Madison Hail — Storm History & NOAA Data for Madison, WI

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 358 hail storms within 25 miles of Madison, WI. Of those, 298 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 186 documented hail events.

Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Madison

Hail Severity Breakdown — Madison Area (Last 5 Years)

Severity	Count	What it means for roofs
Catastrophic	11 events	Baseball+ size, structural roof damage likely
Destructive	67 events	Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage
Severe	71 events	Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common
Significant	149 events	Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold
Moderate	60 events	Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage

Madison Hail Storms by Year

Year	Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi
2026	186 events
2025	80 events
2024	26 events
2023	27 events
2022	39 events

2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Madison, with 186 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Madison 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 Madison Hail Storms

April 15, 2026 — Destructive hail (egg-sized) reported near 3 E Maple Bluff. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Madison-area properties.
April 15, 2026 — Destructive hail (egg-sized) reported near 2 NE Maple Bluff. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Madison-area properties.
April 15, 2026 — Destructive hail (egg-sized) reported near 3 NE Monona. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Madison-area properties.
April 14, 2026 — Severe hail (ping pong ball-sized) reported near 4 W Black Earth. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Madison-area properties.
April 14, 2026 — Significant hail (quarter-sized or larger) reported near SHOREWOOD HILLS. This storm met the quarter-size insurance damage threshold and is a candidate date when filing a claim for Madison-area properties.

Recent Hail Events Near Madison

Date	Location	Severity	Size	NOAA Comments
2026-08-09	2 S Windsor, WI	Moderate	0.75"	Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).
2026-04-17	PRAIRIE DU SAC ARPT, WI	Moderate	0.75"	—
2026-04-17	1 NW Prairie Du Sac, WI	Moderate	0.75"	Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).
2026-04-15	3 E Maple Bluff, WI	Destructive	2.25"	Report from mPING: Hen Egg+ (2.25 in.).
2026-04-15	2 NE Maple Bluff, WI	Destructive	2.75"	Trained spotter estimates baseball sized hail.
2026-04-15	3 NE Monona, WI	Destructive	2.75"	Trained spotter reports baseball-sized hail. Multiple vehicles with broken glass.
2026-04-14	4 W Black Earth, WI	Severe	1.75"	—
2026-04-14	SHOREWOOD HILLS, WI	Significant	1.25"	Public report of 1.25 inch diameter hail south of Middleton. Time confirmed via radar data.
2026-04-14	MAZOMANIE, WI	Destructive	2.50"	Trained spotter reports 2.5 inch diameter hail near Mazomanie. Time confirmed via radar data.
2026-04-14	4 SW Middleton, WI	Destructive	2.75"	Trained spotter measures hail stones as large as 2.75 inches in diameter.
2026-04-14	2 SSW Mazomanie, WI	Severe	1.75"	One hail stone of 2 inch diameter.
2026-04-14	MIDDLETON, WI	Severe	1.50"	Public report of 1.5 inch diameter hail near Middleton. Time confirmed via radar data.
2026-04-14	1 NW Middleton, WI	Severe	1.75"	Report from mPING: Golf Ball (1.75 in.).
2026-04-14	Mazomanie, WI	Severe	1.50"	Photo from social media with a quarter for comparison.
2026-04-14	CROSS PLAINS, WI	Destructive	2.00"	Trained spotter reports 2 inch diameter hail near Cross Plains.
2026-04-14	4 S Middleton, WI	Significant	1.25"	Report from mPING: Half Dollar (1.25 in.).
2026-04-14	1 SW Black Earth, WI	Destructive	2.75"	Baseball sized hail falling causing significant damage to siding and roofs in the area.
2026-04-14	1 SE Blue Mounds, WI	Moderate	0.50"	Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.).
2026-04-14	Middleton, WI	Severe	1.50"	—
2026-04-14	1 SE Blue Mounds, WI	Moderate	0.75"	Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).

Wind Storm History — Madison Area (Last 5 Years)

NOAA has recorded 157 high-wind events within 25 miles of Madison, WI in the past five years. Of those, 157 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 85 mph.

Severity	Count
Severe	64 events
Significant	93 events

Recent Wind Events Near Madison

Date	Location	Gust (mph)	Severity	NOAA Comments
2026-08-09	4 NE Edgerton, WI	59	Significant	59 mph wind gust recorded via weather station mounted to roof.
2026-07-09	3 E Lake Wisconsin, WI	56	Significant	Measured on personal weather station.
2026-07-02	Belleville, WI	60	Significant	Public estimates 60 MPH gusts. Time confirmed from radar.
2026-07-02	2 SE Windsor, WI	55	Significant	Private weather station measures 55 MPH wind gust southeast of Windsor. Time confirmed from radar.
2026-06-18	1 SSW Paoli, WI	65	Severe	—
2026-06-17	2 S Blue Mounds, WI	60	Significant	—
2026-06-17	BASCO, WI	64	Severe	—
2026-06-10	MONTICELLO, WI	60	Significant	Trained spotter reports large tree down on a home. Gust estimated from radar data & damage.
2026-06-10	1 S Verona, WI	70	Severe	70mph wind gust measured with handheld anemometer - Kestrel 2500.
2026-06-10	VERONA, WI	70	Severe	Trained spotter measures 70 MPH wind gusts.
2026-06-10	EDGERTON, WI	60	Significant	Public report of a large downed tree branch in Edgerton. Wind gust estimated from radar data and damage.
2026-06-10	FULTON, WI	81	Severe	Trained spotter estimates 80 MPH wind gusts just west of Edgerton.
2026-06-10	4 W Edgerton, WI	80	Severe	Trained spotter estimates 80 MPH wind gusts.
2026-06-10	BUSSEYVILLE, WI	85	Severe	Trained spotter estimates 85 MPH wind gusts to the southeast of Rockdale.
2026-06-10	6 SE Rockdale, WI	85	Severe	Trained spotter estimates 85 MPH wind gusts.
2026-06-10	2 SW Blue Mounds, WI	66	Severe	Brigham WISCONET station.
2026-06-10	BLACK EARTH, WI	60	Significant	Public report of many large tree branches down across Black Earth. Wind speed estimated from radar data, nearby observations, and damage.
2026-06-10	BLUE MOUND STATE PARK, WI	66	Severe	Brigham Wisconet mesonet station.
2026-06-10	CAMP RANDALL STADIUM, WI	60	Significant	Public report of a large tree uprooted and on powerlines. Wind speed estimated from radar data, nearby observations, and damage.
2026-06-10	SUN PRAIRIE, WI	64	Severe	Public report of a 64 MPH wind gust as measured by a private weather station.

Frequently Asked Questions About Madison Hail

When was the last major hail storm in Madison, WI?

The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Madison was on April 15, 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 Madison?

Madison averages roughly 72 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 298 of the 358 events recorded over the last five years.

How big does hail typically get in Madison?

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

Most homeowners insurance policies in WI 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 Madison address?

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

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

Madison 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.