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 18 hail storms within 25 miles of Helena, AL. Of those, 12 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 ping pong ball-sized, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2023 was the most active year on record locally, with 9 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Helena| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 2 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 10 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 6 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 events |
| 2024 | 1 event |
| 2023 | 9 events |
| 2022 | 3 events |
2023 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Helena, with 9 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Helena 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-25 | MC CALLA, AL | Moderate | 0.88" | Nickel-size hail reported at the I-459 and I-20/59 interchange. |
| 2025-06-27 | IRONDALE, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter-size hail was reported near I-20 and Oporto Madrid Blvd. |
| 2025-05-18 | ELVIRA, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter-size hail along Southview Dr. |
| 2025-05-18 | PARKWOOD, AL | Significant | 1.25" | Reports of up to half dollar-size hail in Hoover. |
| 2025-05-18 | NEW HOPE, AL | Significant | 1.25" | Off duty NWS employee reported up to half dollar-size hail. |
| 2024-02-12 | OXMOOR, AL | Significant | 1.10" | A fast-moving thunderstorm produced up to just over quarter-size hail across the Shades Mountain area of Hoover. |
| 2023-08-09 | CHELSEA, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported in Chelsea. |
| 2023-06-14 | ARGYLE, AL | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2023-06-14 | WESSINGTON, AL | Severe | 1.50" | — |
| 2023-05-16 | CAHABA HGTS, AL | Moderate | 0.75" | Penny size hail reported in Cahaba Heights. |
| 2023-05-16 | LEEDS, AL | Moderate | 0.88" | Nickel size hail reported just southwest of the city of Leeds. |
| 2023-05-09 | ELVIRA, AL | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2023-03-26 | MOSTELLERS, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported near Duck Cove Road. |
| 2023-01-12 | TURNER, AL | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2023-01-12 | ARGYLE, AL | Severe | 1.75" | Several reports of golf ball size hail in the Chelsea area. |
| 2022-07-21 | COALMONT, AL | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2022-07-21 | FAIRFIELD, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported in Fairfield. |
| 2022-04-06 | (BHM)BIRMINGHAM ARPT, AL | Moderate | 0.88" | — |
NOAA has recorded 171 high-wind events within 25 miles of Helena, AL in the past five years. Of those, 168 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 75 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 13 events |
| Significant | 155 events |
| Moderate | 3 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-10 | 3 W Dogwood, AL | 55 | Significant | Near Pea Ridge in southwest Shelby County' associated with Isaias. |
| 2026-10-10 | Birmingham Internationa, AL | 46 | Significant | Associated with Isaias. |
| 2026-10-10 | Birmingham Internationa, AL | 49 | Significant | Associated with Isaias. |
| 2026-08-09 | 1 E Birmingham Internat, AL | 52 | Significant | — |
| 2026-07-25 | 0 E Birmingham Internat, AL | 41 | Moderate | BHM reported gust of 41 mph. |
| 2026-07-09 | 0 N Bessemer Airport, AL | 56 | Significant | — |
| 2026-06-01 | GILES, AL | 58 | Significant | A tree fell on a manufactured home in Woodstock. |
| 2026-06-01 | VESTAVIA HILLS, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed around Vestavia Hills and part of Hoover, including blocking one lane at Caldwell Mill and Camp Horner Road as well as a tree and power pole down along Rocky Ridge Rd at Lochridge. Additionally, a tree fell on a car on Indian Hill Rd. |
| 2026-06-01 | CALERA, AL | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees and several power lines were downed around Calera. |
| 2026-06-01 | MONTEVALLO, AL | 60 | Significant | Numerous trees were downed around Montevallo, leading to widespread power outages and numerous blocked roadways. Power outages continued into the next day, forcing the closure of several businesses and institutions. |
| 2026-06-01 | GURNEE JCT, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed near South Shades Crest Rd and Bluff Ridge Rd. |
| 2026-06-01 | DUNCAN, AL | 58 | Significant | A tree fell on a house on Avenue K in the Lipscomb/Brighton area. |
| 2026-06-01 | LAY LAKE, AL | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees were downed on South River Road. |
| 2026-06-01 | WILSONVILLE, AL | 58 | Significant | Several trees were downed around Columbiana and Wilsonville. |
| 2026-06-01 | SPAULDING, AL | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees were downed in Bessemer, including two that fell on a house and a manufactured home. |
| 2026-06-01 | QUITO, AL | 58 | Significant | A tree was downed at Sunny Meadows Dr and Cahaba Valley Trace. |
| 2026-06-01 | Shelby County Airport, AL | 49 | Significant | Peak gust of 43 kts at EET. |
| 2026-06-01 | GENERY, AL | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees were downed on Morgan Rd, including one on a vehicle near County Road 13. |
| 2026-06-01 | ALABASTER, AL | 58 | Significant | Numerous trees were downed around Alabaster, including one on a manufactured home on Peavine Street and one on a house on Heather Lane. |
| 2026-06-01 | HELENA, AL | 58 | Significant | Numerous trees were downed in Helena. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Helena was on June 27, 2025. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Helena averages roughly 4 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 12 of the 18 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Helena in the last five years was ping pong ball-sized. Most Helena-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 AL 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 Helena. 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 Helena 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 ValidationHelena 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.