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 1 hail storm within 25 miles of Chico, CA. The largest reported hail in this window was marble-sized, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 1 documented hail event.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Chico| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate | 1 event | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 event |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Chico, with 1 documented event inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Chico 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-21 | Orland, CA | Moderate | 0.50" | Report relayed through social media of accumulating half in hail within the city of Orland. |
NOAA has recorded 3 high-wind events within 25 miles of Chico, CA in the past five years. Of those, 3 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 63 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Significant | 3 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-02-21 | (CIC)CHICO MUNI ARPT, CA | 49 | Significant | More than 800 PG&E customers in the downtown area of Chico were without power on the afternoon of 2/21. The outage was between Main Street and Orange Street and between W. 1st Street and W. 7th Street. Some traffic lights were reported out. Winds at Chico Airport were sustained at 31 mph with gusts to 49.5 mph. |
| 2023-01-14 | RICHFIELD, CA | 55 | Significant | California Highway Patrol reported 3 powerline poles down with lines on the ground. |
| 2023-01-14 | CHICO, CA | 63 | Significant | California Highway Patrol reported a large pine tree down across both lanes of SR 99 just north of East 1st Ave. |
NOAA has not recorded a quarter-size-or-larger hail storm within 25 miles of Chico in the past five years. Smaller hail can still cause cosmetic damage, and unreported storms may exist.
Chico averages roughly 0 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 0 of the 1 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Chico in the last five years was marble-sized. Most Chico-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 CA 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 Chico. 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 Chico 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 ValidationChico 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.