Buffalo County, Nebraska: hail history 2014–2026
Buffalo County ranks #16 of 87 Nebraska counties for hail: 139.5 reports per 1,000 square miles, 136 reports in all. Of 59 days at 1 inch or more, 26 topped 1.75. Record: 4 inches (a grapefruit), June 7, 2022 near Ravenna.
- 136reports
- 59days, 1 in+
- 26days, 1.75 in+
- 4 inlargest stone
Hail since my roof went on: Buffalo County
Year by year
| Year | Reports | Days 1 in+ | Days 1.75 in+ | Largest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 21 | 8 | 4 | 2.75 in |
| 2015 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 2.5 in |
| 2016 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 in |
| 2017 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1.5 in |
| 2018 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1.75 in |
| 2019 | 16 | 9 | 4 | 2 in |
| 2020 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1.75 in |
| 2021 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 in |
| 2022 | 24 | 11 | 6 | 4 in |
| 2023 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 2.75 in |
| 2024 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 1.75 in |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1.75 in |
2022 was the busiest year (24 reports) and 2016 the quietest (3). 12 reports a year in 2014 to 2019 against 10 in 2020 to 2025: close to flat. Days with 1-inch stones average 4.9 per full year. NOAA puts reported hail damage at $26 million over the period.
Buffalo County: reports by month
| Jan | 0 |
|---|---|
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 2 |
| Apr | 19 |
| May | 23 |
| Jun | 31 |
| Jul | 25 |
| Aug | 18 |
| Sep | 13 |
| Oct | 4 |
| Nov | 1 |
| Dec | 0 |
June is the peak at 23% of reports; July follows with 18%. May to July alone bring 58%. 7 of 136 reports fell outside April to September.
Largest stone: 4 inches
Reported hail locations, Buffalo County
- 691 to 1.74 in
- 321.75 to 2.74 in, golf ball to tennis ball
- 32.75 in and up, baseball
Largest plotted stone: 4 in. Bigger dots are bigger stones.
104 reports of 1 inch or larger have coordinates. Each dot is a reported location, not a storm path.
Sources: NOAA, Census county outlineBuffalo County’s ten biggest hail days
| Date | Size | Reports | Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 7, 2022 | 4 in, a grapefruit | 3 | Ravenna · $4 million damage |
| June 14, 2014 | 2.75 in, a baseball | 6 | Gibbon |
| July 11, 2023 | 2.75 in, a baseball | 1 | Ravenna |
| September 9, 2015 | 2.5 in, a tennis ball | 6 | Kearney |
| July 22, 2023 | 2.5 in, a tennis ball | 3 | Odessa |
| August 10, 2023 | 2 in, a hen egg | 5 | Glenwood Park · $5 million damage |
| April 18, 2015 | 2 in, a hen egg | 3 | Riverdale |
| May 27, 2019 | 2 in, a hen egg | 3 | Kearney · $1 million damage |
| September 30, 2019 | 2 in, a hen egg | 1 | Kearney |
| June 15, 2021 | 2 in, a hen egg | 1 | Shelton |
“Hail ranging in size from golf balls to baseballs was reported from 2 miles south of Gibbon to the west edge of Gibbon.”
NWS report, June 14, 2014
“Golf ball to baseball size hail was reported in the area. One spotter reported a broken windshield.”
NWS report, July 11, 2023
Tornadoes and wind in Buffalo County
5 tornadoes on record in Buffalo County; the strongest listed is EF1, 2.32 miles long, near Ravenna. Top gust: 92 mph near Gibbon.
| Date | Rating | Path length | Width | Near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 26, 2024 | EF1 | 2.32 mi | 175 yd | Ravenna |
| December 15, 2021 | EF0 | 5.63 mi | 120 yd | Gibbon |
| December 15, 2021 | EF0 | 5.39 mi | 150 yd | Gibbon |
| December 25, 2016 | EF0 | 4.18 mi | 50 yd | Centennial Arpt |
| May 9, 2016 | EF0 | 0.01 mi | 20 yd | Odessa |
| Date | Gust | Near |
|---|---|---|
| December 15, 2021 | 92 mph | Gibbon |
| August 27, 2017 | 85 mph | Pleasanton |
| December 25, 2016 | 81 mph | Kearney |
| July 9, 2021 | 81 mph | Elm Creek |
| August 8, 2023 | 77 mph | Odessa |
| April 29, 2022 | 75 mph | Shelton |
Homes in Buffalo County
Median build year in Buffalo County: 1979. 75.8% of 21,181 homes predate 2000. Houses permitted since 2014: 1,655, or 78.1 per 1,000 homes. Busiest year: 2018.
| pre-1940 | 14.5% |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 3.3% |
| 1950s | 6.4% |
| 1960s | 8.6% |
| 1970s | 18.6% |
| 1980s | 9.9% |
| 1990s | 14.6% |
| 2000s | 12.4% |
| 2010s | 10.9% |
| 2020+ | 0.8% |
| Year | Houses | All units |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 153 | 277 |
| 2015 | 169 | 210 |
| 2016 | 133 | 215 |
| 2017 | 122 | 165 |
| 2018 | 181 | 189 |
| 2019 | 101 | 142 |
| 2020 | 162 | 217 |
| 2021 | 162 | 207 |
| 2022 | 106 | 109 |
| 2023 | 119 | 119 |
| 2024 | 119 | 127 |
| 2025 | 128 | 132 |
Quick answers
How many hail reports has Buffalo County had?
NOAA logged 136 hail reports in Buffalo County, Nebraska, from 2014 to 2025.
How many days had hail of 1 inch or larger in Buffalo County?
59 days, including 26 days with hail of 1.75 inches or larger. The National Weather Service calls hail of 1 inch or larger severe.
What was the largest hail reported in Buffalo County?
4 inches (a grapefruit), reported on June 7, 2022.
Which month has the most hail in Buffalo County?
June has the most reports, 23% of the 136 in the record.
Does a hail day in the record mean my roof was damaged?
A counted day only means a spotter reported hail somewhere in the area. An inspection is the only way to know whether a roof was hit.
Next steps for Buffalo County
Buffalo County cities we cover
Next to Buffalo County in the Nebraska ranking
- Douglas County (198 reports)
- Lancaster County (186 reports)
- Hall County (85 reports)
- Sarpy County (78 reports)
Cite this page
Data version: NOAA Storm Events hail data, 2014 to June 2026, loaded October 6, 2026. All dataset versions. Download the table as CSV. Free to quote with credit under CC BY 4.0.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, public domain. Counts and tables on this page are free to reuse with credit to PickARoofer under CC BY 4.0.