun 11, 2026 | Not recorded | 6.4 mi |
| Jun 10, 2026 | Not recorded | 1.2 mi |
| May 18, 2026 | 81 mph | 1.2 mi |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Not recorded | 14.6 mi |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 81 mph | 1.5 mi |
| Mar 10, 2026 | Not recorded | 9.6 mi |
| Sep 20, 2025 | 60 mph | 7.0 mi |
| May 15, 2025 | 61 mph | 0.2 mi |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 81 mph | 8.4 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Grand Rapids, 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 Grand Rapids
Estimated peak gusts
5 days since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Grand Rapids.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Mar 13, 2026 | 58 mph or more |
| Jan 9, 2026 | 50 mph or more |
| Feb 15, 2023 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 2, 2022 | 50 mph or more |
| Nov 5, 2022 | 58 mph or more |
| Apr 14, 2022 | 58 mph or more |
| Mar 6, 2022 | 50 mph or more |
| Mar 5, 2022 | 58 mph or more |
Show all 14Show fewer
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Feb 20, 2022 | 50 mph or more |
| Feb 18, 2022 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 16, 2021 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 15, 2021 | 50 mph or more |
| Dec 11, 2021 | 58 mph or more |
| Nov 21, 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 21 tornadoes whose path came within 10 miles of Grand Rapids since 1950; the strongest was rated EF5.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 24, 2023 | EF1 | 8.7 miles | 7.9 miles |
| Sep 11, 2019 | EF0 | 0.05 miles | 1 miles |
| Aug 20, 2016 | EF0 | 0.9 miles | 2.3 miles |
| Aug 20, 2016 | EF0 | 4.25 miles | 2.8 miles |
| Jul 6, 2014 | EF1 | 6.25 miles | 4.2 miles |
| May 21, 2001 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 7.6 miles |
| May 21, 2001 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 5.5 miles |
| May 21, 2001 | EF1 | 0.3 miles | 5.9 miles |
Show all 21Show fewer
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2001 | EF0 | 0.6 miles | 7.2 miles |
| Sep 6, 1989 | EF1 | 0.5 miles | 8.5 miles |
| Aug 9, 1979 | EF0 | 0.3 miles | 8.4 miles |
| Jul 24, 1979 | EF0 | 0.2 miles | 4.3 miles |
| Jul 28, 1976 | EF1 | 2 miles | 2.8 miles |
| May 20, 1975 | EF2 | 2.3 miles | 9.1 miles |
| Aug 5, 1968 | EF2 | 52.7 miles | 5.8 miles |
| Apr 21, 1967 | EF2 | 0.3 miles | 8.4 miles |
| Apr 21, 1967 | EF3 | 13.6 miles | 2.7 miles |
| Apr 11, 1965 | EF4 | 20.6 miles | 9.8 miles |
| Sep 22, 1961 | EF2 | 2.7 miles | 9.6 miles |
| Apr 16, 1960 | EF1 | 1.5 miles | 3.9 miles |
| Apr 3, 1956 | EF5 | 58.8 miles | 6.5 miles |
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center. Ratings before 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
1 storm in NOAA's records brought modeled tropical-storm-force winds (39 mph or more) to Grand Rapids.
| Storm | Modeled peak gust | Sustained | Closest pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Galveston hurricane | 49 mph | 40 mph | 12 miles |
Modeled from NOAA’s best tracks for open, flat ground; not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
29 radar hail days within 15 miles since 2020, largest 3.0 in or more
Source: NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), from October 14, 2020. Estimates of the largest hail in each 1 km cell, not measurements.
