Elk River Hail — Storm History & NOAA Data for Elk River, MN

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 133 hail storms within 25 miles of Elk River, MN. Of those, 95 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. 2022 was the most active year on record locally, with 38 documented hail events.

Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Elk River

Hail Severity Breakdown — Elk River Area (Last 5 Years)

SeverityCountWhat it means for roofs
Catastrophic1 eventBaseball+ size, structural roof damage likely
Destructive8 eventsEgg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage
Severe28 eventsPing pong-size, granule loss and bruising common
Significant58 eventsQuarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold
Moderate38 eventsMarble-size, possible cosmetic damage

Elk River Hail Storms by Year

YearReported Hail Events Within 25 mi
202629 events
202517 events
202413 events
202336 events
202238 events

2022 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Elk River, with 38 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Elk River typically peaks in spring and early summer, when the jet stream pushes Gulf moisture into the area and supercell thunderstorms become more frequent.

Notable Recent Elk River Hail Storms

Recent Hail Events Near Elk River

DateLocationSeveritySizeNOAA Comments
2026-06-19 CORCORAN, MN Significant 1.00" Several reports of a lot of hail up to quarter sized in Corcoran.
2026-06-19 Hanover, MN Moderate 0.88" —
2026-06-19 Corcoran, MN Moderate 0.88" —
2026-06-19 CORCORAN, MN Moderate 0.88" —
2026-06-19 HANOVER, MN Moderate 0.88" —
2026-06-19 1 SE Hanover, MN Significant 1.00" —
2026-06-19 1 N Corcoran, MN Significant 1.00" Several reports of a lot of hail up to quarter sized in Corcoran.
2026-06-19 GREENWOOD, MN Significant 1.00" —
2026-06-19 Brooklyn Park, MN Moderate 0.88" —
2026-06-19 Columbia Heights, MN Moderate 0.75" Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).
2026-06-19 Fridley, MN Significant 1.00" Pea to quarter sized hail. Minor tree damage from several minutes of hail falling.
2026-06-19 1 SE Brooklyn Park, MN Significant 1.00" —
2026-06-19 1 SE Brooklyn Center, MN Significant 1.25" —
2026-06-19 Columbia Heights, MN Significant 1.25" Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.).
2026-06-19 BROOKLYN CENTER, MN Significant 1.25" —
2026-06-19 MINNEAPOLIS, MN Significant 1.00" —
2026-06-19 2 W Maple Grove, MN Moderate 0.75" Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).
2026-06-19 FRIDLEY, MN Significant 1.00" Pea to quarter sized hail. Minor tree damage from several minutes of hail falling.
2026-06-19 BROOKLYN PARK, MN Significant 1.00" —
2026-06-19 1 S New Brighton, MN Moderate 0.75" Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).

Wind Storm History — Elk River Area (Last 5 Years)

NOAA has recorded 106 high-wind events within 25 miles of Elk River, MN in the past five years. Of those, 106 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 85 mph.

SeverityCount
Severe39 events
Significant67 events

Recent Wind Events Near Elk River

DateLocationGust (mph)SeverityNOAA Comments
2026-06-19 MONTROSE, MN 58 Significant Tall pine tree snapped about halfway up its base due to gust front.
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 1 ESE Buffalo, MN 49 Significant AWOS station KCFE Buffalo AP.
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 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 LEXINGTON, MN 63 Significant Large tree branch down in Circle Pines, also other reports of trees down in Circle Pines and Lexington.
2025-07-27 BUFFALO MUNI ARPT, MN 61 Significant —
2025-07-27 CRYSTAL ARPT, MN 62 Significant —
2025-07-15 BECKER, MN 64 Severe Report from Sheriffs dispatch of a tree down along a road in Becker Township.
2025-06-28 ST LOUIS PARK, MN 64 Severe Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 65 mph snapped a tree near 394 and Louisiana in St Louis Park.
2025-06-28 BUFFALO MUNI ARPT, MN 60 Significant Downed tree near 1st street NE and Calder Ave.
2025-06-28 HANOVER, MN 64 Severe Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 65 mph snapped a large snapped way up its trunk.
2025-06-28 ST MICHAEL, MN 64 Severe Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 65 mph down trees in the city of St. Michael.
2025-06-28 ROBBINSDALE, MN 60 Significant Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 60 mph downed a tree between Crystal and Robbinsdale.
2025-06-28 ROBBINSDALE, MN 60 Significant Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 60 mph downed blue ash tree onto a two story home just east of Noble Elementary School.
2025-06-28 MINNEAPOLIS, MN 64 Severe Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 65 mph downed a large tree, blocking a road in north Minneapolis.
2025-06-28 PRINCETON, MN 64 Severe Thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 65 mph knocked down a large tree knocked onto structure.

Frequently Asked Questions About Elk River Hail

When was the last major hail storm in Elk River, MN?

The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Elk River was on June 19, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.

How often does it hail in Elk River?

Elk River averages roughly 27 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 95 of the 133 events recorded over the last five years.

How big does hail typically get in Elk River?

The largest documented hail near Elk River in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Elk River-area hail falls in the marble-to-quarter range, with destructive storms (egg-size or larger) appearing roughly once every few years.

Does my insurance cover hail damage in MN?

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.

How do I check hail history for a specific Elk River address?

Use the HailCheck address search to enter any street address in or near Elk River. HailCheck returns every NOAA hail event within a configurable radius, along with severity bands, dates, and storm narratives for Pro members.

What a HAAG-Style Test Square Validation Means in Elk River

If your property in or near Elk River 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 Validation

Why Elk River's Location Matters for Hail

Elk River 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.

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