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 4 hail storms within 25 miles of Whittier, CA. Of those, 3 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 quarter-sized or larger, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2024 was the most active year on record locally, with 4 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Whittier| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Significant | 3 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 1 event | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 events |
2024 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Whittier, with 4 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Whittier 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-03-24 | EL SERENO, CA | Moderate | 0.88" | A strong thunderstorm generate hail with a diameter of 0.88 inches in the city of Alhambra. |
| 2024-03-24 | AZUSA, CA | Significant | 1.00" | A strong thunderstorm generate one inch diameter hail in the city of Azusa. |
| 2024-03-15 | WHITTIER JCT, CA | Significant | 1.00" | A trained spotter reported large hail in the city of Pico Rivera. A thunderstorm generated one inch diameter hail. |
| 2024-03-15 | PICO, CA | Significant | 1.00" | A trained spotter reported large hail in the city of South El Monte. A thunderstorm generated one inch diameter hail. |
NOAA has recorded 14 high-wind events within 25 miles of Whittier, CA in the past five years. Of those, 14 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 78 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 3 events |
| Significant | 11 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-18 | BUENA PARK, CA | 58 | Significant | Viewers reported to fox 11 tree damage in Fullerton. Wind gusts in the vicinity at the time were as high as 57 mph at F0063. |
| 2026-02-18 | (MWS)MT WILSON, CA | 78 | Severe | Strong thunderstorm winds, gusting to 78 MPH, were reported at the Barley Flats Road sensor. |
| 2026-02-18 | LA CANADA, CA | 67 | Severe | Strong thunderstorm winds, gusting to 67 MPH, were reported at the Clear Creek RAWS. |
| 2026-02-16 | SAN PEDRO, CA | 60 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees in the San Pedro area. |
| 2026-02-16 | PALMS, CA | 60 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees in the 3600 block of Vinton Avenue in the community of Culver City. |
| 2026-02-16 | LOS ANGELES, CA | 60 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees in the South Los Angeles area. |
| 2026-02-16 | (SMO)SANTA MONICA AR, CA | 60 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a large tree near the 11200 block of Westminster Avenue in Culver City. |
| 2026-02-16 | HOLLYWOOD, CA | 60 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down several trees in the Hollywood area. |
| 2025-10-14 | (MWS)MT WILSON, CA | 69 | Severe | The Barley Flats sensor reported a thunderstorm wind gust of 69 MPH. |
| 2025-10-14 | (MWS)MT WILSON, CA | 61 | Significant | The Chilao RAWS reported a thunderstorm wind gust of 61 MPH. |
| 2025-03-13 | ROLLING HILLS ESTATE, CA | 58 | Significant | A thunderstorm wind gust of 58 MPH was reported in Redondo Beach, along the coast of Los Angeles county. |
| 2024-03-31 | ARTESIA, CA | 49 | Significant | A trained spotter near Paramount reported roof damage due to a downed tree from gusty thunderstorm winds. |
| 2023-03-01 | LOS NIETOS, CA | 55 | Significant | Scattered thunderstorms developed over Los Angeles county, bringing gusty winds to sections of the coastal plain. Between the communities of Downey and Montebello, thunderstorm winds uprooted a couple of trees and blew shingles off some roofs. Also, one person was injured by wind-blown debris. |
| 2023-03-01 | TALBERT, CA | 49 | Significant | A large mature pine tree was knocked down near the intersection of MacArthur and Main Street. Tree diameter was estimated to be around 3 feet, with lots of debris and branches also down. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Whittier was on March 24, 2024. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Whittier averages roughly 1 reported hail event per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 3 of the 4 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Whittier in the last five years was quarter-sized or larger. Most Whittier-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 CA 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 Whittier. 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 Whittier 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 ValidationWhittier 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.