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 Sanford, NC. Of those, 16 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 Sanford| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 3 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 13 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 2 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 event |
| 2025 | 4 events |
| 2024 | 1 event |
| 2023 | 9 events |
| 2022 | 3 events |
2023 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Sanford, with 9 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Sanford 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-08 | 4 S New Hill, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Picture of hail up to quarter size near Silent Cove Lane. |
| 2025-05-29 | SOUTHERN PINES ARPT, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter inch hail was reported. |
| 2025-05-29 | ANDERSON CREEK, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail was reported. |
| 2025-04-22 | TERRELLS, NC | Severe | 1.50" | Ping pong ball size hail was reported near the intersection of Chicken Bridge Rd and NC Highway 87 north. |
| 2025-04-22 | SILK HOPE, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Broadcast media reported quarter size hail in the town of Silk Hope. |
| 2024-08-12 | MANLY, NC | Severe | 1.75" | The public reported 1.75 inch hail near Manly. |
| 2023-09-08 | FUQUAY SPGS ARPT, NC | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2023-07-07 | HOLLAND, NC | Significant | 1.00" | A trained spotter reported quarter inch hail along Sherron Hill Ln. |
| 2023-07-07 | FUQUAY SPGS, NC | Significant | 1.25" | Public reported 1.25 inch hail near the intersection of Powell Dr and England Ave. |
| 2023-06-26 | TRAMWAY, NC | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2023-06-26 | SANFORD, NC | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2023-04-14 | MONCURE, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail was reported along River Forks Road. |
| 2023-04-14 | FRIENDSHIP, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail was reported on Whistling Quail Run. |
| 2023-04-14 | APEX, NC | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2023-04-14 | APEX, NC | Severe | 1.75" | — |
| 2022-05-19 | FRIENDSHIP, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported near the intersection of Humie Olive Rd and Butterfinger Ln in the town of New Hill. |
| 2022-05-06 | APEX, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail reported near Apex at the intersection of Apex Barbeque Rd and Kelly Rd. |
| 2022-05-01 | BURT, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter size hail was reported near Holly Springs, near the intersection of Avent Ferry Rd and Buckhorn Duncan Rd. |
NOAA has recorded 214 high-wind events within 25 miles of Sanford, NC in the past five years. Of those, 213 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 71 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 4 events |
| Significant | 209 events |
| Moderate | 1 event |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-05 | Pope Afb, NC | 64 | Severe | AWOS station KPOB Pope Army Airfield. |
| 2026-09-05 | 4 WSW Pope Afb, NC | 62 | Significant | Mesonet station FBRN7 Usfs Met Stn At Fort Bragg. |
| 2026-09-05 | 8 SE Harpers Crossroads, NC | 51 | Significant | Mesonet station HHRN7 Horseshoe House. |
| 2026-07-29 | Pope AAF, NC | 46 | Significant | AWOS station KPOB Pope AAF. |
| 2026-07-29 | 4 WSW Pope Afb, NC | 58 | Significant | Mesonet station FBRN7 Usfs Met Stn At Fort Bragg. |
| 2026-07-10 | Pope Afb, NC | 53 | Significant | Measured at KPOB. |
| 2026-07-05 | Pope Army Airfield, NC | 43 | Moderate | KPOB PK WND 26037/42. |
| 2026-06-27 | HOLLY SPGS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree fell on power lines near South Main Street and West Elm Avenue. |
| 2026-06-27 | HOLLEMANS XRDS, NC | 58 | Significant | Power outages were caused by downed trees near the intersection of Avent Ferry Road and New Hill Holleman Road. |
| 2026-06-26 | ERECT, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree fell in the roadway, blocking one lane of travel. |
| 2026-06-26 | SILK HOPE, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down. Power outages were also reported in the area. |
| 2026-06-19 | Pope AFB, NC | 58 | Significant | AWOS station KPOB Pope AFB. |
| 2026-06-18 | VASS, NC | 58 | Significant | A large tree was reported down along the roadway blocking traffic near the intersection of Furr Road and Pine Drive. |
| 2026-06-18 | (FBG)FT BRAGG, NC | 58 | Significant | A wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at Pope Air Force Base. |
| 2026-06-18 | VASS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree fell on on power lines and trees were also down in the roadway, along Cranes Creek Road. |
| 2026-06-18 | MT PLEASANT, NC | 58 | Significant | A large tree was reported down along Lobelia Road. |
| 2026-06-18 | GULF, NC | 58 | Significant | A few trees were reported down along Jordan Road and US Highway 421. |
| 2026-05-27 | TRAMWAY, NC | 58 | Significant | A couple trees were down in the area around the intersection between Dycus Road and Camelot Lane. |
| 2026-05-27 | GLENDON, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was down blocking one lane of the 800 block of Putnam Glendon Road. |
| 2026-05-27 | GLENDON, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was down on the 100 block of Jesse Phillips Road blocking both lanes of travel. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Sanford was on July 8, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Sanford averages roughly 4 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 16 of the 18 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Sanford in the last five years was ping pong ball-sized. Most Sanford-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 NC 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 Sanford. 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 Sanford 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 ValidationSanford 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.