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 72 hail storms within 25 miles of Billings, MT. Of those, 64 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. 2025 was the most active year on record locally, with 30 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Billings| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Destructive | 13 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 19 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 32 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 7 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Minor | 1 event | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 events |
| 2025 | 30 events |
| 2024 | 2 events |
| 2023 | 1 event |
| 2022 | 26 events |
2025 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Billings, with 30 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Billings 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-07 | Shepherd, MT | Destructive | 2.00" | Numerous public reports of hail around 2 inch in diameter. Windows broken out. |
| 2026-09-07 | 1 SW Shepherd, MT | Destructive | 2.75" | Corrects previous hail report from 1 SW Shepherd due to incorrect time. Public reported hail estimated between golf ball and baseball sized. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-09-07 | 1 SW Shepherd, MT | Destructive | 2.75" | Public reported hail estimated between golf ball and baseball sized. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-09-07 | 1 ENE Huntley, MT | Significant | 1.00" | 4 vehicles suffered hail damage. Several windows on a home were shattered. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-08-23 | 2 W Laurel, MT | Moderate | 0.70" | — |
| 2026-07-03 | 7 SSW Billings, MT | Moderate | 0.50" | Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-27 | Laurel, MT | Moderate | 0.88" | Dime to nickel sized hail. Rainfall filling curbs. |
| 2026-06-27 | 3 SSW Billings, MT | Minor | 0.25" | — |
| 2026-06-27 | Laurel, MT | Moderate | 0.70" | — |
| 2026-06-07 | 5 ESE Molt, MT | Moderate | 0.70" | — |
| 2026-06-07 | 6 W Billings, MT | Moderate | 0.70" | — |
| 2026-06-07 | 2 E Lockwood, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Delayed report. Measured pea to quarter sized hail. |
| 2026-06-07 | LOCKWOOD, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Delayed report. Measured pea to quarter sized hail. |
| 2025-08-07 | BILLINGS LOGAN ARPT, MT | Significant | 1.00" | From fcebook comment. |
| 2025-08-07 | BILLINGS LOGAN ARPT, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Corrects previous hail report from 1 wnw of Billings. |
| 2025-08-07 | BILLINGS LOGAN ARPT, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Hail drifts also reported. |
| 2025-08-07 | BILLINGS LOGAN ARPT, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Reported via phone call from the public. |
| 2025-08-07 | MOLT, MT | Severe | 1.75" | Large hail lasted 10 minutes. |
| 2025-08-07 | LAUREL MUNI ARPT, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Report given by local spotter. |
| 2025-08-07 | LAUREL MUNI ARPT, MT | Severe | 1.50" | Hail report by local spotter. |
NOAA has recorded 118 high-wind events within 25 miles of Billings, MT in the past five years. Of those, 118 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 78 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 28 events |
| Significant | 90 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-14 | 1 NW Billings, MT | 52 | Significant | ASOS station KBIL Billings. |
| 2026-09-14 | 2 SW Molt, MT | 50 | Significant | Mesonet station MOTM8 Molt S. |
| 2026-09-14 | 2 NNE Laurel, MT | 55 | Significant | AWOS station K6S8 2 NNE Laurel. |
| 2026-09-14 | 2 SW Molt, MT | 54 | Significant | Mesonet station MOTM8 Molt S. |
| 2026-09-14 | 2 NNE Laurel, MT | 51 | Significant | AWOS station K6S8 2 NNE Laurel. |
| 2026-09-14 | 1 NW Billings, MT | 56 | Significant | ASOS station KBIL Billings. |
| 2026-09-14 | 1 NW Billings, MT | 54 | Significant | ASOS station KBIL Billings. |
| 2026-09-14 | 2 NNE Laurel, MT | 54 | Significant | AWOS station K6S8 2 NNE Laurel. |
| 2026-09-14 | 2 NNE Laurel, MT | 61 | Significant | AWOS station K6S8 2 NNE Laurel. |
| 2026-09-14 | 12 SSE Billings, MT | 58 | Significant | Mesonet station BNGM8 Billings S. |
| 2026-09-14 | 3 SW Lockwood, MT | 55 | Significant | Mesonet station MTYRB 3.1 SW Lockwood (MT DOT). |
| 2026-09-14 | 6 S Lockwood, MT | 50 | Significant | Mesonet station SDAM8 Soda Springs. |
| 2026-09-14 | 3 SW Lockwood, MT | 60 | Significant | Mesonet station MTYRB 3.1 SW Lockwood (MT DOT). |
| 2026-09-14 | 12 SSE Billings, MT | 49 | Significant | Mesonet station BNGM8 Billings S. |
| 2026-09-14 | 6 S Lockwood, MT | 56 | Significant | Mesonet station SDAM8 Soda Springs. |
| 2026-09-14 | 12 SSE Billings, MT | 47 | Significant | Mesonet station BNGM8 Billings S. |
| 2026-09-14 | 3 SW Lockwood, MT | 57 | Significant | Mesonet station MTYRB 3.1 SW Lockwood (MT DOT). |
| 2026-09-14 | 12 SSE Billings, MT | 54 | Significant | Mesonet station BNGM8 Billings S. |
| 2026-09-07 | 1 NW Billings, MT | 53 | Significant | ASOS station KBIL Billings. |
| 2026-09-07 | 3 SW Lockwood, MT | 64 | Severe | Mesonet station MTYRB 3.1 SW Lockwood (MT DOT). |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Billings was on September 7, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Billings averages roughly 14 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 64 of the 72 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Billings in the last five years was egg-sized. Most Billings-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 MT 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 Billings. 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 Billings 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 ValidationBillings 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.