Hail in Bay County, MI
Bay County sees genuinely damaging hail. NOAA radar has confirmed 9 hail events of 1 inch or larger in Bay County since 2025, the largest 2.8″ (baseball) on May 17, 2026. The most recent confirmed hail was July 1, 2026.
Did hail hit your exact address?
This page covers the whole area. Enter your address to see what NOAA radar detected over your specific roof - free, in seconds.
About Bay County, MI
Bay County sits at the head of Saginaw Bay in eastern Michigan, a flat farming lowland along the Lake Huron shore. Hail is rare here; the cool lake air often stabilizes the atmosphere near the bay and limits the deep updrafts that build stones. The Detroit (KDTX) radar lies about 74 miles to the south, far enough that it samples storm tops better than low-level detail near the bay. A summer thunderstorm pushing in from inland may bring small hail on the uncommon day.
The hail record for Bay County, MI
The worst on record here, 2.8″, lands well past the roughly 1-inch point where asphalt shingles can begin to sustain damage.
Bay County doesn't see hail every month, but it's a recurring visitor, with 9 confirmed events since 2025.
This year has run hot: 8 confirmed events in 2026 already, ahead of the recent pace.
Common questions
How often does it hail in Bay County?
NOAA radar has confirmed 9 severe hail events (1 inch or larger) in the Bay County area since 2025.
When is hail season in Bay County?
Bay County sees hail from spring into early summer, most often in June.
What's the largest hail recorded in Bay County?
Radar confirmed 2.8-inch hail, about baseball size, on May 17, 2026.
Does homeowner's insurance cover hail damage?
Hail is a covered peril under most standard homeowner's policies (typically HO-3), subject to your deductible. Whether you have replacement-cost or actual-cash-value coverage makes a big difference in what's paid out. Your declarations page will say which.
Has Bay County had hail big enough to total a roof?
2.8″ hail is in the range where damage can be severe enough to warrant a full roof replacement on standard asphalt shingles. Whether a roof is actually totaled depends on its material and age, how intense the storm was at your specific address, and your insurer's inspection. Hail size alone doesn't decide it.
How do I know if my roof was damaged by hail?
Common signs are granules collecting in gutters and downspouts, bruised or cracked shingles, and dents on soft metals like vents, flashing, and gutter tops. A lot of hail damage isn't visible from the ground, so a professional inspection is the reliable check.
Should I file a hail claim or pay out of pocket?
It depends on the damage versus your deductible. At the 2.8″ sizes seen here, damage often exceeds a typical deductible, which can make a claim worthwhile, but get a repair estimate first to compare, and keep in mind that filing can affect future premiums.
Recent confirmed hail near Bay County, MI
What this means for your home
Don't overlook vehicle damage
Hail at the 2.8″ sizes Bay County has seen also dents vehicles, cracks glass, and chips paint. Document car damage alongside your roof before any repairs. Both can be part of the same claim.
If you were just hit
With recent hail in Bay County, you're still in the window to document and report it. Photograph any damage, note the storm date, confirm what radar detected at your address, and review your policy's reporting requirements. Deadlines vary.
Read anything before you sign it
Some contractors ask storm-hit homeowners to sign an "assignment of benefits," which can hand control of your insurance claim to them. Read it closely. You can document and file a claim yourself without giving that up.
Document before you repair
If you suspect hail damage, photograph it and note the storm's date before making any repairs. Undocumented or already-fixed damage is much harder to claim later.
Know your hail deductible
Many policies in hail-prone states use a percentage deductible, often 1–2% of the home's insured value rather than a flat dollar amount. On a $400,000 home that can be $4,000–$8,000 out of pocket before coverage starts, so it's worth checking your declarations page before a storm.
Get more than one estimate
After a damaging storm, reputable local roofers get busy and out-of-town crews flood in. Get multiple written estimates and verify licensing and local references before signing anything.
Before you call your insurer
Get the radar evidence for your address.
A NOAA Radar Evidence Report documents exactly what federal radar recorded at your address - hail size, date, and signature - in a formatted PDF you can attach to a claim. Built entirely from public NOAA data.
Events are NOAA/NWS Severe Thunderstorm Warnings with confirmed hail ≥ 1 inch, matched to this county by the warning centroid. Federal public-domain data. A confirmed event indicates radar-detected hail over the area, not a guarantee of damage to any specific property.