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 40 hail storms within 25 miles of Wake Forest, NC. Of those, 30 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 15 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Wake Forest| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Severe | 6 events | Ping pong-size, granule loss and bruising common |
| Significant | 24 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 10 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 15 events |
| 2025 | 10 events |
| 2023 | 6 events |
| 2022 | 9 events |
2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Wake Forest, with 15 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Wake Forest 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-05 | 1 N Clayton, NC | Moderate | 0.50" | — |
| 2026-09-05 | 3 ENE Knightdale, NC | Severe | 1.50" | — |
| 2026-09-05 | 3 S Linwood, NC | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-09-05 | 3 ENE Knightdale, NC | Severe | 1.50" | Corrects time of previous hail report from 3 ENE Knightdale. |
| 2026-09-05 | 4 NW Flowers, NC | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-09-05 | 2 E Clayton, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Hail at NC42 and Glen Laurel Rd. |
| 2026-09-05 | 1 E Wendell, NC | Moderate | 0.50" | Report from mPING: Half-inch (0.50 in.). |
| 2026-09-05 | 6 ENE Creedmoor, NC | Severe | 1.75" | — |
| 2026-09-05 | Franklinton, NC | Moderate | 0.88" | — |
| 2026-07-19 | 3 NE Purnell, NC | Moderate | 0.75" | Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.). |
| 2026-07-08 | 3 NW Lake Wheeler, NC | Significant | 1.00" | 1 inch hail reported. |
| 2026-07-08 | 3 E Cary, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.). |
| 2026-07-08 | 3 NNW Lake Wheeler, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Hail up to quarter sized near the intersection of Southeast Cary Parkway and Holly Springs Road. |
| 2026-07-08 | 4 N Lake Wheeler, NC | Significant | 1.25" | Hail up to half dollar size. |
| 2026-07-08 | 3 ESE Clayton, NC | Significant | 1.25" | Half dollar size hail measured near Hemlock Green Lane. |
| 2025-06-25 | DADDYSVILLE, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter inch hail was reported. |
| 2025-05-05 | WILDERS GROVE, NC | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2025-05-05 | LOWES GROVE, NC | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2025-05-05 | MC CULLERS, NC | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2025-05-05 | ECHO HGTS, NC | Significant | 1.00" | Quarter inch hail reported near US-401 and Interstate 40. |
NOAA has recorded 336 high-wind events within 25 miles of Wake Forest, NC in the past five years. Of those, 335 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 76 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 3 events |
| Significant | 332 events |
| Moderate | 1 event |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-29 | 2 N Rdu International, NC | 45 | Moderate | ASOS station KRDU Raleigh Durham. |
| 2026-06-27 | AUBURN, NC | 58 | Significant | Downed trees caused a large power outage near the intersection of Ackerman Road and White Oak Road. Over two thousand customers were without power. |
| 2026-06-27 | MC CULLERS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down near Old Stage Road and Vandora Springs Road. |
| 2026-06-27 | MC CULLERS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down on Buffaloe Road. |
| 2026-06-27 | DADDYSVILLE, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree fell in the roadway at Paul Sledge Road and Sledge Road. |
| 2026-06-27 | SEVEN PATHS, NC | 58 | Significant | A large tree was reported down near the intersection of Thomas Gay Road and Seven Paths Road in Spring Hope. A nearby residence also saw damage to their siding and front porch. |
| 2026-06-27 | ARCHERS LODGE, NC | 58 | Significant | Numerous large trees were reported down near the intersection of Covered Bridge Road and Forest Oaks Drive. |
| 2026-06-27 | SEVEN PATHS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down along the road near the 100 block of Rawhide Drive. |
| 2026-06-27 | MIDDLESEX, NC | 58 | Significant | Downed trees caused a large power outage around the Middlesex area. Over one thousand customers were without power. |
| 2026-06-27 | ARCHERS LODGE, NC | 58 | Significant | Downed trees caused a large power outage just east of Archer Lodge along Covered Bridge Road. Over two thousand customers were without power. |
| 2026-06-27 | MOULTON, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree fell along the roadway at Duke Valentine Wynne Road and Perdues Road. |
| 2026-06-27 | EPSOM, NC | 58 | Significant | Trees were reported down near Weldons Mill Road and Southerland Mill Road. |
| 2026-06-23 | SAMARIA, NC | 58 | Significant | Trees were reported down near North Carolina routes 231 and 97. |
| 2026-06-23 | DADDYSVILLE, NC | 58 | Significant | Trees were reported down near Pine Ridge Road and Tant Road. |
| 2026-06-23 | BARHAM, NC | 58 | Significant | Trees were reported down near Winfree Lane and Stuarts Ridge Road. |
| 2026-06-22 | OXFORD, NC | 58 | Significant | A large tree was reported down on College Street near the town square. |
| 2026-06-22 | WEST DURHAM, NC | 58 | Significant | Power outages were reported, caused by fallen trees damaging equipment. |
| 2026-06-22 | OXFORD, NC | 58 | Significant | A large tree was reported down near College Street and Alexander Avenue. |
| 2026-06-18 | LOUISBURG, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down along North Carolina Highway 56. |
| 2026-06-18 | STALLINGS XRDS, NC | 58 | Significant | A tree was reported down along Firetower Road. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Wake Forest was on September 5, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Wake Forest averages roughly 8 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 30 of the 40 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Wake Forest in the last five years was ping pong ball-sized. Most Wake Forest-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 Wake Forest. 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 Wake Forest 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 ValidationWake Forest 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.