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 27 hail storms within 25 miles of Gainesville, FL. Of those, 14 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. 2023 was the most active year on record locally, with 8 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Gainesville| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Destructive | 2 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 9 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 3 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 13 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 events |
| 2025 | 7 events |
| 2024 | 5 events |
| 2023 | 8 events |
| 2022 | 1 event |
2023 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Gainesville, with 8 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Gainesville 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-11 | 1 SE Gainesville, FL | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-07-10 | 3 WSW Newnans Lake, FL | Moderate | 0.50" | Public report and video on social media of pea to half inch size hail in southeast Gainesville. |
| 2026-05-17 | WILLIFORD, FL | Moderate | 0.88" | EM reported nickel size hail over the SE portion of Gilchrist county. Time based off radar estimate. |
| 2026-05-17 | 8 ESE Bell, FL | Moderate | 0.88" | EM reported nickel size hail over the SE portion of Gilchrist county. Time based off radar estimate. |
| 2026-03-16 | 6 NNW Williston, FL | Moderate | 0.70" | Dime-sized hail 6 miles N of Williston. |
| 2026-03-06 | 3 NW Archer, FL | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2025-04-11 | ARCHER FLYING TEN AR, FL | Moderate | 0.88" | Nickel to penny size hail was reported in Newberry. |
| 2025-04-11 | FAIRBANKS, FL | Destructive | 2.00" | The public reported about hen egg (2 inch) size hail near Waldo Road and State Road 24 near NE 96th Avenue. |
| 2025-04-11 | PHIFER, FL | Severe | 1.75" | There were numerous reports of nickel to slightly larger than golf ball size hail reported across Gainesville city limits. |
| 2025-04-11 | PHIFER, FL | Severe | 1.75" | Golf ball size hail was observed near the intersection of NW 36th Place and NW 47th Terrace. |
| 2025-04-11 | PHIFER, FL | Severe | 1.75" | The public shared photos of hail up to golf ball size near the intersection of NW 34th Street and N 39th Street at a residence. |
| 2025-04-11 | PHIFER, FL | Destructive | 2.50" | A spotter shared images measuring hail of 2.50 inches (tennis ball) and 1.50 inches (ping pong ball) near the intersection of NW 39th Avenue and NW 34th Avenue. |
| 2025-04-11 | PHIFER, FL | Severe | 1.75" | Slightly larger than golf ball size hail was observed. |
| 2024-02-04 | STARKE, FL | Moderate | 0.75" | Penny size hail lasted a few minutes just east of Starke. |
| 2024-02-04 | DAYVILLE, FL | Significant | 1.00" | A social media image estimated quarter size hail littered the University of Florida golf course green. The time of the hail was based on radar. |
| 2024-02-04 | DAYVILLE, FL | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2024-02-04 | DAYVILLE, FL | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2024-02-04 | LINCOLN CITY, FL | Significant | 1.00" | The public reported quarter size hail with some slightly bigger stones. |
| 2023-07-25 | DAYVILLE, FL | Moderate | 0.75" | There was as a public report of wind gusts of 50-59 mph measured in the area with a hand-held anemometer. |
| 2023-06-16 | DAYVILLE, FL | Moderate | 0.75" | A spotter reported penny to pea size hail. The time of the report was based on radar. |
NOAA has recorded 106 high-wind events within 25 miles of Gainesville, FL in the past five years. Of those, 87 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 78 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 4 events |
| Significant | 83 events |
| Moderate | 19 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-06 | 5 NNW Keystone Heights, FL | 40 | Moderate | AWOS station K42J Keystone Heights Airport measured a gust of 40 mph. |
| 2026-08-20 | 5 NNW Keystone Heights, FL | 41 | Moderate | AWOS station K42J Keystone Heights Airport. |
| 2026-08-20 | 1 NW Gainesville Airpor, FL | 63 | Significant | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville. |
| 2026-08-18 | 1 NW Gainesville Airpor, FL | 48 | Significant | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville. |
| 2026-08-18 | 1 NW Gainesville Airpor, FL | 46 | Significant | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville - wind gust 46 mph. |
| 2026-08-14 | 1 NE University of Flor, FL | 48 | Significant | Mesonet station 0663W 0.7 NE University of Florida (WEATHERSTEM). |
| 2026-08-06 | 4 E Alachua, FL | 40 | Moderate | FAWN site at Alachua measured a wind gust of 40 mph. |
| 2026-08-03 | Gainesville Airport, FL | 40 | Moderate | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville. |
| 2026-07-30 | 5 NNW Keystone Heights, FL | 41 | Moderate | AWOS station K42J Keystone Heights Airport measured a wind gust of 41 mph. |
| 2026-07-30 | 3 S La Crosse, FL | 45 | Moderate | FAWN site Alachua, FL reported wind gust of 45 mph from the passing storm. |
| 2026-07-27 | 1 NW Gainesville Airpor, FL | 46 | Significant | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville Regional Airport measured a peak wind gust of 46 mph. |
| 2026-07-13 | 1 NW Gainesville Airpor, FL | 44 | Moderate | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville. |
| 2026-07-12 | 1 NW Gainesville Airpor, FL | 44 | Moderate | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville. |
| 2026-07-11 | 1 NW Gainesville Airpor, FL | 45 | Moderate | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville. |
| 2026-07-11 | 1 NE University of Flor, FL | 78 | Severe | Mesonet station 0663W 0.7 NE University of Florida (WEATHERSTEM). Elevated sensor, over 100 feet above ground level. |
| 2026-07-10 | 1 NW Gainesville Airpor, FL | 66 | Severe | ASOS station KGNV Gainesville. |
| 2026-06-25 | BRONSON, FL | 49 | Significant | Local EM reported a broken powerline along with a downed tree along SR 24 and Marshburn Drive near Bronson in Levy County. |
| 2026-06-23 | LINCOLN CITY, FL | 58 | Significant | Bradford County Dispatch reported a tree down near the intersection of Deer Run Rd and North Walnut St. Time estimated via radar. |
| 2026-06-23 | MC RAE, FL | 58 | Significant | Clay County Fire Rescue reported a tree down along Hill Rd in Keystone Heights, FL. Time estimated via radar. |
| 2026-06-21 | 5 NNW Keystone Heights, FL | 41 | Moderate | AWOS station K42J Keystone Heights Airport measured 41 mph gust. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Gainesville was on April 11, 2025. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Gainesville averages roughly 5 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 14 of the 27 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Gainesville in the last five years was egg-sized. Most Gainesville-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 FL 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 Gainesville. 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 Gainesville 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 ValidationGainesville 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.