On 29 September 1996, a hailstorm approached the city of Armidale from the west-south-west measuring two kilometres wide and 15 kilometres long.

Hailstones fell measuring up to 80 millimetres in diameter and southerly winds were recorded up to 160 kilometres per hour at the Armidale Airport weather station. State Emergency Service crews were brought in from across the state to assist.

The area was declared a disaster zone. Five thousand buildings and homes and 4000 motor vehicles were damaged. Ten people sustained serious injury.

The Insurance Council of Australia estimated the 1996 storm damage at $104 million, with the 2011 estimated normalised cost of $288 million.