When hail season peaks in six Plains and Midwest states

Hail events by month, 2016-2025

These are hail events per month in NOAA's Storm Events Database over ten years, with each state's busiest month in bold. The months from November through February are left out of the table because they are close to empty everywhere except Texas and Oklahoma.

Each hail report is logged against the county where it fell. The National Weather Service's Storm Data instruction has forecasters enter every report of hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, and it sets 1 inch as the minimum size for severe hail.

The season moves north

The table reads like a map. Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas all peak in May. Nebraska and Colorado peak in June, and Minnesota in July.

The peaks are also tight. April through June holds 77 percent of the decade's Texas hail events, 72 percent in Oklahoma and 68 percent in Kansas. May through July holds 77 percent in Colorado and 67 percent in both Nebraska and Minnesota. In every one of these states, three months hold at least two-thirds of the decade's hail events.

How much of it is large hail

The monthly table counts hail of every size logged. Here are the same states at two larger thresholds, sizes the Storm Data instruction's conversion table compares to a quarter (1 inch) and a lime (2 inches):

If you are weighing an upgrade, the National Roofing Directory's explainer on Class 4 impact-resistant shingles covers how those products are rated.

Booking windows, state by state

Texas and Oklahoma

December through February is the lull. Texas logged 433 hail events across all the Decembers, Januaries and Februaries of the decade, against 4,704 in its Mays alone, and Oklahoma logged 104. Then March jumps to 1,559 in Texas and 551 in Oklahoma. Get planned replacements finished by the end of February. Oklahoma also shows a second, smaller bump in October (212), so a fall inspection is worth booking there.

Kansas and Nebraska

These two states had almost no winter hail: Kansas logged none in January, and Nebraska only one each in January and February. Kansas keeps a long tail into late summer, with 716 events in August and 419 in September. November, when Kansas recorded 20 and Nebraska 3, is the cleanest month for an after-season inspection and for work that has to be done before spring.

Colorado

Colorado recorded no hail at all from November through February and only 3 events in March. The catch is snow: the same months carry most of the state's winter storm and heavy snow events, so the hail-free months are not always roofing weather. Book early for late winter or early spring so your roofer can use the dry days before May, when hail events jump to 998.

Minnesota

Minnesota's season starts late and ends late. It has 359 hail events in September, more than it records in April. The quiet windows sit on either side of the snow: April, with 211 events, and October, with 34.

After a hailstorm

Once hail has fallen in your county, the order of operations is simple: photograph what you can see from the ground, then have a roofer look at the roof itself. NRD's guide to documenting roof damage for a claim lists what to capture, and the roof insurance claim process explains the steps that follow. To see where storms are active now, use the National Roofing Directory's Storm Center. The full state-by-state calendar is on the homepage.

Frequently asked questions

When does hail season start in Texas?

March is when it turns on. NOAA's database lists 1,559 Texas hail events in March over 2016-2025, against 195 in February, and the count climbs to 3,425 in April and 4,704 in May.

Is hail season over by September in Minnesota?

No. Minnesota recorded 359 hail events in September over the decade, more than its 211 in April. The count drops sharply in October, to 34.

What size hail counts as severe?

The National Weather Service's Storm Data instruction sets 1 inch in diameter, about the size of a quarter, as the minimum for severe hail. Forecasters still enter every report of hail three-quarters of an inch or larger.

When should I book a roof replacement in Kansas?

In the off-season. Kansas logged no hail events in January and only 16 in December over the decade, compared with 2,577 in May, so a contract signed in fall for winter or very early spring work avoids the peak.