Bismarck Hail — Storm History & NOAA Data for Bismarck, ND

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 93 hail storms within 25 miles of Bismarck, ND. Of those, 77 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. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 29 documented hail events.

Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Bismarck

Hail Severity Breakdown — Bismarck Area (Last 5 Years)

SeverityCountWhat it means for roofs
Catastrophic3 eventsBaseball+ size, structural roof damage likely
Destructive21 eventsEgg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage
Severe24 eventsPing pong-size, granule loss and bruising common
Significant29 eventsQuarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold
Moderate15 eventsMarble-size, possible cosmetic damage
Minor1 eventPea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles

Bismarck Hail Storms by Year

YearReported Hail Events Within 25 mi
202629 events
202523 events
202421 events
20236 events
202214 events

2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Bismarck, with 29 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Bismarck typically peaks in spring and early summer, when the jet stream pushes Gulf moisture into the area and supercell thunderstorms become more frequent.

Notable Recent Bismarck Hail Storms

Recent Hail Events Near Bismarck

DateLocationSeveritySizeNOAA Comments
2026-09-29 3 SSE Bismarck, ND Minor 0.25" Brief periods of small hail with heavy rain for about 10 minutes.
2026-08-12 3 W Crown Butte Lake, ND Severe 1.75" Photo shared by broadcast media. Hail lasted 17 minutes.
2026-08-12 Lincoln, ND Significant 1.25" —
2026-08-12 1 S Menoken, ND Destructive 2.75" Social media report and photo of baseball sized hail south of Menoken.
2026-08-12 2 S Lincoln, ND Destructive 2.50" Multiple reports of large hail in and around Lincoln. Largest around tennis ball sized.
2026-08-12 Lincoln, ND Destructive 2.00" —
2026-08-12 8 N Menoken, ND Significant 1.00" Mostly pea sized hail with a few nickel to quarter sized mixed in. Hail lasted 16 minutes ending at 1124 pm CDT. Little wind. 0.89 inches of rain.
2026-08-12 1 NE Lincoln, ND Significant 1.00" Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
2026-08-12 4 E Lincoln, ND Destructive 2.00" Photo relayed through social media.
2026-08-12 3 WSW Lincoln, ND Moderate 0.88" —
2026-08-12 3 W Menoken, ND Destructive 2.75" Public social media report and photo of near baseball size hail south of Apple Valley.
2026-07-19 6 N Menoken, ND Significant 1.25" Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.).
2026-07-19 7 NE Bismarck, ND Severe 1.50" Broadcast media relayed picture. Time based on radar.
2026-07-19 6 NNE Bismarck, ND Severe 1.50" Broadcast media relayed picture compared to a ping pong ball. Time based on radar.
2026-07-19 5 NE Bismarck, ND Significant 1.25" —
2026-07-19 5 NNE Bismarck, ND Significant 1.00" Social media picture of hailstone in the palm of a hand.
2026-07-19 7 NW Menoken, ND Severe 1.75" Broadcast media reported pictures. Time based on radar.
2026-07-02 Saint Anthony, ND Moderate 0.70" —
2026-06-29 4 N Bismarck, ND Significant 1.00" —
2026-06-29 Mandan, ND Destructive 2.00" Trained weather spotter reports hail up to 2 inches in Mandan. Hail ranged from 1.5 to 2.0 inches in size, and lasted for around 5 minutes. Also report numerous 1 inch tree branches down in their yard due to strong winds, and torrential rainfall. Time estimated by radar.

Wind Storm History — Bismarck Area (Last 5 Years)

NOAA has recorded 60 high-wind events within 25 miles of Bismarck, ND in the past five years. Of those, 60 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 110 mph.

SeverityCount
Destructive2 events
Severe35 events
Significant23 events

Recent Wind Events Near Bismarck

DateLocationGust (mph)SeverityNOAA Comments
2026-08-03 4 W Huff, ND 66 Severe Mesonet station EW9213 Huff Hills.
2026-08-03 4 S Mandan, ND 62 Significant AWOS station KY19 Mandan.
2026-08-03 2 W Lincoln, ND 58 Significant ASOS station KBIS Bismarck Airport.
2026-07-24 1 E Mckenzie, ND 73 Severe 73 MPH gust measured at 10M at McKenzie 2E NDAWN. 53 MPH measured at 3M.
2026-07-24 1 E Mckenzie, ND 75 Severe 75 MPH gust measured at 10M at McKenzie 2E NDAWN. 57 MPH measured at 3M.
2026-07-24 2 SSW Baldwin, ND 56 Significant Measured wind gust at private weather station.
2026-07-10 9 SSW Saint Anthony, ND 57 Significant 57 MPH wind gust at 10M recorded at 8SW St. Anthony NDAWN.
2026-06-29 4 SSW Mandan, ND 63 Significant 63 MPH wind gust at 10M measured from Mandan 4S NDAWN.
2026-06-29 MANDAN MUNI ARPT, ND 63 Significant Mandan NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 63 mph.
2026-06-08 2 W Lincoln, ND 68 Severe ASOS station KBIS Bismarck Airport.
2026-06-07 (BIS)BISMARCK MUNI A, ND 68 Severe Bismarck Airport ASOS reported wind gusts up to 68 mph.
2026-05-14 2 W Lincoln, ND 52 Significant ASOS station KBIS Bismarck Airport.
2026-05-14 1 E Mckenzie, ND 57 Significant NDAWN 10 meter peak wind gust.
2025-08-08 BISMARCK, ND 63 Significant —
2025-08-08 (BIS)BISMARCK MUNI A, ND 70 Severe A five inch diameter cottonwood tree was snapped off near its base.
2025-08-08 BISMARCK, ND 68 Severe —
2025-08-08 (BIS)BISMARCK MUNI A, ND 62 Significant —
2025-07-28 (BIS)BISMARCK MUNI A, ND 58 Significant —
2025-07-22 MANDAN MUNI ARPT, ND 71 Severe —
2025-06-27 MC KENZIE, ND 81 Severe Two large trees were uprooted and were laying across a road.

Frequently Asked Questions About Bismarck Hail

When was the last major hail storm in Bismarck, ND?

The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Bismarck was on August 12, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.

How often does it hail in Bismarck?

Bismarck averages roughly 19 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 77 of the 93 events recorded over the last five years.

How big does hail typically get in Bismarck?

The largest documented hail near Bismarck in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Bismarck-area hail falls in the marble-to-quarter range, with destructive storms (egg-size or larger) appearing roughly once every few years.

Does my insurance cover hail damage in ND?

Most homeowners insurance policies in ND 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.

How do I check hail history for a specific Bismarck address?

Use the HailCheck address search to enter any street address in or near Bismarck. HailCheck returns every NOAA hail event within a configurable radius, along with severity bands, dates, and storm narratives for Pro members.

What a HAAG-Style Test Square Validation Means in Bismarck

If your property in or near Bismarck 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 Validation

Why Bismarck's Location Matters for Hail

Bismarck sits inside the central United States hail belt, where warm Gulf moisture collides with cold continental air to produce supercell thunderstorms capable of dropping the hail documented above. Properties in this zone typically see at least one significant hail event every two to four years.

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