Williston Hail — Storm History & NOAA Data for Williston, ND

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 33 hail storms within 25 miles of Williston, ND. Of those, 26 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 baseball-sized or larger, which can fracture shingle mat and dent metal flashing on contact. 2026 was the most active year on record locally, with 10 documented hail events.

Check Hail History for a Specific Address in Williston

Hail Severity Breakdown — Williston Area (Last 5 Years)

SeverityCountWhat it means for roofs
Catastrophic1 eventBaseball+ size, structural roof damage likely
Destructive6 eventsEgg-size, expect mat fractures and gutter damage
Severe9 eventsPing pong-size, granule loss and bruising common
Significant10 eventsQuarter-size, the standard insurance damage threshold
Moderate7 eventsMarble-size, possible cosmetic damage

Williston Hail Storms by Year

YearReported Hail Events Within 25 mi
202610 events
20257 events
20241 event
20238 events
20227 events

2026 was the busiest hail year on record locally for Williston, with 10 documented events inside the 25-mile radius. Storm activity in Williston typically peaks in spring and early summer, when the jet stream pushes Gulf moisture into the area and supercell thunderstorms become more frequent.

Notable Recent Williston Hail Storms

Recent Hail Events Near Williston

DateLocationSeveritySizeNOAA Comments
2026-09-06 11 NNE Alexander, ND Significant 1.25" —
2026-09-03 Williston, ND Significant 1.00" Multiple reports of penny to quarter size hail.
2026-06-08 5 N Alexander, ND Destructive 2.00" Relayed from broadcast media. Time estimated from radar.
2026-06-08 3 NE Rawson, ND Destructive 2.00" Local media reported severe hail around 7:50 PM CDT.
2026-06-08 Arnegard, ND Destructive 2.00" Relayed through social media. Time estimated from radar.
2026-06-08 Williston, ND Severe 1.75" In the city of Williston. Hail ongoing.
2026-06-07 ALEXANDER, ND Destructive 2.00" —
2026-06-07 ARNEGARD, ND Destructive 2.00" —
2026-06-07 ARNEGARD, ND Destructive 2.00" —
2026-06-07 WILLISTON, ND Severe 1.75" —
2025-08-07 EPPING, ND Significant 1.00" —
2025-07-25 (ISN)SLOULIN FLD WIL, ND Moderate 0.75" —
2025-07-25 (ISN)SLOULIN FLD WIL, ND Severe 1.50" —
2025-07-25 (ISN)SLOULIN FLD WIL, ND Moderate 0.75" —
2025-07-25 WILLISTON, ND Significant 1.00" —
2025-06-18 BONETRAILL, ND Significant 1.00" —
2025-06-18 WILLISTON, ND Significant 1.00" —
2024-07-14 WHEELOCK, ND Severe 1.50" —
2023-08-30 FAIRVIEW, ND Moderate 0.88" —
2023-08-30 ARNEGARD, ND Severe 1.75" A supercell thunderstorm passed through the Arnegard and surrounding areas, resulting in an extended period of large hail. The largest hail was the size of golf balls. Vehicles were damaged.

Wind Storm History — Williston Area (Last 5 Years)

NOAA has recorded 51 high-wind events within 25 miles of Williston, ND in the past five years. Of those, 51 reached severe-thunderstorm thresholds (58+ mph). The highest measured gust was 96 mph.

SeverityCount
Severe20 events
Significant31 events

Recent Wind Events Near Williston

DateLocationGust (mph)SeverityNOAA Comments
2026-09-14 8 NNE Snowden, MT 58 Significant US-2 @Stateline US2 DOT sensor.
2026-09-14 10 NW Williston, ND 60 Significant AWOS station KXWA Williston Airport.
2026-09-07 5 NNW Charbonneau, ND 60 Significant NDAWN station Charbonneau 5 NW.
2026-06-28 6 NNW Charbonneau, ND 63 Significant Mesonet station 321480 6 NNW Charbonneau (NDAWN).
2026-06-28 6 ESE Fort Union Tradin, ND 67 Severe 67 MPH wind gust at 10M recorded at Buford 3SE NDAWN.
2026-06-28 5 S Bonetrail, ND 60 Significant Report from private weather station.
2026-06-28 12 SSW Bonetrail, ND 72 Severe 72 MPH gust at 3M measured at Pioneer NDAWN.
2026-06-28 10 NW Williston, ND 69 Severe AWOS station KXWA Williston Airport.
2026-06-27 BUFORD, ND 67 Severe Buford NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 67 mph.
2026-06-27 CHARBONNEAU, ND 63 Significant Charbonneau NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 63 mph.
2026-06-27 BONETRAILL, ND 60 Significant Personal weather station reported wind gusts up to 60 mph.
2026-06-27 BONETRAILL, ND 73 Severe Pioneer NDAWN station reported wind gusts up to 72 mph.
2026-06-27 TRENTON, ND 96 Severe Significant storm damage caused by powerful thunderstorm wind gusts across nearly a mile in a neighborhood west of Williston. Emergency manager reported debris in a southwest to northeast orientation, consistent with straight line winds. Notable damage includes two homes with roofs uplifted and partially blown off. One roof blown 100 yards away. Other damage includes sheds, enclosed trailers, and campers damaged or destroyed. Some tree damage also noted. Damage is consistent with winds around 95 mph.
2026-06-27 (ISN)SLOULIN FLD WIL, ND 70 Severe Emergency manager reported damage from strong wind gusts in Williston. Power lines are down in the city and there was damage to the top of a tall car dealership sign.
2026-06-27 (ISN)SLOULIN FLD WIL, ND 69 Severe Williston Airport ASOS reported wind gusts up to 69 mph.
2026-05-15 2 W Arnegard, ND 60 Significant NDDOT sensor.
2026-05-14 6 NNW Charbonneau, ND 63 Significant Mesonet station 321480 6 NNW Charbonneau (NDAWN).
2026-05-14 6 ESE Fort Union Tradin, ND 60 Significant 10 m wind gust at NDAWN site Buford 3 SE.
2026-05-14 10 N Fort Union Trading, MT 66 Severe Mesonet station MTSTA 7.8 N Snowden (MT DOT).
2026-05-14 5 WSW Williston, ND 63 Significant 10 m wind gust at NDAWN site Williston 5 SW.

Frequently Asked Questions About Williston Hail

When was the last major hail storm in Williston, ND?

The most recent quarter-size-or-larger hail storm recorded by NOAA within 25 miles of Williston was on September 6, 2026. HailCheck refreshes from the NOAA Storm Events database daily, so newer events appear here as they are reported.

How often does it hail in Williston?

Williston averages roughly 7 reported hail events per year within a 25-mile radius. Significant storms (quarter-size or larger) account for 26 of the 33 events recorded over the last five years.

How big does hail typically get in Williston?

The largest documented hail near Williston in the last five years was baseball-sized or larger. Most Williston-area hail falls in the marble-to-quarter range, with destructive storms (egg-size or larger) appearing roughly once every few years.

Does my insurance cover hail damage in ND?

Most homeowners insurance policies in ND 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.

How do I check hail history for a specific Williston address?

Use the HailCheck address search to enter any street address in or near Williston. HailCheck returns every NOAA hail event within a configurable radius, along with severity bands, dates, and storm narratives for Pro members.

What a HAAG-Style Test Square Validation Means in Williston

If your property in or near Williston 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 Validation

Why Williston's Location Matters for Hail

Williston sits inside the central United States hail belt, where warm Gulf moisture collides with cold continental air to produce supercell thunderstorms capable of dropping the hail documented above. Properties in this zone typically see at least one significant hail event every two to four years.

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