Lawrence Hail — Storm History & NOAA Data for Lawrence, KS

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 143 hail storms within 25 miles of Lawrence, KS. Of those, 133 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. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 78 documented hail events.

Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Lawrence

Hail Severity Breakdown — Lawrence Area (Last 5 Years)

Severity	Count	What it means for roofs
Catastrophic	1 event	Baseball+ size, structural roof damage likely
Destructive	13 events	Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage
Severe	25 events	Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common
Significant	94 events	Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold
Moderate	10 events	Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage

Lawrence Hail Storms by Year

Year	Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi
2026	78 events
2025	4 events
2024	26 events
2023	28 events
2022	6 events
2021	1 event

2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Lawrence, with 78 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Lawrence 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 Lawrence Hail Storms

October 13, 2026 — Severe hail (ping pong ball-sized) reported near Tonganoxie. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Lawrence-area properties.
September 15, 2026 — Significant hail (quarter-sized or larger) reported near 2 SSW Edgerton. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Lawrence-area properties.
September 15, 2026 — Severe hail (ping pong ball-sized) reported near 1 S Edgerton. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Lawrence-area properties.
September 15, 2026 — Significant hail (quarter-sized or larger) reported near 1 SW Edgerton. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Lawrence-area properties.
September 15, 2026 — Severe hail (ping pong ball-sized) reported near 4 S Edgerton. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Lawrence-area properties.

Recent Hail Events Near Lawrence

Date	Location	Severity	Size	NOAA Comments
2026-10-13	Tonganoxie, KS	Severe	1.50"	Vehicle had dents and a cracked windshield. Strong winds also reported at the time. Time estimated from radar.
2026-09-15	2 SSW Edgerton, KS	Significant	1.00"	Social media report. Observed on Interstate 35 near the Miami/Johnson County line. Time estimated from radar.
2026-09-15	1 S Edgerton, KS	Severe	1.50"	Report via social media. Time estimated from radar.
2026-09-15	1 SW Edgerton, KS	Significant	1.25"	Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.). Time estimated from radar.
2026-09-15	4 S Edgerton, KS	Severe	1.50"	Social media report. Time estimated from radar.
2026-09-15	Edgerton, KS	Destructive	2.00"	Social media report. Time estimated from radar.
2026-09-15	2 SSE Edgerton, KS	Severe	1.50"	Social media report. Time estimated from radar.
2026-09-06	5 SE Winchester, KS	Significant	1.00"	—
2026-09-06	2 SE Bonner Springs, KS	Significant	1.00"	Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
2026-09-06	2 E Bonner Springs, KS	Significant	1.00"	Public reported quarter hail. Also receive mPing for quarters in similar area.
2026-09-06	2 W Shawnee, KS	Significant	1.00"	Social media report and photo of quarter size hail west of Shawnee. Time estimated from radar.
2026-08-19	3 ENE Jarbalo, KS	Significant	1.00"	Emergency manager reported quarter sized hail. Time estimated from radar.
2026-08-19	1 NE Piper, KS	Severe	1.50"	hail covered the ground, largest stones near ping pong ball sized, report via slack, time estimate via radar.
2026-08-19	3 NNW Piper, KS	Severe	1.75"	Photo shared on social media of measured hail around golf ball sized. Time estimated from radar.
2026-08-19	2 NNW Piper, KS	Severe	1.50"	Picture shared via social media shows wind shield damage from large hail.
2026-08-19	Piper, KS	Severe	1.75"	Picture shared via social media depicts several hail stones measured to be 1.75 inched. Time estimated via radar.
2026-08-15	2 S Meriden, KS	Significant	1.25"	—
2026-06-09	Clinton, KS	Significant	1.00"	—
2026-06-09	1 NE Baldwin City, KS	Significant	1.00"	Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).
2026-06-08	BALDWIN, KS	Significant	1.00"	—

Wind Storm History — Lawrence Area (Last 5 Years)

NOAA has recorded 329 high-wind events within 25 miles of Lawrence, KS in the past five years. Of those, 329 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 99 mph.

Severity	Count
Destructive	1 event
Severe	166 events
Significant	162 events

Recent Wind Events Near Lawrence

Date	Location	Gust (mph)	Severity	NOAA Comments
2026-10-14	2 SE Bonner Springs, KS	63	Significant	Time corrected based on radar.
2026-10-13	4 S Lecompton, KS	60	Significant	delayed report tree blocking road.
2026-10-13	3 WNW Lawrence, KS	60	Significant	—
2026-10-13	1 NW Grantville, KS	70	Severe	power pole reported down.
2026-10-13	3 ENE Topeka, KS	59	Significant	—
2026-10-13	6 SSW Easton, KS	70	Severe	Report passed along for estimated 65-70 mph wind gusts. Time estimated from radar.
2026-10-13	3 NE Tonganoxie, KS	60	Significant	Time confirmed from radar. Report relayed by emergency manager.
2026-09-12	1 SE Pauline, KS	59	Significant	—
2026-09-06	5 SE Winchester, KS	60	Significant	Occurred with the same storm that produced 1 in hail and at the same time.
2026-09-06	2 ESE Bonner Springs, KS	71	Severe	Personal weather station report. Time confirmed from radar.
2026-08-21	3 E Jarbalo, KS	59	Significant	PWS recorded 59 mph wind gust.
2026-08-19	Ozawkie, KS	70	Severe	—
2026-08-19	3 E Jarbalo, KS	65	Severe	Emergency manager reports 65 mph wind gusts and dime sized hail. Time estimated from radar.
2026-08-15	2 S Meriden, KS	80	Severe	Corrects previous tstm wnd gst report from 2 S Meriden. Wind was measured with a Kestrel meter.
2026-08-14	2 S Meriden, KS	80	Severe	Wind was measured with a Kestrel meter.
2026-08-10	1 WNW Clare, KS	58	Significant	—
2026-07-09	3 ENE Topeka, KS	60	Significant	KTOP ASOS gusted to 60 mph.
2026-06-14	5 NNE Lawrence, KS	63	Significant	ASOS station KLWC Lawrence.
2026-06-14	3 E Jarbalo, KS	81	Severe	—
2026-06-14	4 NE Oskaloosa, KS	60	Significant	Estimated 60 mph winds northeast of McLouth.

Frequently Asked Questions About Lawrence Hail

When was the last major hail storm in Lawrence, KS?

The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Lawrence was on October 13, 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 Lawrence?

Lawrence averages roughly 29 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 133 of the 143 events recorded over the last five years.

How big does hail typically get in Lawrence?

The largest documented hail near Lawrence in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Lawrence-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 KS?

Most homeowners insurance policies in KS 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 Lawrence address?

Use the HailCheck address search to enter any street address in or near Lawrence. 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 Lawrence

If your property in or near Lawrence 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 Lawrence's Location Matters for Hail

Lawrence sits inside the central United States hail belt, where warm Gulf moisture collides with cold continental air to produce supercell thunderstorms capable of dropping the hail documented above. Properties in this zone typically see at least one significant hail event every two to four years.