NatureWorld record
Largest hailstone diameter officially measured
Record
20 cm
7.9 in
- Holder
- Vivian, South Dakota
- Year
- Standing since
- 2010 (16 years)
✓ Value cross-checked in a second source
What to remember
On 23 July 2010, a hailstone 20 cm in diameter fell in Vivian, South Dakota. It is the largest hailstone diameter ever officially measured, and its circumference reached 47.3 cm.
Most hailstones are far smaller, usually between 5 mm and 15 cm across, so the Vivian stone sits beyond the usual range.
Hail forms in cumulonimbus clouds, where strong updrafts lift very humid air that freezes as it rises.
Related records
Sources and licences
- Value, holder and date: Wikipedia article “Hail” (revision used 1371034155). Data from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo: nssl0001, National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) Collection, Photo licensed under Public domain (Wikimedia Commons).
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