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 25 hail storms within 25 miles of Beckley, WV. Of those, 13 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 ping pong ball-sized, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 18 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Beckley| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 2 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 11 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 11 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Minor | 1 event | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 events |
| 2024 | 4 events |
| 2022 | 3 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Beckley, with 18 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Beckley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-21 | 1 NNE Pipestem, WV | Significant | 1.00" | Hail 1 inch in diameter is observed on True Road in Pipestem. |
| 2026-05-13 | GHENT, WV | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2026-05-13 | 6 S Shady Spring, WV | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2026-05-13 | 1 NE Bradley, WV | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). Time is estimated by radar. |
| 2026-04-01 | BEAVER, WV | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2026-04-01 | 1 E Beaver, WV | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-04-01 | BEAVER, WV | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-04-01 | 1 N Daniels, WV | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-04-01 | 1 N Daniels, WV | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-04-01 | Daniels, WV | Moderate | 0.50" | Size estimated from a photo provided from the media. Time is estimated from radar. |
| 2026-04-01 | 1 SW Macarthur, WV | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-04-01 | Beckley, WV | Minor | 0.25" | Also strong wind but no estimate of speed, no known damage, frequent lightning. |
| 2026-04-01 | BLUE JAY, WV | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-04-01 | 1 NE Lerona, WV | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2026-04-01 | PIPESTEM, WV | Moderate | 0.75" | Staff at a radio station reported 0.75 inch diameter hail near the community of Lerona in Summers County. |
| 2026-04-01 | 1 NNE Pipestem, WV | Significant | 1.00" | One inch size hail reported at Pipestem Resort State Park. |
| 2026-04-01 | PIPESTEM, WV | Significant | 1.00" | Hail that was one inch in diameter was reported at Pipestem Resort State Park. |
| 2026-04-01 | 1 E Pipestem, WV | Moderate | 0.50" | — |
| 2024-04-16 | HILLTOP, WV | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2024-04-16 | HOPEWELL, WV | Significant | 1.00" | — |
NOAA has recorded 127 high-wind events within 25 miles of Beckley, WV in the past five years. Of those, 124 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 110 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Destructive | 2 events |
| Severe | 3 events |
| Significant | 119 events |
| Moderate | 3 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-10 | 2 ESE Stanaford, WV | 43 | Moderate | ASOS station KBKW Beckley Airport. |
| 2026-09-05 | 2 ESE Stanaford, WV | 31 | Moderate | ASOS station KBKW Beckley Airport. |
| 2026-07-04 | 3 SE Jumping Branch, WV | 50 | Significant | Pea sized hail also. |
| 2026-06-22 | NAOMA, WV | 52 | Significant | A downed tree was observed on Coal River Road between Horse Creek Road and Peachtree Road. |
| 2026-06-22 | SPRAGUE, WV | 58 | Significant | Over 60 customers were without power due to tree damage. |
| 2026-06-18 | EDITH, WV | 58 | Significant | Several trees were observed down in the Oceana area. |
| 2026-06-18 | ARNETT, WV | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees and power lines were downed including on Johnny Hollow Road and Coal River Road. A wall cloud was also observed in the area. |
| 2026-06-18 | BURMA, WV | 58 | Significant | Over 2000 residents were without power from tree damage. |
| 2026-06-18 | CHERRY CREEK, WV | 58 | Significant | Around 700 residents were without power. |
| 2026-06-18 | ROCK CREEK, WV | 58 | Significant | At least 526 residents were without power due to tree damage. |
| 2026-06-18 | COOL RIDGE, WV | 58 | Significant | Trees and lines were downed on Farley Branch Road. |
| 2026-06-18 | HOTCOAL, WV | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees were downed in Sophia, Helen, and Coal City. |
| 2026-06-18 | QUINNIMONT, WV | 52 | Significant | A tree fell on Stanaford Road. |
| 2026-06-18 | MC GRAWS, WV | 58 | Significant | Several trees were observed down in the McGraws area. |
| 2026-06-18 | BEAVER, WV | 58 | Significant | Over 1700 residents were without power due to tree damage. There were several concentrated areas of outages. |
| 2026-06-18 | SANDSTONE, WV | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down across River Road just south of the Sandstone USPS Office. |
| 2026-06-14 | PINEVILLE KEE FLD, WV | 52 | Significant | One tree blew down onto R.D. Bailey Highway. |
| 2026-06-14 | HARRIS, WV | 52 | Significant | In the Harris community, a downed tree was observed along WV 85 at the foot of Bolt Mountain. |
| 2026-06-14 | SWEENEYBURG, WV | 52 | Significant | A tree and adjacent power lines were blown down in Sweeneysburg. |
| 2026-06-14 | POSEY, WV | 52 | Significant | A tree blew down and blocked one lane along Bolt Road near the town of Posey. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Beckley was on September 21, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Beckley averages roughly 5 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 13 of the 25 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Beckley in the last five years was ping pong ball-sized. Most Beckley-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 WV 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 Beckley. 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 Beckley 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 ValidationBeckley 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.