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 348 hail storms within 25 miles of Columbia Heights, MN. Of those, 274 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 124 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Columbia Heights| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Catastrophic | 1 event | Baseball+ size, structural roof damage likely |
| Destructive | 23 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 78 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 172 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 73 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Minor | 1 event | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 124 events |
| 2025 | 40 events |
| 2024 | 13 events |
| 2023 | 58 events |
| 2022 | 113 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Columbia Heights, with 124 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Columbia Heights 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-23 | 1 WSW Victoria, MN | Minor | 0.25" | mPing report. |
| 2026-06-23 | 1 NW Chaska, MN | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-06-19 | 1 WSW Maplewood, MN | Significant | 1.00" | A lot of hail near Lake Phalen, up to quarter sized. |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 NNE St. Paul, MN | Significant | 1.25" | Photo report via Facebook. |
| 2026-06-19 | Falcon Heights, MN | Severe | 1.50" | Photo report via Facebook. |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 W Maplewood, MN | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2026-06-19 | FALCON HGTS, MN | Severe | 1.50" | A photo report via Facebook. |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 S Maplewood, MN | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 N St. Paul, MN | Severe | 1.50" | Report from mPING: Ping Pong Ball (1.50 in.). |
| 2026-06-19 | ST PAUL, MN | Severe | 1.50" | — |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 N St. Paul, MN | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-06-19 | (STP)ST PAUL DOWNTOWN AIRPORT HOLMAN FIELD, MN | Significant | 1.25" | A photo report via Facebook. |
| 2026-06-19 | NORTH ST PAUL, MN | Significant | 1.00" | A lot of hail near Lake Phalen, up to quarter sized. |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 SSW Maplewood, MN | Severe | 1.75" | Photo report via Facebook. |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 E Falcon Heights, MN | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-06-19 | LITTLE CANADA, MN | Significant | 1.25" | Delete. |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 W Maplewood, MN | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2026-06-19 | ST PAUL, MN | Severe | 1.50" | — |
| 2026-06-19 | 1 SE Falcon Heights, MN | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-06-19 | 2 N St. Paul, MN | Significant | 1.25" | Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
NOAA has recorded 180 high-wind events within 25 miles of Columbia Heights, MN in the past five years. Of those, 180 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 81 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 57 events |
| Significant | 123 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-19 | CHAMPLIN, MN | 58 | Significant | Photo report of 2 trees downed in Champlin due to gust front. Time estimated from radar. |
| 2026-06-10 | NORTH OAKS, MN | 63 | Significant | Strong downburst winds estimated to reach 55kts downed large branches and trees in Shoreview. |
| 2026-06-10 | CENTERVILLE, MN | 68 | Severe | Strong downburst winds estimated to reach 59kts downed large branches and trees in Centerville. |
| 2026-06-10 | WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN | 68 | Severe | Strong downburst winds estimated to reach 59kts downed large branches and trees 2 miles NNW of White Bear Lake. |
| 2025-08-09 | MEDINA, MN | 64 | Severe | Two trees were uprooted near City Hall in Medina. One was 18 inches in diameter and the other was 12 inches in diameter. |
| 2025-07-28 | PRIOR LAKE, MN | 63 | Significant | Large tree down 2 miles west of Prior Lake in the Spring Lake Estates neighborhood. |
| 2025-07-28 | EDINA, MN | 60 | Significant | Trees down, including some on Valley View Rd in Edina. |
| 2025-07-28 | PRIOR LAKE, MN | 61 | Significant | Tree down across Cassandra St in Prior Lake. |
| 2025-07-28 | RICHFIELD, MN | 59 | Significant | Measured by Hennepin County Meteorologist. |
| 2025-07-28 | WEST ST PAUL, MN | 60 | Significant | Report of a tree down on Southview Blvd near Hwy 52. |
| 2025-07-28 | SHAKOPEE, MN | 64 | Severe | Measured by Scott County mesonet in Shakopee. |
| 2025-07-28 | SAVAGE, MN | 62 | Significant | — |
| 2025-07-28 | MSP INTL ARPT, MN | 60 | Significant | — |
| 2025-07-28 | ROSEMOUNT, MN | 62 | Significant | Report of downed power lines near Highway 3 in Rosemount. |
| 2025-07-28 | ELK RIVER, MN | 69 | Severe | Ten-inch tree broken by thunderstorm winds. |
| 2025-07-28 | ALBERTVILLE, MN | 69 | Severe | Reports of a tree down between St Michael and Albertville. |
| 2025-07-28 | MOUNDS VIEW, MN | 58 | Significant | Large tree down approximately 18 inches in diameter, near 85th Ave and Spring Lake Road in Mounds View. |
| 2025-07-28 | BLAINE, MN | 61 | Significant | Delayed photo report of bent metal gate and multiple large branches snapped near Highway 65 and 125th Avenue in Blaine. |
| 2025-07-28 | LINO LAKES, MN | 63 | Significant | Multiple reports of trees down in Lino Lakes. |
| 2025-07-28 | LEXINGTON, MN | 63 | Significant | Large tree branch down in Circle Pines, also other reports of trees down in Circle Pines and Lexington. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Columbia Heights was on June 19, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Columbia Heights averages roughly 70 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 274 of the 348 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Columbia Heights in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Columbia Heights-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 MN 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 Columbia Heights. 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 Columbia Heights 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 ValidationColumbia Heights 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.