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 139 hail storms within 25 miles of Columbus, OH. Of those, 94 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 61 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Columbus| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Destructive | 2 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 14 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 78 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 43 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Minor | 2 events | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 61 events |
| 2025 | 8 events |
| 2024 | 40 events |
| 2023 | 18 events |
| 2022 | 12 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Columbus, with 61 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Columbus 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-09 | 5 N New Albany, OH | Moderate | 0.88" | between CR605 and Harlem Road. |
| 2026-07-21 | 4 NE Powell, OH | Moderate | 0.70" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 3 SW Carroll, OH | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | 2 S Dublin, OH | Significant | 1.25" | Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | 1 N Powell, OH | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | AMITY, OH | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 3 W Dublin, OH | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | MT AIR, OH | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | DUBLIN, OH | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 2 S Powell, OH | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | 5 SW Plain City, OH | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | 2 W Powell, OH | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 3 N Plain City, OH | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | SHAWNEE HILLS, OH | Significant | 1.25" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 2 NW Westerville, OH | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | HARLEM, OH | Severe | 1.75" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 3 SE Galena, OH | Severe | 1.75" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | AFRICA, OH | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2026-06-06 | 2 S Galena, OH | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-06-06 | 3 SSW Galena, OH | Moderate | 0.70" | — |
NOAA has recorded 175 high-wind events within 25 miles of Columbus, OH in the past five years. Of those, 175 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 82 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 11 events |
| Significant | 164 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-11 | 2 NNE Whitehall, OH | 51 | Significant | ASOS station KCMH Columbus John Glenn International Airport. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 NNE Whitehall, OH | 82 | Severe | ASOS station KCMH Columbus John Glenn International Airport. |
| 2026-08-11 | 1 E Hilliard, OH | 65 | Severe | — |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 SE Dublin, OH | 52 | Significant | ASOS station KOSU Columbus Ohio State University Airport. |
| 2026-08-11 | 2 S Gahanna, OH | 82 | Severe | John Glenn Airport ASOS wind gust. |
| 2026-08-10 | 3 WSW Delaware, OH | 51 | Significant | — |
| 2026-07-18 | 2 NNE Whitehall, OH | 49 | Significant | ASOS station KCMH Columbus John Glenn International Airport. |
| 2026-06-14 | 2 NNE Whitehall, OH | 53 | Significant | ASOS station KCMH Columbus John Glenn International Airport. |
| 2026-06-14 | 2 ENE Lockbourne, OH | 49 | Significant | AWOS station KLCK Columbus Rickenbacker Intl Apt. |
| 2026-06-14 | 2 SE Dublin, OH | 47 | Significant | ASOS station KOSU Columbus Ohio State University Airport. |
| 2026-06-14 | UPPER ARLINGTON, OH | 58 | Significant | A tree was downed along Riverside Drive. |
| 2026-06-14 | JERSEY, OH | 52 | Significant | A tree was downed along Beech Road SW near Morse Road. |
| 2026-06-12 | 2 NNE Whitehall, OH | 47 | Significant | ASOS station KCMH Columbus John Glenn International Airport. |
| 2026-06-06 | PLUMWOOD, OH | 58 | Significant | A tree was downed across State Route 29 near Thorn Locus Lane. |
| 2026-06-06 | BALTIMORE, OH | 58 | Significant | Numerous trees were downed in the Baltimore area. |
| 2026-06-06 | 2 S Gahanna, OH | 56 | Significant | KCMH Airport. |
| 2026-06-06 | DUBLIN, OH | 58 | Significant | Numerous trees were downed in the Dublin area. |
| 2026-06-06 | LEWIS CENTER, OH | 58 | Significant | Several large branches were downed along Meadow Park Avenue. |
| 2026-06-06 | 3 ESE Dublin, OH | 66 | Severe | OSU Airport. |
| 2026-06-06 | MT AIR, OH | 58 | Significant | Several trees and large limbs were downed in the Smokymill Road subdivision. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Columbus was on June 6, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Columbus averages roughly 28 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 94 of the 139 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Columbus in the last five years was egg-sized. Most Columbus-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 OH 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 Columbus. 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 Columbus 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 ValidationColumbus 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.