Historical hail archive: January 2016–December 2025. NOAA radar estimates within 25 miles of each city centre. ZIP matches use the first three digits; this is not a property-level report or a live alert service. Coverage and source.
Hall County · Nebraska · NOAA radar record
The May 5, 2019 hailstorm — Grand Island, NE
Radar estimated the largest stone at 4.00 in (10.2 cm), Grapefruit size. It was the 1st biggest hail day on record for Grand Island since 2016. Radar detections fall within the hour range 20:00–24:00 UTC on this UTC calendar date. Local dates and times may differ.
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Data last refreshed: · source: NOAA NCEI Severe Weather Data Inventory, nx3hail
What those numbers mean
A 4.00 in stone is roughly what people call Grapefruit size. At this size damage is usually obvious — fractured shingles, dented gutters and vents, and often the decking underneath.
MAXSIZE is the algorithm's estimate of the largest stone aloft in the storm cell. Hail melts and breaks up on the way down, so what lands is usually smaller. And the swath is narrow: a detection 3.93 miles from downtown says nothing about your street. What radar can and cannot prove.
If you own a roof in Grand Island and this date means nothing to you, it is worth a look. Hail damage to asphalt shingles does not leak for years — and it looks different from what most people expect.
Where else it hailed that day
Radar also detected hail in 4 other areas on the same UTC date. These records do not establish that the areas shared one storm system.
| Area | Radar max | Metric | Signatures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln, NE | 3.25 in | 8.3 cm | 201 |
| Lubbock, TX | 2.75 in | 7.0 cm | 170 |
| Amarillo, TX | 2.25 in | 5.7 cm | 46 |
| Omaha, NE | 2.00 in | 5.1 cm | 18 |
What Grand Island took either side of it
Before
- April 27, 20191.25 in (3.2 cm) — Half dollar size, radar-estimated
- April 22, 20193.25 in (8.3 cm) — Teacup size, radar-estimated
- April 17, 20190.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
- April 11, 20191.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
- April 7, 20191.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
Since
- May 12, 20191.00 in (2.5 cm) — Quarter size, radar-estimated
- May 24, 20193.00 in (7.6 cm) — Teacup size, radar-estimated
- May 27, 20190.75 in (1.9 cm) — Penny size, radar-estimated
- May 28, 20192.25 in (5.7 cm) — Hen egg size, radar-estimated
- June 3, 20191.50 in (3.8 cm) — Ping-pong ball size, radar-estimated
Were you there?
Photographs and first-hand reports of a specific storm are the one thing about this date that exists nowhere else. Add yours on your city's page — no name, no email, structured fields only.
Common questions
Did hail hit my house on May 5, 2019?
This page tells you only that radar detected hail within 25 miles of downtown Grand Island. Hail swaths are narrow and sharply bounded — one street can be wrecked and the next untouched. Check your ZIP on the home page, then go and look at the roof.
How big was the hail?
The algorithm estimated the largest stone in the storm cell at 4.00 in (10.2 cm) — Grapefruit size. That is an estimate of what was aloft, not a measurement of what landed. Ground truth is usually smaller.
Can I use this page for an insurance claim?
You can use it as evidence of a date of loss — the source is NOAA's public database and we cite it. It does not prove damage to your roof; only an inspection does that. Our claim letter generator drops this citation into your notice of claim for you.
Why have I never heard about this storm?
Most hail never makes the news. Radar sees far more of it than anybody reports, which is exactly why these pages exist.
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