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 10 hail storms within 25 miles of Amherst, NY. Of those, 7 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 quarter-sized or larger, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2024 was the most active year on record locally, with 6 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Amherst| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Significant | 7 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Minor | 3 events | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 events |
| 2024 | 6 events |
| 2023 | 1 event |
2024 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Amherst, with 6 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Amherst 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | Buffalo Airport, NY | Minor | 0.01" | — |
| 2026-03-06 | 1 SW Rapids, NY | Minor | 0.03" | — |
| 2026-03-06 | 3 WSW Sanborn, NY | Minor | 0.01" | ASOS station KIAG Niagara Falls Airport. |
| 2024-07-22 | EAST AURORA, NY | Significant | 1.00" | Nickel to quarter sized hailstones reported in East Aurora. |
| 2024-07-15 | BUFFALO, NY | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2024-07-15 | BUFFALO, NY | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2024-07-15 | BUFFALO, NY | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2024-07-15 | FERRY VLG, NY | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2024-07-10 | ORCHARD PARK, NY | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2023-08-10 | WENDELVILLE, NY | Significant | 1.00" | — |
NOAA has recorded 83 high-wind events within 25 miles of Amherst, NY in the past five years. Of those, 83 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 85 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 2 events |
| Significant | 81 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-09 | 4 WSW Sanborn, NY | 49 | Significant | — |
| 2026-07-01 | Buffalo Airport, NY | 56 | Significant | — |
| 2026-05-19 | CLARENCE CENTER, NY | 58 | Significant | Tree downed on Thompson Road between Roll Road and Greiner Road. |
| 2026-05-19 | LEWISTON, NY | 58 | Significant | Large tree branch downed several lines at Oneida St. and Rudlen Road. |
| 2026-05-19 | LOCKPORT, NY | 58 | Significant | Tree down across Jefferson Drive. |
| 2026-05-19 | LOCKPORT, NY | 58 | Significant | A large tree down across north Transit Street. |
| 2026-05-19 | WENDELVILLE, NY | 58 | Significant | Tree down on Campbell Boulevard. |
| 2026-05-19 | CARLISLE GARDENS, NY | 58 | Significant | Tree and wires down near Akron St. and Davison Rd. |
| 2026-05-19 | ESCARPMENT, NY | 58 | Significant | Tree and several wires down on Upper Mountain Road. |
| 2026-05-19 | NORTH TONAWANDA, NY | 58 | Significant | Tree fell down on Wheatfield Street, partially blocking traffic. |
| 2026-05-19 | SHELBY, NY | 58 | Significant | A tree down in Shelby. |
| 2026-05-19 | MIDDLEPORT, NY | 58 | Significant | Large tree and wires down on Telegraph Rd near Vernon Street. |
| 2026-05-09 | Buffalo Airport, NY | 58 | Significant | — |
| 2026-05-09 | 2 WSW Buffalo, NY | 48 | Significant | — |
| 2026-05-09 | NEWFANE, NY | 58 | Significant | Trees downed. |
| 2026-03-31 | EAST HAMBURG, NY | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees snapped in a yard on Davis Street. |
| 2025-05-16 | LACKAWANNA, NY | 58 | Significant | Downed power lines on Lakewood Avenue in Buffalo. |
| 2025-04-19 | SPRING BROOK STATION, NY | 58 | Significant | Trees and wires downed. |
| 2025-04-19 | ELMA CENTER, NY | 58 | Significant | Trees and wires downed. |
| 2025-04-19 | CORFU, NY | 58 | Significant | Trees and wires downed with over 1,000 customers without power from Pembroke to Batavia. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Amherst was on July 22, 2024. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Amherst averages roughly 2 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 7 of the 10 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Amherst in the last five years was quarter-sized or larger. Most Amherst-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 NY 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 Amherst. 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 Amherst 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 ValidationAmherst 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.