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 24 hail storms within 25 miles of Opelika, AL. Of those, 17 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 Opelika| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Destructive | 2 events | Egg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage |
| Severe | 6 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 9 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 7 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 2 events |
| 2025 | 2 events |
| 2024 | 4 events |
| 2023 | 8 events |
| 2022 | 3 events |
| 2021 | 5 events |
2023 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Opelika, with 8 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Opelika 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-13 | 3 ESE Opelika, AL | Moderate | 0.75" | Video of dime to penny-size hail in a subdivision along S Uniroyal Rd near Columbus Pkwy. |
| 2026-08-13 | 3 NW Salem, AL | Moderate | 0.70" | Dime-size hail reported along Lee County Road 391 near U.S. 280. |
| 2025-11-25 | REELTOWN, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter-size hail was reported at Reeltown Baptist Church. Hail damage was reported to a few roof tops in the area. |
| 2025-03-31 | SALEM, AL | Severe | 1.50" | Up to 1.5-inch hail was reported at Wacoochee Elementary School. |
| 2024-08-18 | DADEVILLE, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter-size hail was reported in Dadeville. |
| 2024-08-18 | WHITESVILLE, GA | Significant | 1.00" | One inch hail reported at exit 30 on i-185. |
| 2024-05-27 | SEALE, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter-size hail was reported along Highway 169 near Seale. |
| 2024-03-15 | CRAWFORD, AL | Moderate | 0.88" | Nickel-sized hail was reported just east of Parkmanville. |
| 2023-08-11 | AUBURN, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported in Auburn. |
| 2023-06-14 | MITCHELL XRD, AL | Moderate | 0.88" | — |
| 2023-06-11 | BEEHIVE, AL | Moderate | 0.88" | Nickel size hail reported along I-85 at exit 51. |
| 2023-03-26 | CAMP HILL, AL | Destructive | 2.75" | Baseball size hail reported in Camp Hill with numerous vehicle windows shattered. |
| 2023-03-26 | CAMP HILL, AL | Severe | 1.75" | Golf ball size hail reported in Camp Hill. |
| 2023-03-26 | MOOREFIELD, AL | Severe | 1.75" | Golf ball size hail reported on County Road 50 southwest of Lafayette. |
| 2023-03-26 | LAFAYETTE, AL | Destructive | 2.50" | Tennis ball size hail reported on the southeast side of Lafayette. |
| 2023-01-04 | BEEHIVE, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported along I-85 at exit 50. |
| 2022-06-15 | CRAWFORD, AL | Severe | 1.75" | Golf ball size hail reported just east of Crawford. |
| 2022-06-15 | BEEHIVE, AL | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2022-03-16 | AUBURN, AL | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2021-12-30 | LOACHAPOKA, AL | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported in the town of Loachapoka. |
NOAA has recorded 96 high-wind events within 25 miles of Opelika, AL in the past five years. Of those, 94 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 64 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 1 event |
| Significant | 93 events |
| Moderate | 2 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | CUSSETA, AL | 58 | Significant | A few trees were downed in the Cusseta area. |
| 2026-06-22 | FAIRFAX, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees down in the Valley area, with one large oak tree falling on a truck. |
| 2026-06-01 | GREENWOOD, AL | 58 | Significant | Multiple trees and power lines were downed across Macon County. |
| 2026-06-01 | LADONIA, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed along Camp Parkman Rd as well as Sandfort Rd at Woodland Drive. In addition, a tree was down on a power line, catching fire, at Cutrate Rd and Opelika Rd. |
| 2026-06-01 | AUBURN, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed across various parts of Lee County. |
| 2026-06-01 | LAFAYETTE, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed across parts of Chambers County. |
| 2026-06-01 | Robert G. Pitts Airport, AL | 48 | Significant | 42 kts at AUO. |
| 2026-03-16 | J C MEADOWS XRDS, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed on Lee Road 179 south of Lee Road 240, and on Lee Road 300. |
| 2026-03-16 | WALNUT HILL, AL | 58 | Significant | Several trees and power lines were downed across Stillwaters Highway. |
| 2026-03-16 | LANETT, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees and power lines were downed in Lanett. |
| 2026-03-16 | LAFAYETTE, AL | 58 | Significant | A metal building was blown onto Highway 431, and trees were downed in multiple locations around Lafayette. |
| 2026-03-16 | DOUBLE CHURCHES, GA | 55 | Significant | Broadcast media reports tree down on britton dr in north columbus ga. |
| 2026-03-12 | MITCHELL XRD, AL | 58 | Significant | Two trees were downed across Lee Road 11. |
| 2026-03-12 | PHENIX CITY, AL | 60 | Significant | Reports of damage around Phenix City, including billboards blown out, a storage building damaged at 11th Ave and 14th St, and trees downed sporadically at numerous locations. |
| 2026-03-12 | SMITHS, AL | 60 | Significant | Lee Road 412 was blocked by trees in/out of Hunters Ridge neighborhood with power outages associated. |
| 2026-03-12 | SMITHS, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed on Lee Road 213, 309, and 240. |
| 2026-03-12 | PEPPERELL, AL | 58 | Significant | A tree fell on a home on Terracewood Dr, a tree and power line were downed on Hunter St, and a tree was downed on Veterans Pkwy. |
| 2026-03-12 | CUSSETA, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees were downed at Highway 388 and Lee Road 2085. |
| 2026-03-12 | MOTTS, AL | 58 | Significant | An outbuilding/shed was partially blown into the roadway at Lee Road 246 and Lee Road 289. |
| 2026-01-10 | SALEM, AL | 58 | Significant | Trees and powerlines were downed in the Salem community. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Opelika was on November 25, 2025. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Opelika averages roughly 5 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 17 of the 24 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Opelika in the last five years was egg-sized. Most Opelika-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 Opelika. 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 Opelika 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 ValidationOpelika 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.