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 22 hail storms within 25 miles of Helena, MT. Of those, 15 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. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 12 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Helena| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 1 event | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 14 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 7 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 12 events |
| 2025 | 2 events |
| 2024 | 2 events |
| 2023 | 1 event |
| 2022 | 5 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Helena, with 12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-14 | 1 E East Helena, MT | Moderate | 0.50" | — |
| 2026-09-06 | Marysville, MT | Moderate | 0.50" | — |
| 2026-07-16 | 2 N Clancy, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Delayed public report of dime to quarter sized hail, along with 0.44 inches of rainfall. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-07-16 | 2 N Clancy, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Corrects previous hail report from 2 N Clancy. Delayed public report of dime to quarter sized hail, along with 0.44 inches of rainfall. |
| 2026-06-25 | (HLN)HELENA RGNL ARP, MT | Significant | 1.00" | MPING public report of quarter sized hail. |
| 2026-06-25 | 1 N Helena, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-06-25 | 6 NNW Helena, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Mostly nickel sized hail with a few quarter sized mixed in. |
| 2026-06-25 | IRON, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Mostly nickel sized hail with a few quarter sized mixed in. |
| 2026-06-25 | EAST HELENA, MT | Significant | 1.00" | A member of the public shared a photo of quarter-sized hail on social media. |
| 2026-06-25 | East Helena, MT | Significant | 1.00" | A member of the public shared a photo of quarter-sized hail on social media. |
| 2026-06-25 | 1 E East Helena, MT | Moderate | 0.50" | Half inch sized hail reported. |
| 2026-06-25 | 6 NNE Helena, MT | Moderate | 0.88" | Nickel sized hail. |
| 2025-07-28 | PLACER, MT | Significant | 1.25" | Social media report estimating max hail size of 1.25 inches. Time is estimated. |
| 2025-07-28 | CLANCY, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Trained spotter reports hail slightly larger than quarter sized. |
| 2024-08-06 | SILVER CITY, MT | Severe | 1.50" | Trained spotter reports hail of 1.5 inches in diameter. |
| 2024-08-06 | MARYSVILLE, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Trained spotter reported heavy rain and quarter sized hail. |
| 2023-07-06 | BASIN, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Public reported quarter size hail. |
| 2022-07-24 | BOULDER, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Trainer spotter reported hail falling between dime and quarter size. |
| 2022-07-09 | AUSTIN, MT | Moderate | 0.75" | Trained spotter reported up to penny sized hail. |
| 2022-07-08 | MARYSVILLE, MT | Significant | 1.00" | Trained spotter reported 1 inch hail in Marysville. |
NOAA has recorded 55 high-wind events within 25 miles of Helena, MT in the past five years. Of those, 55 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 89 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 7 events |
| Significant | 48 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-26 | 10 ESE Canyon Creek, MT | 60 | Significant | Ambient Weather Station. |
| 2026-09-26 | 12 N Helena, MT | 50 | Significant | Large amounts of blowing dust. |
| 2026-09-26 | 2 W Helena, MT | 60 | Significant | Ambient Weather Station. |
| 2026-09-02 | 2 SE Wickes, MT | 60 | Significant | Mesonet station MTBOU Boulder Hill (MT DOT). |
| 2026-09-02 | 8 SSW Wolf Creek, MT | 67 | Severe | Mesonet station MTSBN Sieben Flats - MDT. |
| 2026-09-02 | Helena, MT | 73 | Severe | — |
| 2026-09-02 | 11 W Helena, MT | 73 | Severe | — |
| 2026-09-02 | 6 ESE East Helena, MT | 58 | Significant | Mesonet station MTSPK Spokane Creek Us-287 Mp 55.7. |
| 2026-09-02 | 6 ESE East Helena, MT | 58 | Significant | Mesonet station MTSPK Spokane Creek Us-287 Mp 55.7. |
| 2026-09-02 | 2 ENE Helena, MT | 71 | Severe | 71 mph wind gust at the Helena Airport. |
| 2026-08-29 | 8 SSW Wolf Creek, MT | 58 | Significant | Mesonet station MTSBN Sieben Flats - MDT. |
| 2026-08-28 | 2 E Helena, MT | 54 | Significant | ASOS station KHLN Helena Airport. |
| 2026-08-26 | 2 E Helena, MT | 48 | Significant | ASOS station KHLN Helena Airport. |
| 2026-07-31 | 8 SSW Wolf Creek, MT | 51 | Significant | Mesonet station MTSBN Sieben Flats - MDT. |
| 2026-07-31 | 2 E Helena, MT | 54 | Significant | ASOS station KHLN Helena Airport. |
| 2026-07-24 | 13 S Marysville, MT | 61 | Significant | Corrects previous non-tstm wnd gst report from 13 S Marysville. Mesonet station MTMDP MacDonald Pass (MT DOT). |
| 2026-07-24 | 2 E Helena, MT | 62 | Significant | ASOS station KHLN Helena Airport. |
| 2026-07-24 | 2 E Helena, MT | 62 | Significant | Corrects previous non-tstm wnd gst report from 2 E Helena. ASOS station KHLN Helena Airport. |
| 2026-06-16 | 13 S Marysville, MT | 60 | Significant | Mesonet station MTMDP MacDonald Pass (MT DOT). |
| 2026-06-10 | 2 E Helena, MT | 53 | Significant | ASOS station KHLN Helena Airport. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Helena was on July 16, 2026. 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 15 of the 22 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 MT 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.