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 52 hail storms within 25 miles of Cary, NC. Of those, 41 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 19 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Cary| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 8 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 33 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 11 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 19 events |
| 2025 | 9 events |
| 2023 | 12 events |
| 2022 | 12 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Cary, with 19 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Cary 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-05 | 1 N Clayton, NC | Moderate | 0.50" | — |
| 2026-09-05 | 3 ENE Knightdale, NC | Severe | 1.50" | — |
| 2026-09-05 | 3 ENE Knightdale, NC | Severe | 1.50" | Corrects time of previous hail report from 3 ENE Knightdale. |
| 2026-09-05 | 4 NW Flowers, NC | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-09-05 | 2 E Clayton, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Hail at NC42 and Glen Laurel Rd. |
| 2026-09-05 | 3 SE Clayton, NC | Severe | 1.75" | In the Powhatan area. |
| 2026-09-05 | 1 E Wendell, NC | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-07-19 | 3 NE Purnell, NC | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-07-08 | 3 NW Lake Wheeler, NC | Significant | 1.00" | 1 inch hail reported. |
| 2026-07-08 | 4 S New Hill, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Picture of hail up to quarter size near Silent Cove Lane. |
| 2026-07-08 | 3 E Cary, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-07-08 | 3 NNW Lake Wheeler, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Hail up to quarter sized near the intersection of Southeast Cary Parkway and Holly Springs Road. |
| 2026-07-08 | 4 N Lake Wheeler, NC | Significant | 1.25" | Hail up to half dollar size. |
| 2026-07-08 | 3 ESE Clayton, NC | Significant | 1.25" | Half dollar size hail measured near Hemlock Green Lane. |
| 2026-04-30 | 2 N Carrboro, NC | Moderate | 0.50" | mPING report of half inch hail on Wyndham Dr. |
| 2026-04-30 | 1 SW Carrboro, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-04-30 | 1 S Carrboro, NC | Significant | 1.00" | One inch hail measured near Carrboro. |
| 2026-04-29 | CHAPEL HILL, NC | Significant | 1.00" | One inch hail was reported near Chapel Hill. |
| 2026-04-29 | CHAPEL HILL, NC | Significant | 1.00" | One inch hail was measured near Carrboro. |
| 2025-05-05 | WILDERS GROVE, NC | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
NOAA has recorded 353 high-wind events within 25 miles of Cary, NC in the past five years. Of those, 352 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 76 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 3 events |
| Significant | 349 events |
| Moderate | 1 event |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-29 | 2 N Rdu International, NC | 45 | Moderate | ASOS station KRDU Raleigh Durham. |
| 2026-06-27 | HOLLY SPGS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree fell on power lines near South Main Street and West Elm Avenue. |
| 2026-06-27 | HOLLEMANS XRDS, NC | 58 | Significant | Power outages were caused by downed trees near the intersection of Avent Ferry Road and New Hill Holleman Road. |
| 2026-06-27 | AUBURN, NC | 58 | Significant | Downed trees caused a large power outage near the intersection of Ackerman Road and White Oak Road. Over two thousand customers were without power. |
| 2026-06-27 | CARIO, NC | 58 | Significant | Downed trees caused a large power outage around the Bentwinds, Woodlake Estates, Ballentine, and Mill Ridge neighborhoods northeast of Fuquay-Varina. Over two thousand customers were without power. |
| 2026-06-27 | MC CULLERS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down near Old Stage Road and Vandora Springs Road. |
| 2026-06-27 | WILLOW SPGS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down on Kennebec Road. |
| 2026-06-27 | MC CULLERS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down on Buffaloe Road. |
| 2026-06-27 | ARCHERS LODGE, NC | 58 | Significant | Numerous large trees were reported down near the intersection of Covered Bridge Road and Forest Oaks Drive. |
| 2026-06-27 | ARCHERS LODGE, NC | 58 | Significant | Downed trees caused a large power outage just east of Archer Lodge along Covered Bridge Road. Over two thousand customers were without power. |
| 2026-06-23 | BARHAM, NC | 58 | Significant | Trees were reported down near Winfree Lane and Stuarts Ridge Road. |
| 2026-06-22 | CALVANDER, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down near the intersection of North Carolina Highway 54 West and Hatch Road. |
| 2026-06-22 | GLENN, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down on power lines near the intersection of Mount Sinai Road and Kerley Road. |
| 2026-06-22 | OCCONEECHEE, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down near intersection of Joseph Mary Court and Old North Carolina Highway 10. |
| 2026-06-22 | WEST DURHAM, NC | 58 | Significant | Power outages were reported, caused by fallen trees damaging equipment. |
| 2026-06-22 | HUCKLEBERRY SPG, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down near the intersection of North Carolina Highway 751 and Hillsborough Road. |
| 2026-06-11 | SHOTWELL, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree fell down on powerlines near Poole road and Huntsboro Road. |
| 2026-06-11 | PET XRDS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down. |
| 2026-04-29 | CALVANDER, NC | 58 | Significant | Several hundred power outages were reported from trees down on powerlines. |
| 2026-04-29 | FARRINGTON, NC | 58 | Significant | One thousand power outages were reported from trees on powerlines. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Cary was on September 5, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Cary averages roughly 10 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 41 of the 52 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Cary in the last five years was ping pong ball-sized. Most Cary-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 NC 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 Cary. 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 Cary 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 ValidationCary 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.