Hail history in Waco, TX
On average, NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Waco on 2.8 days a year from 2016 to 2025, 2.5 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Waco on 48 days since 2010. The largest hail reported was 4.5 in, in 2023. 44 of those days had hail of 1 inch or larger. April has the most hail days, 16 since 2010. The most recent was May 23, 2026. NOAA also recorded high wind on 43 days, with gusts up to 81 mph.
Ranks #34 of 200 US cities for days with hail 1 inch or larger, 2016 to 2025.
- Hail days since 2010
- 48
- Largest hail
- 4.5 in
- Highest gust
- 81 mph
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
48 hail days within 15 miles since 2010, largest 4.5 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. 48 hail days in total; the most was 5 in 2011.
Hail days by month
Hail days by month since 2010: Jan 0, Feb 0, Mar 5, Apr 16, May 14, Jun 3, Jul 0, Aug 0, Sep 2, Oct 4, Nov 2, Dec 2.
Most recent hail days
| Date | Largest hail | Nearest report |
|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2026 | 1.0 in | 11.5 mi |
| May 10, 2026 | 1.25 in | 13.5 mi |
| Apr 28, 2026 | 2.75 in | 6.3 mi |
| Nov 20, 2025 | 1.75 in | 14.2 mi |
| May 19, 2025 | 1.5 in | 10.2 mi |
| May 2, 2025 | 1.0 in | 2.5 mi |
| Apr 30, 2025 | 1.5 in | 5.7 mi |
| Dec 28, 2024 | 1.0 in | 8.9 mi |
| Dec 24, 2024 | 1.0 in | 9.5 mi |
| May 22, 2024 | 1.0 in | 1.4 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Waco, 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.
43 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 2026 | 72 mph | 4.3 mi |
| Nov 20, 2025 | 69 mph | 10.3 mi |
| Apr 24, 2025 | 70 mph | 2.0 mi |
| Mar 4, 2025 | 70 mph | 4.8 mi |
| Mar 3, 2025 | 72 mph | 4.3 mi |
| May 30, 2024 | 70 mph | 2.0 mi |
| May 22, 2024 | 60 mph | 2.6 mi |
| Sep 24, 2023 | 64 mph | 4.0 mi |
| Aug 27, 2023 | 55 mph | 4.0 mi |
| Jun 16, 2023 | 59 mph | 4.0 mi |
About this data
- Distances are from the center of Waco, 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 Waco
Estimated peak gusts
1 day since October 1, 2021 had an estimated peak gust of 58 mph or more at Waco.
| Day | Estimated peak gust |
|---|---|
| Aug 23, 2024 | 50 mph or more |
| Mar 2, 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 24 tornadoes whose path came within 10 miles of Waco since 1950; the strongest was rated EF5.
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 26, 2024 | EF1 | 0.88 miles | 6.3 miles |
| Apr 26, 2024 | EF0 | 0.15 miles | 6.3 miles |
| Apr 26, 2023 | Not rated | 0.02 miles | 7.4 miles |
| May 5, 2006 | EF2 | 2.6 miles | 2.4 miles |
| Apr 28, 2006 | EF1 | 0.8 miles | 2.4 miles |
| Oct 19, 1993 | EF0 | 0.1 miles | 3.5 miles |
| Sep 13, 1993 | EF1 | 6 miles | 6.8 miles |
| May 20, 1990 | EF1 | 0.2 miles | 2.7 miles |
Show all 24Show fewer
| Day | Rating | Path length | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 1990 | EF2 | 0.2 miles | 7.3 miles |
| Feb 1, 1990 | EF1 | 0.2 miles | 2.4 miles |
| Apr 22, 1985 | EF0 | 0.5 miles | 9.4 miles |
| Oct 13, 1981 | EF2 | 2 miles | 2 miles |
| May 25, 1976 | EF2 | 0.2 miles | 10 miles |
| Apr 13, 1974 | EF2 | 0.5 miles | 3.6 miles |
| Mar 1, 1973 | EF2 | 8 miles | 4.3 miles |
| Nov 12, 1972 | EF1 | 24 miles | 8.2 miles |
| Oct 21, 1972 | EF2 | 1.5 miles | 0.8 miles |
| Oct 21, 1972 | EF2 | 1 miles | 0.8 miles |
| Dec 14, 1971 | EF1 | 0.3 miles | 9.4 miles |
| Feb 21, 1971 | EF2 | 0.1 miles | 6.8 miles |
| Aug 29, 1970 | EF1 | 0.3 miles | 8.5 miles |
| Aug 30, 1963 | EF2 | 1 miles | 4.4 miles |
| May 1, 1956 | EF1 | 4.3 miles | 5.5 miles |
| May 11, 1953 | EF5 | 20.9 miles | 2.4 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 Waco.
| Storm | Modeled peak gust | Sustained | Closest pass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1900 Galveston hurricane | 66 mph | 54 mph | 2 miles |
Modeled from NOAA’s best tracks for open, flat ground; not measurements. How we model hurricane winds
81 radar hail days within 15 miles since 2020, largest 4.0 in or more
Source: NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), from October 14, 2020. Estimates of the largest hail in each 1 km cell, not measurements.
