The heaviest hailstones on record, from Gopalganj to Vivian

The world's heaviest hailstone

WMO's records table lists the heaviest hailstone as 1.02 kg, or 2.25 lb, which fell in Gopalganj district, Bangladesh, on 14 April 1986. It is a weight record, and the table gives no diameter for it. The archive behind it was established by WMO's Commission for Climatology in 2007, and the records table underlines the entries that have had a formal WMO evaluation.

The deadliest hailstorm

WMO's record for hailstorm deaths is 246 people near Moradabad, India, in April 1888. The record page cites 230 deaths at Moradabad and 16 at Bareilly, describes stones compared to goose eggs, oranges and cricket balls, and quotes a contemporary account that people caught in the open were pounded to death. The page lists a formal WMO review in 2017.

The Western Hemisphere record: Vivian, South Dakota

On 23 July 2010, a hailstone fell near Vivian, South Dakota, that the NWS measured at 8.0 inches in diameter and 18.625 inches around, weighing 1.9375 pounds. It broke the U.S. diameter record of 7.0 inches, set at Aurora, Nebraska, on 22 June 2003, and the weight record of 1.67 pounds from Coffeyville, Kansas, on 3 September 1970. Aurora kept the circumference record at 18.75 inches.

A Vivian resident found the stone, and the NWS notes it shrank considerably through melting and sublimation between impact and the moment Aberdeen staff first measured it, which is when the official dimensions were set. The same storm brought winds to 80 mph and a brief tornado. WMO lists the stone as the Western Hemisphere's heaviest, at 0.88 kg, and NOAA's Storm Events Database records the 8-inch Vivian hail in Lyman County with five direct injuries.

The largest hail in 26 storm states, 2000 to 2025

For each state below, the size is the largest hail diameter NOAA's Storm Events Database records from 2000 through 2025, with a linked event at that size.

Two things stand out. The hurricane-belt states log big stones too: the database records 4.5-inch hail in Florida, Louisiana, North Carolina and South Carolina. And size is not the same as cost: Wisconsin's 5.5-inch Port Edwards event carries $45 million in recorded property damage, the largest figure in this table, while the 8-inch Vivian event lists zero.

Preliminary reports versus the record

Hail sizes can change after the fact. SPC's preliminary report page for 2 June 2024 carries a report of giant hail near Vigo Park in Swisher County, Texas, entered at 6.00 inches. NOAA's Storm Events Database now records that Swisher County hail at 7.02 inches. SPC labels every report on its daily pages as preliminary, which is why the database is the number to quote.

What record hail means for a roof

For scale, the NWS tags a severe thunderstorm warning's damage threat as destructive from 2.75-inch, baseball-size hail. IBHS says shingles rated Good or Excellent in its hail ratings better protect a home from hail up to 2 inches in diameter. Every state in the table has recorded hail of at least 4.25 inches since 2000, so after a big storm the practical next step is an inspection. NRD explains Class 4 impact-resistant shingles and how to go about documenting roof damage for a claim, and its find-a-roofer directory covers the storm states.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Vivian hailstone the biggest ever found?

It holds the U.S. diameter record at 8.0 inches and is WMO's heaviest for the Western Hemisphere. The world's heaviest stone, at 1.02 kg, fell in Bangladesh in 1986.

Why did the Vivian stone shrink before it was measured?

The NWS says it lost size to melting and sublimation between landing and first measurement. The State Climate Extremes Committee's hail guidance, published by NOAA's NCEI, recommends sealing a large stone in a bag and freezing it, because the sealed bag prevents that loss of mass.

Where can I look up hail in my own county?

NOAA's Storm Events Database is the long-term record. For the last few days, SPC's storm report pages are faster, though preliminary.