14 days with radar hail 1 inch or larger, 1 at 2 inches or larger, within 15 miles of Grand Rapids’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 |
|---|---|
| Aug 9, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Aug 8, 2026 | 1.0 in or more |
| Jun 16, 2026 | 1.0 in or more |
| May 15, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Apr 14, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| Mar 10, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
Storms in Grand Rapids
NWS Grand Rapids says its severe weather usually runs from late April to early September, with May through August the most active months.1
Notable storms
- August 24, 2023An EF1 tornado with peak winds near 110 mph tracked almost 9 miles from Alpine Township to Plainfield Township, snapping or uprooting hundreds of trees and damaging buildings and homes. NOAA's Storm Events Database lists $10 million in property damage from the tornado.2,3
- September 11, 2019Microbursts with winds up to about 100 mph caused significant damage in and just east of downtown Grand Rapids, and hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted near Ada and Forest Hills. NOAA's Storm Events Database lists $1 million in property damage in and just east of Grand Rapids and $500,000 near Ada and Forest Hills.4,5
- July 6, 2014An EF1 tornado with winds estimated at 100 to 110 mph formed near Byron Center and tracked 6.25 miles northeast through Wyoming and Kentwood in about 10 minutes, downing or damaging trees, structures and power lines along a path 300 to 400 yards wide. Six people were hurt, and NOAA's Storm Events Database lists $4.5 million in property damage.6,7
- April 26, 2011Storms dropped hail up to 1.5 inches in swaths through Kentwood, East Grand Rapids, Cutlerville and Ada. NOAA's Storm Events Database lists $12 million in property damage along the swath through Kentwood and East Grand Rapids and $2 million along the swath from Cutlerville to Ada.8,9
- May 31, 1998A derecho crossed Lower Michigan in the early morning with winds of 60 to 90 mph, and damage surveys found winds may have reached 120 to 130 mph in Walker, a western suburb of Grand Rapids. Total damage across Lower Michigan was estimated at $172 million in 1998 dollars.10,11
- April 3, 1956An F5 tornado tracked from Vriesland to Trufant, killing 17 people and injuring 340. It struck Hudsonville, wrecked the Standale business district, then crossed Walker, northwest Grand Rapids and Comstock Park, destroying homes and trailer parks.12,13
Warnings and alerts
NWS Grand Rapids lists the Kentwood transmitter, on 162.550 MHz, as the NOAA Weather Radio station for Kent County.14 The City of Grand Rapids sends weather warnings and other emergency alerts to people who register for its emergency alerts.15
Sources
- 1. NWS Grand Rapids: Severe Weather Drought Continues in Southwest Lower Michigan
- 2. NWS Grand Rapids: August 24, 2023 Tornadoes
- 3. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Kent County, August 24, 2023
- 4. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Kent County, September 11, 2019
- 5. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, Kent County, September 11, 2019
- 6. NWS Grand Rapids: EF-1 Tornado Confirmed in Southern Kent County
- 7. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Tornado, Kent County, July 6, 2014
- 8. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Kent County, April 26, 2011
- 9. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, Kent County, April 26, 2011
- 10. NWS Grand Rapids: May 31, 1998 Derecho: 60-130 mph Thunderstorm Winds in Michigan
- 11. NOAA Storm Prediction Center: The Southern Great Lakes Derecho of 1998
- 12. NWS Grand Rapids: 1956 Tornado Outbreak Overview
- 13. NWS Grand Rapids: 1956 Tornado Outbreak Vriesland To Trufant
- 14. NWS Grand Rapids: NWR Coverage for Southwest Lower Michigan
- 15. City of Grand Rapids: Register for Grand Rapids Emergency Alerts
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Questions about hail in Grand Rapids
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Grand Rapids?
- NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Grand Rapids on 0.7 days a year on average from 2016 to 2025, 0.6 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. Since 2010 it recorded 20 hail days.
- When is hail season in Grand Rapids?
- April has the most hail days within 15 miles of the center of Grand Rapids, 7 since 2010, then March (3) and May (3).
- What is the largest hail recorded in Grand Rapids?
- 2.75 in, in 2026: the largest hail NOAA recorded within 15 miles of the center of Grand Rapids since 2010.
- When did it last hail in Grand Rapids?
- NOAA's most recent hail report within 15 miles of the center of Grand Rapids is from June 16, 2026, with hail up to 1.0 in reported 15.0 miles from the center. Data through November 1, 2026.