Data current as of 2026-10-16 · Sourced from NOAA Storm Events
Over the past five years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has recorded 41 hail storms within 25 miles of Albert Lea, MN. Of those, 34 produced hail at least quarter-size — the threshold most insurance carriers consider potentially damaging to asphalt shingles. The largest reported hail in this window was baseball-sized or larger, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2022 was the most active year on record locally, with 14 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Albert Lea| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | 1 event | Baseball+ size, structural roof damage likely |
| Destructive | 3 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 11 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 19 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 7 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 5 events |
| 2025 | 13 events |
| 2024 | 5 events |
| 2023 | 4 events |
| 2022 | 14 events |
2022 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Albert Lea, with 14 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Albert Lea typically peaks in spring and early summer, when the jet stream pushes Gulf moisture into the area and supercell thunderstorms become more frequent.
| Date | Location | Severity | Size | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-02 | 3 S Waldorf, MN | Significant | 1.00" | quarter sized hail reported on spotter network. |
| 2026-08-07 | 2 NE Bricelyn, MN | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-05-27 | 2 S Albert Lea, MN | Moderate | 0.88" | Photo of nickel size hail provided via NWS Chat. Time estimated via radar. |
| 2026-04-23 | Albert Lea, MN | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-04-23 | ALBERT LEA, MN | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2025-09-21 | OTISCO, MN | Destructive | 2.00" | — |
| 2025-09-21 | BLOOMING PRAIRIE, MN | Severe | 1.75" | Golf ball size hail on Hwy 30 west of Blooming Prairie. |
| 2025-09-21 | BIXBY, MN | Significant | 1.00" | Report of a large amount of hail, the largest around quarter sized. |
| 2025-09-21 | OTISCO, MN | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2025-06-12 | VARCO, MN | Severe | 1.50" | The public reported ping pong ball sized hail 3 miles southeast of Varco. |
| 2025-06-12 | LYLE, MN | Significant | 1.00" | The public reported quarter sized hail 3 miles east-northeast of Lyle. |
| 2025-06-12 | MAPLEVIEW, MN | Severe | 1.50" | The public reported ping pong ball sized hail in the city of Austin. |
| 2025-04-28 | CONGER, MN | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2025-04-28 | BRUSH CREEK, MN | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2025-04-28 | STEELE CENTER, MN | Severe | 1.75" | Measurement provided via social media. |
| 2025-04-28 | (AEL)ALBERT LEA ARPT, MN | Severe | 1.50" | Photo measurement provided via social media. |
| 2025-04-28 | (AEL)ALBERT LEA ARPT, MN | Moderate | 0.88" | Photo measurement of nickel sized hail near the intersection of Hwy 13 and County Rd 101. |
| 2025-04-28 | AUSTIN ACRES, MN | Moderate | 0.75" | The public reported penny sized hail in the city of Austin. The report was relayed via mPing. |
| 2024-09-19 | LAKE MILLS, IA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2024-09-19 | LAKE MILLS, IA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
NOAA has recorded 52 high-wind events within 25 miles of Albert Lea, MN in the past five years. Of those, 52 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 81 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 26 events |
| Significant | 26 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-20 | 3 S Hope, MN | 52 | Significant | Mesonet station MN096 I-35 - Hope - Mp 30. |
| 2026-05-18 | 2 WSW Austin, MN | 63 | Significant | — |
| 2026-05-18 | Austin Airport, MN | 61 | Significant | — |
| 2026-05-17 | CONGER, MN | 68 | Severe | Damage to trees and partial roof damage to a house due to thunderstorm winds estimated at 68 mph. |
| 2026-05-17 | BRICELYN, MN | 58 | Significant | Thunderstorm wind gusts snapped a large branch from the base of a tree. |
| 2026-05-17 | GLENVILLE, MN | 64 | Severe | Partial machine shed damage due to thunderstorm winds estimated at 65 mph. |
| 2026-05-17 | AUSTIN ACRES, MN | 63 | Significant | The public reported a 63 mph wind gust near Austin. |
| 2026-05-17 | AUSTIN, MN | 61 | Significant | The AWOS at Austin Municipal Airport reported a 61 mph wind gust. |
| 2026-04-23 | (AEL)ALBERT LEA ARPT, MN | 62 | Significant | AWOS located at Albert Lea Municipal Airport a 62-mph wind gust. |
| 2026-04-23 | 2 N Albert Lea, MN | 62 | Significant | AWOS station KAEL Albert Lea AP. |
| 2025-08-09 | ALDEN, MN | 64 | Severe | Power lines were downed across I90 eastbound near Alden, MN. |
| 2025-08-09 | ALDEN, MN | 68 | Severe | Numerous trees and power lines were downed throughout the city of Alden. |
| 2025-07-28 | HAYFIELD, MN | 69 | Severe | The public reported numerous soft and hardwood trees down near Blooming Prairie. |
| 2025-07-28 | LYLE, MN | 58 | Significant | The mesonet station 4 miles north of Lyle reported a 58 mph wind gust. |
| 2025-07-27 | RAMSEY, MN | 58 | Significant | The public reported downed trees 2 miles northwest of Ramsey. |
| 2025-07-27 | LYLE, MN | 64 | Severe | A mesonet station 4 miles north-northeast of Lyle measured a 65 mph wind gust. |
| 2025-06-12 | VARCO, MN | 58 | Significant | Broadcast media relayed photos of fallen large trees and tree limbs near Austin. |
| 2024-09-19 | NORTHWOOD, IA | 60 | Significant | Several trees down. Time estimate by radar. |
| 2024-09-19 | GORDONSVILLE, MN | 60 | Significant | Multiple trees were down in Gordonsville. |
| 2024-09-19 | GORDONSVILLE, MN | 69 | Severe | Dozens of mature trees were down along 810th Avenue north of Gordonsville. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Albert Lea was on September 2, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Albert Lea averages roughly 8 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 34 of the 41 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Albert Lea in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Albert Lea-area hail falls in the marble-to-quarter range, with destructive storms (egg-size or larger) appearing roughly once every few years.
Most homeowners insurance policies in MN cover hail damage to roofs, siding, and gutters under the dwelling and other-structures coverage. Coverage typically requires the damage to be tied to a verifiable storm date — which is where the NOAA hail history above (and a HAAG-style test square validation) becomes important for the claim file.
Use the HailCheck address search to enter any street address in or near Albert Lea. HailCheck returns every NOAA hail event within a configurable radius, along with severity bands, dates, and storm narratives for Pro members.
If your property in or near Albert Lea took on hail during one of the storms above, the standard process for documenting damage is a 10×10 foot test square inspection. A HAAG-trained reviewer counts impact indicators — granule displacement, mat fractures, and bruising — within the marked square and produces a PASS or FAIL document for the claim file.
HailCheck offers a $99 photo-based HAAG-style test square validation. You submit photos from the field, our reviewer evaluates the impact indicators and cross-references the NOAA storm dates listed above, and a written PASS/FAIL determination is returned within one business day. We do not send anyone to the roof — the validation is built around the photos you submit.
Learn About $99 HAAG-Style ValidationAlbert Lea sits east of the traditional hail alley, where hail events are less frequent than the central plains but tend to be associated with strong squall lines and tropical systems. Local roof systems are less commonly hardened for hail, which can mean even moderate impacts produce claim-worthy damage.