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 30 hail storms within 25 miles of Cambridge, MA. Of those, 26 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. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 22 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Cambridge| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Destructive | 11 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 7 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 8 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 3 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Minor | 1 event | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 22 events |
| 2025 | 2 events |
| 2024 | 2 events |
| 2023 | 3 events |
| 2022 | 1 event |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Cambridge, with 22 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Cambridge 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | Lowell, MA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-03-04 | 1 NE Winchester, MA | Destructive | 2.50" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-04 | 1 NW Lexington, MA | Severe | 1.60" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-04 | 1 W Lynnfield, MA | Destructive | 2.80" | — |
| 2026-03-04 | 2 W Wilmington, MA | Destructive | 2.50" | Reported by Media. |
| 2026-03-03 | Marlborough, MA | Severe | 1.50" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 NE Fenway Park, MA | Severe | 1.60" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 S Waltham, MA | Destructive | 2.40" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 SW Melrose, MA | Destructive | 2.70" | — |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 SW Lexington, MA | Moderate | 0.50" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 NW Lexington, MA | Significant | 1.40" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 W Bedford, MA | Destructive | 2.10" | — |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 W Medford, MA | Severe | 1.80" | — |
| 2026-03-03 | 3 E Acton, MA | Destructive | 2.00" | — |
| 2026-03-03 | 2 E Maynard, MA | Destructive | 2.00" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 SW Lexington, MA | Severe | 1.70" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 E Randolph, MA | Minor | 0.20" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 SE Lynn, MA | Significant | 1.00" | Reported by Amateur Radio. |
| 2026-03-03 | 2 N Saugus, MA | Severe | 1.50" | Reported by Media. |
| 2026-03-03 | 1 N Burlington, MA | Destructive | 2.50" | Reported by Trained Spotter. |
NOAA has recorded 150 high-wind events within 25 miles of Cambridge, MA in the past five years. Of those, 150 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 70 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 4 events |
| Significant | 146 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-27 | Logan AP, MA | 58 | Significant | ASOS station KBOS Logan AP. |
| 2026-09-27 | 1 E Hull, MA | 60 | Significant | Mesonet station XHUL Hull YC. |
| 2026-05-30 | 2 E South Boston, MA | 58 | Significant | Mesonet station XPLB Pleasure Bay. |
| 2026-05-30 | 1 E Hull, MA | 60 | Significant | Mesonet station XHUL Hull YC. |
| 2026-05-19 | HUDSON, MA | 58 | Significant | In Hudson, a tree and wires were down on Bertha St. |
| 2026-05-19 | PINE REST, MA | 58 | Significant | In Sudbury, a tree was down blocking half the road on Hudson Rd. |
| 2026-05-19 | MILTON, MA | 58 | Significant | In Milton, a tree was down on a car on Ford Ranch Rd. |
| 2026-05-19 | WEST CONCORD, MA | 58 | Significant | In Concord, a tree was down on a car. Two minor injuries were reported. |
| 2026-05-19 | NEEDHAM, MA | 58 | Significant | In Needham, a large tree branch was down on Great Plain Avenue. |
| 2026-05-19 | WEST CONCORD, MA | 58 | Significant | Near Maynard a tree was reported down on Sudbury road. |
| 2026-05-19 | ROCKVILLE, MA | 58 | Significant | In Norfolk, wires were down on Cleveland St. |
| 2025-09-06 | HUDSON, MA | 58 | Significant | In Hudson, there were trees and wires down across town. |
| 2025-09-06 | GLEASONDALE, MA | 58 | Significant | In Stow, there were downed tree tree limbs on Rt 62. |
| 2025-09-06 | NORTH SUDBURY, MA | 58 | Significant | In Wayland, multiple trees were down on Oxbow Rd. |
| 2025-09-06 | EAST WALPOLE, MA | 58 | Significant | In Sharon, a large tree was down across a driveway. |
| 2025-09-06 | (BED)HANSCOM FLD BED, MA | 59 | Significant | The ASOS at the Bedford Airport (KBED) gusted to 59 mph. |
| 2025-09-06 | KELLY CORNER, MA | 58 | Significant | In Acton, there was a tree down partially blocking Main St. |
| 2025-09-06 | CHERRY BROOK, MA | 58 | Significant | In Weston, a tree was down on Highland St. |
| 2025-09-06 | RIVERSIDE, MA | 58 | Significant | In Bedford, a tree was down on a house on Appletree Lane. |
| 2025-09-06 | SOUTH PEABODY, MA | 58 | Significant | In Salem, a tree and wires were down on a car. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Cambridge was on March 6, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Cambridge averages roughly 6 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 26 of the 30 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Cambridge in the last five years was egg-sized. Most Cambridge-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 MA 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 Cambridge. 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 Cambridge 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 ValidationCambridge 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.