Hail and tornadoes in Kern County, CA

Since January 2021, radar estimated hail somewhere in Kern County, CA on 21 days. The biggest estimate: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball), on Tue, Aug 26, 2025. Hail was reported to the National Weather Service inside the county on 1 day.

Still loading: radar estimates go back to Wed, Oct 14, 2020, and the earlier years are being added.

Days with hail

since January 2021

1 inch or larger

days, estimated or reported

Largest radar estimate

1.5+ in

Tue, Aug 26, 2025

Largest reported

1.75 in

Mon, Jun 5, 2023

Radar estimates are NOAA's MESH: the largest hail the radar estimates aloft, on cells about 0.7 mile across, shown as the lower bound of a size band (“1.5+”). They often run larger than what reached the ground, and they aren't evidence of damage at any address.

Radar-estimated hail on Tue, Aug 26, 2025 around the place, with the hail reported that day — Tue, Aug 26, 2025: radar-estimated hail around Kern County, CA, with the hail reported that day.

Hail on record since 1955

NOAA's Storm Events database lists 27 hail reports in Kern County, CA on 16 days, 0 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest: 1.75 in, near Cable, on Mon, Jun 5, 2023.

By decade: 2000s: 18 · 2010s: 7 · 2020s: 2

Tornadoes since 1950

6 tornadoes have touched Kern County, CA since 1950, none of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Strongest

Sun, Jun 2, 2019 · EF0 · 0.2 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Bena
Tue, Apr 16, 2019 · EF0 · 1.14 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Ridgecrest Airport
Mon, Feb 23, 2015 · EF0 · 0.5 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Blackwells Corner
Mon, May 6, 2013 · EF0 · 0.44 mi long, 15 yd wide · near Jastro
Sat, Feb 27, 2010 · EF0 · 0.5 mi long, 20 yd wide · near Tupman

Most recent

Sun, Jun 2, 2019 · EF0 · 0.2 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Bena
Tue, Apr 16, 2019 · EF0 · 1.14 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Ridgecrest Airport
Mon, Feb 23, 2015 · EF0 · 0.5 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Blackwells Corner
Mon, May 6, 2013 · EF0 · 0.44 mi long, 15 yd wide · near Jastro
Sat, Feb 27, 2010 · EF0 · 0.5 mi long, 20 yd wide · near Tupman
Sat, Sep 1, 2007 · EF0 · 13.05 mi long, 75 yd wide · near Rosamond

By decade: 2000s: 1 · 2010s: 5

Still loading: NOAA's record goes back to 1950, and 2003 onward is in so far.

Every hail day since January 2021

Tue, Mar 31, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Feb 10, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Feb 5, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Sep 18, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Aug 26, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, May 1, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jan 3, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, Jul 13, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jan 2, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Aug 21, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Aug 13, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Jun 11, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Jun 5, 2023
Reported in the county
- 1.5 in (9 SSW Keene, CA)
- 1.75 in (8 SSW Keene, CA)
Sun, May 21, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, May 20, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Aug 1, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jun 23, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jun 21, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Mar 11, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Dec 19, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Nov 22, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Oct 25, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.

Check your own address →Weather in Kern County, CA now →Get warned before the next storm →

Radar estimates and reports are for anywhere inside the county's boundary. Radar estimates come from NOAA's MRMS estimated hail size (MESH), the largest hail the radar estimates aloft on a ~1 km grid. They often run larger than the hail that reached the ground, and they aren't an observation at any address. Reports are what people reported to the National Weather Service. Neither is proof of damage or an official record for an insurance claim. From NOAA's Storm Events Database (NCEI), which records tornadoes from 1950, hail and thunderstorm wind from 1955, and every kind of storm from 1996. A tornado that crossed county lines is counted in each county it touched. Recent months are added as NCEI publishes them, a few months behind. Damage is in the dollars of its year and is often an estimate.