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 22 hail storms within 25 miles of Bessemer, AL. Of those, 16 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 egg-sized, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2023 was the most active year on record locally, with 7 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Bessemer| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Destructive | 1 event | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 4 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 11 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 6 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 event |
| 2025 | 5 events |
| 2024 | 3 events |
| 2023 | 7 events |
| 2022 | 6 events |
2023 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Bessemer, with 7 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Bessemer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-26 | TRUSSVILLE, AL | Severe | 1.75" | Ping-pong to golf ball-sized hail in the Trussville area. |
| 2025-11-25 | MC CALLA, AL | Moderate | 0.88" | Nickel-size hail reported at the I-459 and I-20/59 interchange. |
| 2025-06-27 | IRONDALE, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter-size hail was reported near I-20 and Oporto Madrid Blvd. |
| 2025-05-18 | ELVIRA, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter-size hail along Southview Dr. |
| 2025-05-18 | PARKWOOD, AL | Significant | 1.25" | Reports of up to half dollar-size hail in Hoover. |
| 2025-05-18 | NEW HOPE, AL | Significant | 1.25" | Off duty NWS employee reported up to half dollar-size hail. |
| 2024-05-18 | DORA, AL | Moderate | 0.88" | Hail up to nickel size fell in Dora. |
| 2024-05-09 | CENTER PT, AL | Severe | 1.75" | Several reports of ping pong to golf ball size hail in the Center Point and Clay areas. |
| 2024-02-12 | OXMOOR, AL | Significant | 1.10" | A fast-moving thunderstorm produced up to just over quarter-size hail across the Shades Mountain area of Hoover. |
| 2023-08-09 | CHELSEA, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported in Chelsea. |
| 2023-06-16 | PALMERDALE, AL | Severe | 1.50" | Ping pong size hail reported in Palmerdale. |
| 2023-06-14 | ARGYLE, AL | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2023-05-16 | CAHABA HGTS, AL | Moderate | 0.75" | Penny size hail reported in Cahaba Heights. |
| 2023-05-09 | ELVIRA, AL | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2023-01-12 | TURNER, AL | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2023-01-12 | ARGYLE, AL | Severe | 1.75" | Several reports of golf ball size hail in the Chelsea area. |
| 2022-07-21 | COALMONT, AL | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2022-07-21 | FAIRFIELD, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported in Fairfield. |
| 2022-07-21 | DRIFTON, AL | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2022-05-21 | TAYLORS FERRY, AL | Significant | 1.25" | Report of half-dollar size hail near Franklin Ferry Bridge. |
NOAA has recorded 184 high-wind events within 25 miles of Bessemer, AL in the past five years. Of those, 181 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 75 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 16 events |
| Significant | 165 events |
| Moderate | 3 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-10 | 3 W Dogwood, AL | 55 | Significant | Near Pea Ridge in southwest Shelby County' associated with Isaias. |
| 2026-10-10 | Birmingham Internationa, AL | 46 | Significant | Associated with Isaias. |
| 2026-10-10 | Birmingham Internationa, AL | 49 | Significant | Associated with Isaias. |
| 2026-08-09 | 1 E Birmingham Internat, AL | 52 | Significant | — |
| 2026-07-25 | 0 E Birmingham Internat, AL | 41 | Moderate | BHM reported gust of 41 mph. |
| 2026-07-09 | 0 N Bessemer Airport, AL | 56 | Significant | — |
| 2026-06-01 | GILES, AL | 58 | Significant | A tree fell on a manufactured home in Woodstock. |
| 2026-06-01 | VESTAVIA HILLS, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed around Vestavia Hills and part of Hoover, including blocking one lane at Caldwell Mill and Camp Horner Road as well as a tree and power pole down along Rocky Ridge Rd at Lochridge. Additionally, a tree fell on a car on Indian Hill Rd. |
| 2026-06-01 | CALERA, AL | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees and several power lines were downed around Calera. |
| 2026-06-01 | MONTEVALLO, AL | 60 | Significant | Numerous trees were downed around Montevallo, leading to widespread power outages and numerous blocked roadways. Power outages continued into the next day, forcing the closure of several businesses and institutions. |
| 2026-06-01 | GURNEE JCT, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed near South Shades Crest Rd and Bluff Ridge Rd. |
| 2026-06-01 | DUNCAN, AL | 58 | Significant | A tree fell on a house on Avenue K in the Lipscomb/Brighton area. |
| 2026-06-01 | SPAULDING, AL | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees were downed in Bessemer, including two that fell on a house and a manufactured home. |
| 2026-06-01 | QUITO, AL | 58 | Significant | A tree was downed at Sunny Meadows Dr and Cahaba Valley Trace. |
| 2026-06-01 | Shelby County Airport, AL | 49 | Significant | Peak gust of 43 kts at EET. |
| 2026-06-01 | GENERY, AL | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees were downed on Morgan Rd, including one on a vehicle near County Road 13. |
| 2026-06-01 | ALABASTER, AL | 58 | Significant | Numerous trees were downed around Alabaster, including one on a manufactured home on Peavine Street and one on a house on Heather Lane. |
| 2026-06-01 | HELENA, AL | 58 | Significant | Numerous trees were downed in Helena. |
| 2026-06-01 | SAGINAW, AL | 60 | Significant | A few trees were snapped along County Road 26 and County Road 331. |
| 2026-06-01 | MAGELLA, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed along Lakeshore Parkway and Green Springs Highway. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Bessemer was on February 26, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Bessemer averages roughly 4 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 16 of the 22 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Bessemer in the last five years was egg-sized. Most Bessemer-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 AL 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 Bessemer. 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 Bessemer 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 ValidationBessemer 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.