Massive Hailstone Sets New Connecticut State Record: NOAA

TERRYVILLE, CT — A massive hailstone that fell during a Fourth of July thunderstorm has officially set a new Connecticut state record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The 3.5-inch hailstone was discovered in Terryville on July 4, 2026, and has now been recognized as the largest hailstone by diameter ever documented in the state.

NOAA's State Climate Extremes Committee unanimously approved the record following an investigation that included photographs, measurements and an analysis of the storm that produced the hail.

Terryville resident Billy Johnpiere discovered the unusually large hailstone after severe thunderstorms swept through Litchfield County.

According to NOAA's report, Johnpiere heard loud impacts as hail struck his yard, nearby structures and vehicles. After the storm passed, his daughter suggested collecting some of the hailstones scattered outside their home.

The family photographed several of the stones, including one that measured 3.5 inches across.

Johnpiere preserved the hailstone in his freezer and shared photographs with NBC Connecticut meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan, who helped bring the discovery to the National Weather Service's attention.

National Weather Service meteorologists visited Johnpiere's home July 13 to examine and measure the hailstone.

Although the stone had shrunk somewhat during storage, officials determined that the measurements and photographs taken immediately after the storm supported the original 3.5-inch measurement.

The record surpasses the largest hail previously documented in Connecticut, which measured 2.75 inches in diameter.

NOAA records show hail of that size fell in Groton in 1969 and in Vernon, Manchester and Deep River during a severe storm in June 1995.

The 1995 storm caused extensive damage in Deep River, where hundreds of windows were broken and vehicles and buildings were damaged.

Large hail is relatively unusual in Connecticut. According to NOAA, hail measuring at least 2 inches in diameter had been documented only 15 times in the state's storm database between 1950 and the July 2026 event.

The committee voted unanimously Aug. 20 to recognize the Terryville hailstone as Connecticut's new record for hail diameter, with final approval granted Oct. 9.