629
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
1
Direct injuries
$635K
Property damage
Hail in Shawnee County, Kansas: 629 recorded events between 1955 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 5.25. That places the county #44 nationally and #8 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Hail in Shawnee County, Kansas: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for hail in Shawnee County is the 2000s, when 202 of the county's 629 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Shawnee County archive, hail makes up 43.2% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #44 for this hazard and #8 within Kansas, putting it in the 98.6 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for hail in Shawnee County with 188 recorded events, while Jan is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2011 | (TOP)BILLARD ARPT TO | 2.5 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 27, 2026 | PAULINE | 1.25 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | ELMONT | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | LAKE SHAWNEE | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | MENOKEN | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | (TOP)BILLARD ARPT TO | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | TOPEKA | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | MENOKEN | 1.5 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | MENOKEN | 1.75 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | PAULINE | 1 | $0 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | MENOKEN | 1 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Shawnee County
- Thunderstorm Wind 625
- Flash Flood 92
- Tornado 51
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Large hail damaged windows, roofs, and vehicles near Topeka. The hail also knocked holes in the vinyl siding of a house. This was the worst hailstorm to strike Shawnee county in a number of years. The number of roofs and windows damaged was numerous.
Large hail fell at the National Weather Service Office in Topeka. Widespread golfball size hail was reported, with some stones up to two inches in diameter. Several cars in the neighborhood were damaged, including those of the meteorlogists working at the NWS.
Two reports of 1 inch diameter hail were received from Willard, with one being reported just north of the Kansas River. Three minor accidents also occurred about 1 mile east of Willard on Interstate 70, caused by slick roads and backed up traffic. One indirect injury was reported in the accidents.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many hail events are on record in Shawnee County, Kansas?
629 hail events are recorded in Shawnee County between 1955 and 2026, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest hail recorded in Shawnee County?
The strongest hail on record in Shawnee County measured 5.25.
Where does the hail data for Shawnee County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Hail in Shawnee County, Kansas.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kansas/shawnee-county/hail/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.