55 days with radar hail 1 inch or larger, 10 at 2 inches or larger, within 15 miles of Waco’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 21, 2026 | 1.25 in or more |
| Jun 2, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| May 25, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| May 23, 2026 | 0.75 in or more |
| May 10, 2026 | 1.5 in or more |
| May 6, 2026 | 1.5 in or more |
Waco and other Texas cities
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
Days a year with hail 1 inch or larger within 15 miles of each city's center, 2016 to 2025, and each city's rank among 200 US cities.
| City | Days a year | US rank |
|---|---|---|
| Amarillo | 6.2 | #3 |
| Lubbock | 4.8 | #6 |
| Dallas | 4.7 | #9 |
| San Antonio | 3.7 | #16 |
| Tyler | 2.9 | #24 |
| Waco | 2.5 | #34 |
| Killeen | 2.3 | #40 |
| Austin | 2.2 | #46 |
| Longview | 2.0 | #51 |
| Houston | 1.7 | #65 |
| Beaumont | 1.4 | #77 |
| College Station | 1.3 | #85 |
| McAllen | 1.2 | #93 |
| El Paso | 1.2 | #93 |
| Laredo | 1.1 | #99 |
| Brownsville | 0.4 | #152 |
| Corpus Christi | 0.3 | #157 |
About this data
- Each city counts reports within 15 miles of its center, not of any one property.
- 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.
Storms in Waco
In NOAA SPC's 1980 to 2006 climatology for the Fort Hood radar near Granger, the primary severe season runs from March 1 to June 27, and both hail and damaging-wind reports peak in May.1
Notable storms
- April 28, 2026On the night of April 28, 2026, hail up to 2.5 inches fell in Northcrest, and hail from golf ball to baseball size fell in Hallsburg, where photos showed shattered windshields and large dents in vehicles. NOAA's Storm Events Database lists $100,000 in property damage in Hallsburg.2,3
- April 26, 2023Hail up to 4.5 inches fell 2 miles east of Waco and damaged numerous vehicles and buildings, and softball-size hail in Bosqueville damaged HVAC equipment at Waco Regional Airport. NOAA's Storm Events Database lists $4 million in property damage from the hail in and around Waco and $500,000 at Bosqueville.4,5
- October 2, 2014Thunderstorm gusts estimated at 63 to 69 mph caused major roof damage to a retail store in Woodway and overturned a semi near Highway 84 and Central Parkway in Waco.6,7
- April 26, 2011Baseball-size hail, 2.75 inches, fell in Lacy-Lakeview and near the Chalk Bluff community.8,9
- February 10, 2009Thunderstorm winds estimated at 69 mph blew 20 to 30 windows out of an apartment building in Waco, blew over a transformer and knocked down road signs downtown.10
- May 11, 1953An F5 tornado about a third of a mile wide touched down near Lorena and crossed downtown Waco, killing 114 people and injuring 597. NWS Fort Worth says it destroyed over 600 homes and businesses, damaged more than 1,000 others and 2,000 vehicles, and ended near Axtell after a 23-mile path, with damage topping $41 million in 1953 dollars.11
Warnings and alerts
Warnings for Waco and McLennan County come from the National Weather Service office in Fort Worth, known as NWS Fort Worth/Dallas.12,4 The Waco-McLennan County Office of Emergency Management sends free alerts by phone, text and email through the Heart of Texas Regional Emergency Notification System, and only McLennan County addresses can be registered.13,14
Sources
- 1. NOAA Storm Prediction Center: GRK Severe Weather Climatology
- 2. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, McLennan County, April 28, 2026 (Northcrest)
- 3. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, McLennan County, April 28, 2026 (Hallsburg)
- 4. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, McLennan County, April 26, 2023
- 5. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, McLennan County, April 26, 2023 (Bosqueville)
- 6. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, McLennan County, October 2, 2014 (Woodway)
- 7. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, McLennan County, October 2, 2014 (Waco)
- 8. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, McLennan County, April 26, 2011
- 9. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Hail, McLennan County, April 26, 2011
- 10. NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: Thunderstorm Wind, McLennan County, February 10, 2009
- 11. NWS Fort Worth/Dallas: Waco Tornado, May 11, 1953
- 12. National Weather Service: NWS Fort Worth/Dallas
- 13. City of Waco: Sign Up for Emergency Notifications
- 14. Heart of Texas Council of Governments: Heart of Texas Regional Emergency Notification System sign-up
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Questions about hail in Waco
Source: NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center
Data through November 1, 2026
- How often does it hail in Waco?
- NOAA recorded hail within 15 miles of the center of Waco on 2.8 days a year on average from 2016 to 2025, 2.5 of them with hail 1 inch or larger. Since 2010 it recorded 48 hail days.
- When is hail season in Waco?
- April has the most hail days within 15 miles of the center of Waco, 16 since 2010, then May (14) and March (5).
- What is the largest hail recorded in Waco?
- 4.5 in, in 2023: the largest hail NOAA recorded within 15 miles of the center of Waco since 2010.
- When did it last hail in Waco?
- NOAA's most recent hail report within 15 miles of the center of Waco is from May 23, 2026, with hail up to 1.0 in reported 11.5 miles from the center. Data through November 1, 2026.