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 77 hail storms within 25 miles of Bridgewater, NJ. Of those, 53 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 36 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Bridgewater| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 2 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 51 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 22 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Minor | 2 events | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 36 events |
| 2025 | 1 event |
| 2024 | 2 events |
| 2023 | 34 events |
| 2021 | 4 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Bridgewater, with 36 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Bridgewater 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-27 | 1 SW Browntown, NJ | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-08-27 | 1 SW Browntown, NJ | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-08-07 | 2 E Mansfield Twp, NJ | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-07-28 | 1 NE Pleasant Valley, NJ | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NE Washington Crossin, NJ | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-07-15 | Orange, NJ | Moderate | 0.75" | Dime size hail. |
| 2026-06-12 | 1 SSE Bartles Corners, NJ | Minor | 0.25" | — |
| 2026-03-06 | 2 S Spotswood, NJ | Significant | 1.23" | Mesonet station CW1053 Monroe Twp. |
| 2026-03-06 | 1 WSW Brass Castle, NJ | Significant | 1.01" | Mesonet station CW5217 Broadway. |
| 2026-03-06 | 1 SW Swinesburg, NJ | Significant | 1.15" | Mesonet station FW7173 Bloomsbury. |
| 2026-03-06 | 2 SE Mt. Bethel, NJ | Significant | 1.13" | Mesonet station GW5633 HACKETTSTOWN. |
| 2026-03-06 | 1 W Wharton, NJ | Significant | 1.24" | Mesonet station WWNN4 West Wharton. |
| 2026-03-06 | 2 NE Long Valley, NJ | Significant | 1.09" | Mesonet station FBRN4 2.1 NE Long Valley. |
| 2026-03-06 | 2 WNW Morris Plains, NJ | Significant | 1.04" | Mesonet station MSPN4 2.2 SW Denville. |
| 2026-03-06 | 2 E Succasunna, NJ | Significant | 1.21" | Mesonet station CW0172 Mine Hill. |
| 2026-03-06 | Hackettstown, NJ | Significant | 1.30" | Mesonet station THCKT Hackettstown. |
| 2026-03-06 | 3 NW Bridgewater, NJ | Significant | 1.17" | ASOS station KSMQ Somerville. |
| 2026-03-06 | 1 ESE Peapack And Glads, NJ | Significant | 1.01" | Mesonet station FHLN4 1.4 N Far Hills. |
| 2026-03-06 | 1 WNW Lebanon Twp, NJ | Significant | 1.02" | Mesonet station GW5168 GLEN GARDNER. |
| 2026-03-06 | 3 NNW Bridgewater, NJ | Significant | 1.29" | Mesonet station FW8114 Bridgewater. |
NOAA has recorded 390 high-wind events within 25 miles of Bridgewater, NJ in the past five years. Of those, 387 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 85 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 13 events |
| Significant | 374 events |
| Moderate | 3 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-07 | 3 NW Bridgewater, NJ | 47 | Significant | ASOS station KSMQ Somerville. |
| 2026-08-07 | 1 WSW Perth Amboy, NJ | 47 | Significant | Mesonet station XPER Perth Amboy. |
| 2026-07-03 | Holland Twp, NJ | 60 | Significant | Trained spotter measured gusts over 60 MPH in Holland Townsihp. Time estimated. |
| 2026-07-03 | Perth Amboy, NJ | 70 | Severe | Perth Amboy mesonet gusted to 61 kt. |
| 2026-07-03 | 1 SW Linden, NJ | 58 | Significant | AWOS station KLDJ Linden Airport. |
| 2026-06-22 | 3 NW Bridgewater, NJ | 45 | Moderate | ASOS station KSMQ Somerville. |
| 2026-06-14 | PRINCETON, NJ | 58 | Significant | Downed Trees on NJ 27 Northbound North of US 206. Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-14 | WASHINGTON CROSSING, PA | 58 | Significant | Downed tree on General Mercer Road, resulting in a road closure. Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-12 | COPPER HILL, NJ | 58 | Significant | Trees down in Raritan Township. Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-12 | THREE BRIDGES, NJ | 58 | Significant | Trees down in Readington Township. Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-11 | MENDHAM, NJ | 58 | Significant | Reports of numerous trees and wires down across the town of Mendham. Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-11 | BERKELEY HGTS, NJ | 58 | Significant | Large tree branch down on Willow Way in Berkeley Heights. |
| 2026-06-11 | MORRISTOWN, NJ | 58 | Significant | Several reports of trees and wires down in Morristown. Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-06 | EWING TOWNSHIP, NJ | 58 | Significant | Large limb was broken from one tree, another small tree was snapped at the roots, in close proximity to each other on the College of New Jersey campus. |
| 2026-06-06 | Trenton Mercer Airport, NJ | 45 | Moderate | ASOS station KTTN Trenton. |
| 2026-06-06 | RARITAN, NJ | 63 | Significant | Multiple trees blown down around Bridgewater. |
| 2026-06-06 | WASHINGTON, NJ | 63 | Significant | Multiple trees and wires were blown down in Washington. |
| 2026-06-06 | 1 N Readington, NJ | 44 | Moderate | AWOS station N519 Readington. |
| 2026-06-06 | OLDWICK, NJ | 58 | Significant | Tree blown down on I-78 Eastbound near exit 26. |
| 2026-06-06 | WASHINGTON, NJ | 58 | Significant | Multiple wires blown down and poles damaged. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Bridgewater was on July 27, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Bridgewater averages roughly 15 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 53 of the 77 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Bridgewater in the last five years was ping pong ball-sized. Most Bridgewater-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 NJ 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 Bridgewater. 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 Bridgewater 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 ValidationBridgewater 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.