Hail map — where did it hail today?
Dot size and color follow the reported stone size: yellow under 1″ (below the severe threshold), orange 1–2″ (quarter to hen egg), red 2″ and larger (hen egg to softball — destructive). Purple polygons are live severe thunderstorm warnings — the exact shapes issued by the National Weather Service, most of which carry a hail estimate. Reports are preliminary and location is as phoned in — a dot can be a mile or two off.
Hail reports — today and yesterday
| Date↕ | Time (UTC)↕ | Size↓ | Location↕ | County↕ | State↕ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading reports… | ||||||
Preliminary local storm reports from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Sizes are as reported by spotters — the official climatology is finalized months later.
Damaging wind reports (same storms) — 0 today + yesterday
| Date | Time (UTC) | Speed | Location | State | Notes |
|---|
Hail size chart — what the sizes mean
| Size | Compared to | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25″ · 0.6 cm | pea | Harmless; common under strong storms. |
| 0.75″ · 1.9 cm | penny | Shreds leaves and garden plants; stings but rarely damages property. |
| 1.00″ · 2.5 cm | quarter | NWS severe threshold. Can crack vinyl siding and damage old shingles and crops. |
| 1.50″ · 3.8 cm | ping-pong ball | Dents gutters and metal roofs, bruises fruit orchards. |
| 1.75″ · 4.4 cm | golf ball | Dents car hoods, cracks windshields, breaks thin skylights. |
| 2.50″ · 6.4 cm | tennis ball | Breaks windows and roof decking; dangerous to people and animals outside. |
| 2.75″ · 7.0 cm | baseball | Punches through roofs; totals cars left outside. |
| 4.00″+ · 10 cm+ | softball and up | Falls at 100+ mph — life-threatening; destroys roofs, cars and livestock shelter. |
After the hailstorm — a practical checklist
- Note the exact date and time. This page (and the NOAA report behind each dot) is public evidence that hail of a given size fell near your address — useful for an insurance claim.
- Photograph everything before cleanup: stones next to a coin or ruler, dents on cars, gutters and AC fins, granule piles washed off shingles at downspouts.
- Check the roof from the ground first (binoculars work) — walking a hail-damaged roof is dangerous and can void coverage. Look for dark round bruises on shingles, dents on vents and flashing.
- Beware of storm-chasing door knockers. After big hail, out-of-town crews canvass neighborhoods; use licensed local roofers and never sign over your whole claim on the doorstep.
- Report what you saw. Spotter reports (to your local NWS office) are exactly what feeds this map — sizes compared to coins or balls are the standard.
When and where does it hail most?
The U.S. sees more large hail than anywhere on Earth. The heart of it is Hail Alley — eastern Colorado, western Nebraska and Kansas, the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles — where the high, dry plains let hailstones reach the ground without melting. May and June are the peak months, and the classic pattern is late-afternoon supercells.
Hail costs the U.S. more insured losses than tornadoes in a typical year — $10+ billion annually, mostly to roofs, cars and crops. That is also why a single verified report of golf-ball hail over a suburb matters: it turns into thousands of roof inspections within a week.
Frequently asked questions
Where did it hail today?
Every dot on the map above is an official storm report from today or yesterday, with the reported stone size. Zoom to your area — if a dot sits near your town, hail was reported there. The page refreshes every 3 minutes, and reports typically appear within the hour of the storm.
What size hail damages a roof or a car?
Quarter-size (1″) is where shingle and siding damage starts. Golf-ball hail (1.75″) dents cars and cracks windshields. Tennis-ball and up (2.5″+) breaks windows and roof decking. Age and material matter: an older 3-tab shingle roof bruises far more easily than new architectural shingles or metal.
Why doesn't the map show a storm I know happened?
The map shows reports, not radar — someone has to see the hail and report it to the National Weather Service. Rural hail often goes unreported, and reports can lag the storm by an hour or more. For live storms, watch the purple severe-thunderstorm-warning polygons instead: most carry a radar-estimated maximum hail size.
Where does the data come from?
NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary local storm reports (hail and wind), the SPC Day-1 hail outlook, and live severe thunderstorm warnings from the National Weather Service API — all official U.S. government sources in the public domain, mirrored here every 10 minutes. For life-safety decisions always follow your local NWS office.
