Hail and tornadoes in Essex County, MA

Since January 2021, radar estimated hail somewhere in Essex County, MA on 9 days. The biggest estimate: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball), on Fri, Sep 8, 2023. Hail was reported to the National Weather Service inside the county on 5 days.

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

Fri, Sep 8, 2023

Largest reported

1.25 in

Fri, Jul 23, 2021

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 Fri, Sep 8, 2023 around the place, with the hail reported that day — Fri, Sep 8, 2023: radar-estimated hail around Essex County, MA, with the hail reported that day.

Hail on record since 1955

NOAA's Storm Events database lists 67 hail reports in Essex County, MA on 38 days, 1 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest: 3 in, near Peabody, on Tue, Jul 11, 2006.

By decade: 2000s: 17 · 2010s: 39 · 2020s: 11

Tornadoes since 1950

No tornadoes recorded in Essex County, MA since 1950.

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

Every hail day since January 2021

Wed, Jul 22, 2026
Reported in the county
- 1 in (1 S Plaistow, NH)
Wed, Aug 13, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jun 14, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Sep 8, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
Reported in the county
- 1 in (Andover, MA)
Fri, Jul 21, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, Jul 24, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jul 23, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
Reported in the county
- 1.25 in (1 W GEORGETOWN, MA)
- 1 in (MERRIMAC, MA)
Wed, Jul 7, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
Reported in the county
- 1 in (METHUEN, MA)
Wed, Jun 30, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jun 15, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
Reported in the county
- 1.25 in (NEWBURYPORT, MA)
- 1 in (6 SSE SEABROOK, NH)
- 1 in (4 N METHUEN, MA)

Check your own address →Weather in Essex County, MA 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.