Hail and tornadoes in Rutherford County, NC

Since January 2021, radar estimated hail somewhere in Rutherford County, NC on 44 days. The biggest estimate: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball), on Tue, Aug 11, 2026. 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

Tue, Aug 11, 2026

Largest reported

2.75 in

Wed, May 8, 2024

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 11, 2026 around the place, with the hail reported that day — Tue, Aug 11, 2026: radar-estimated hail around Rutherford County, NC, with the hail reported that day.

Hail on record since 1955

NOAA's Storm Events database lists 102 hail reports in Rutherford County, NC on 73 days, 2 of them 2 inches or larger. The largest: 2.75 in, near Lake Lure, on Wed, May 8, 2024.

By decade: 2000s: 45 · 2010s: 44 · 2020s: 13

Tornadoes since 1950

7 tornadoes have touched Rutherford County, NC since 1950, none of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger. They killed 0 and injured 10.

Strongest

Wed, Jan 11, 2012 · EF2 · 3.8 mi long, 200 yd wide · near Ellenboro · 10 injuries
Mon, Oct 23, 2017 · EF1 · 9.44 mi long, 100 yd wide · near Cliffside
Thu, Jul 7, 2005 · F1 · 0.7 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Forest City
Wed, Sep 25, 2024 · EF0 · 0.38 mi long, 25 yd wide · near Whitehouse
Sat, Apr 10, 2021 · EF0 · 0.07 mi long, 20 yd wide · near Henrietta

Most recent

Wed, Sep 25, 2024 · EF0 · 0.38 mi long, 25 yd wide · near Whitehouse
Sat, Apr 10, 2021 · EF0 · 0.07 mi long, 20 yd wide · near Henrietta
Sat, Jun 8, 2019 · EF0 · 0.15 mi long, 30 yd wide · near Ellenboro
Mon, Oct 23, 2017 · EF1 · 9.44 mi long, 100 yd wide · near Cliffside
Wed, Jan 11, 2012 · EF2 · 3.8 mi long, 200 yd wide · near Ellenboro · 10 injuries
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 · EF0 · 0.27 mi long, 30 yd wide · near Forest City
Thu, Jul 7, 2005 · F1 · 0.7 mi long, 50 yd wide · near Forest City

By decade: 2000s: 1 · 2010s: 4 · 2020s: 2

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

Every hail day since January 2021

Sun, Sep 6, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, Sep 5, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Aug 20, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Aug 11, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Aug 4, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Aug 2, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Jun 29, 2026
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Aug 15, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Aug 1, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jul 11, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Wed, Jun 25, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
Reported in the county
- 1 in (Forest City, NC)
Thu, May 8, 2025
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
Reported in the county
- 1.5 in (1 N Rutherfordton, NC)
- 1 in (4 N Spindale, NC)
- 1.25 in (2 NNW Rutherfordton, NC)
- 1 in (Cliffside, NC)
Sat, Aug 3, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jul 18, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Jul 15, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jul 5, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Wed, May 8, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
Reported in the county
- 1.75 in (5 SSE Shingle Hollow, NC)
- 2.75 in (Lake Lure, NC)
Tue, May 7, 2024
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Oct 20, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Sep 7, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Aug 27, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Aug 7, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, Jul 29, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jul 13, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Jul 3, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Sun, Jul 2, 2023
Reported in the county
- 1 in (5 S Thermal City, NC)
Sat, Jul 1, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Jun 26, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, May 16, 2023
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Aug 9, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Wed, Aug 3, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jul 26, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jul 8, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Wed, Jul 6, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, Jul 1, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Jun 16, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1.5 in or larger (ping-pong ball)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, May 21, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Fri, May 6, 2022
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 1 in or larger (quarter)
Reported in the county
- 1.75 in (2 S ELLENBORO, NC)
Wed, Sep 8, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, Aug 14, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Thu, Aug 12, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Aug 10, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Tue, Jul 27, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Sat, Jul 17, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.
Mon, Jun 14, 2021
Radar estimate anywhere in the county: 0.75 in or larger (penny)
No hail reported in the county.

Check your own address →Weather in Rutherford County, NC 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.