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 12 hail storms within 25 miles of Wilkes-Barre, PA. Of those, 8 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 5 documented hail events.
Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Wilkes-Barre| Severity | Count | What it means for roofs |
|---|---|---|
| Significant | 8 events | Quarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold |
| Moderate | 3 events | Marble-size, possible cosmetic damage |
| Minor | 1 event | Pea-size, unlikely to damage modern shingles |
| Year | Reported Hail Events Within 25 mi |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 events |
| 2024 | 5 events |
| 2023 | 1 event |
| 2022 | 2 events |
2024 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Wilkes-Barre, with 5 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Wilkes-Barre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-04 | Edwardsville, PA | Moderate | 0.50" | — |
| 2026-09-04 | Laurel Run, PA | Minor | 0.25" | 1.50 inches of rain. Time estimated by radar. |
| 2026-08-13 | 2 W Quicktown, PA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2026-03-06 | 2 WNW Lake Harmony, PA | Significant | 1.05" | Mesonet station FW8385 Lake Harmony. |
| 2024-07-15 | EAST BENTON, PA | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2024-06-26 | BERWICK, PA | Significant | 1.00" | A severe thunderstorm produced quarter-sized hail in Berwick. |
| 2024-06-26 | DORRANCE, PA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2024-04-30 | PECKVILLE, PA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2024-04-14 | PRESTON, PA | Moderate | 0.75" | — |
| 2023-09-07 | HAZLETON, PA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2022-07-01 | BUSH PATCH, PA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
| 2022-07-01 | DURYEA, PA | Significant | 1.00" | — |
NOAA has recorded 154 high-wind events within 25 miles of Wilkes-Barre, PA in the past five years. Of those, 154 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 90 mph.
| Severity | Count |
|---|---|
| Severe | 9 events |
| Significant | 145 events |
| Date | Location | Gust (mph) | Severity | NOAA Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-03 | Avoca, PA | 75 | Severe | 75 mph gust extended to 6:09 pm. |
| 2026-07-03 | Avoca, PA | 75 | Severe | Wilkes-Barre Scranton Airport ASOS. |
| 2026-07-03 | Moosic, PA | 60 | Significant | — |
| 2026-06-14 | TOMHICHEN, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree on Tomhicken Road near Prospect Road. |
| 2026-06-14 | KINGSTON, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree on Reynolds St near Rutter Ave. |
| 2026-06-11 | GRASSMERE, PA | 60 | Significant | A severe thunderstorm producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked multiple trees down along Stevens Hill Road in Sugarloaf Township. |
| 2026-06-11 | MARTZVILLE, PA | 60 | Significant | A line of severe thunderstorms producing wind gusts estimated at 60 mph knocked trees down throughout Berwick Township. |
| 2026-06-11 | LAKE HARMONY, PA | 63 | Significant | Multiple trees were blown down in portions of Carbon County. |
| 2026-06-11 | BLAKESLEE, PA | 63 | Significant | Multiple trees were blown down. |
| 2026-06-11 | GLENBURN, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree onto roadway. |
| 2026-06-11 | MILL CITY, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down multiple trees, resulting in road closures. |
| 2026-06-06 | HAZLETON, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree on road. |
| 2026-06-06 | HICKORY RUN, PA | 63 | Significant | Multiple trees blown down along 534 through Hickory Run State Park. |
| 2026-04-16 | 1 NW Fells Corners, PA | 67 | Severe | I-380 PennDot Exit 20 Keystone Mesonet maximum gust was 67 mph. |
| 2026-04-16 | 1 NW Fells Corners, PA | 67 | Severe | PADOT Station 11339 1 NW Fells Corners. |
| 2026-04-15 | MOSCOW, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down a tree on a roadway in Moscow. |
| 2026-04-15 | FELLS CORNERS, PA | 67 | Severe | Peak gusts observed at PADOT Station located 1 miles NW of Fells Corners. |
| 2026-04-15 | EATONVILLE, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked down multiple trees on private property near Cabin Road. |
| 2026-04-15 | WALLSVILLE, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds uprooted softwood trees in a back yard located in North Abingdon Township. |
| 2026-04-15 | DALTON, PA | 58 | Significant | Strong thunderstorm winds knocked a tree down on Main Street. |
The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Wilkes-Barre was on August 13, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.
Wilkes-Barre averages roughly 2 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 8 of the 12 events recorded over the last five years.
The largest documented hail near Wilkes-Barre in the last five years was quarter-sized or larger. Most Wilkes-Barre-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 PA 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 Wilkes-Barre. 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 Wilkes-Barre 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 ValidationWilkes-Barre 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.