Hail in Breathitt County, KY
NOAA radar has confirmed 3 hail events of 1 inch or larger in Breathitt County since 2025, the largest 1.5″ (ping pong ball) on April 15, 2025. The most recent confirmed hail was August 22, 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 Breathitt County, KY
Breathitt County lies deep in the eastern Kentucky coalfields, a rugged, heavily forested region of steep ridges and narrow valleys on the Cumberland Plateau. Hail is uncommon and usually modest, generally tied to spring storms that draw on moist air ahead of fronts crossing the mountains. The Jackson (KJKL) radar sits about 5 miles to the north, right in the county and giving a close, detailed view of storms overhead.
The hail record for Breathitt County, KY
This year has run hot: 2 confirmed events in 2026 already, ahead of the recent pace.
August does most of the damage here; Breathitt County is comparatively quiet the rest of the year.
Damaging hail is the exception rather than the rule in Breathitt County, but the record shows it does reach 1.5″ when it arrives.
Common questions
How often does it hail in Breathitt County?
NOAA radar has confirmed 3 severe hail events (1 inch or larger) in the Breathitt County area since 2025.
When is hail season in Breathitt County?
Hail in Breathitt County is concentrated in August, within a season that runs spring into early summer.
What's the largest hail recorded in Breathitt County?
Radar confirmed 1.5-inch hail, about ping pong ball size, on April 15, 2025.
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.
Is Breathitt County's hail big enough to damage a roof?
It can be. Asphalt shingles can begin showing functional damage in the ¾-to-1-inch range, and Breathitt County's confirmed hail reaches 1.5″. At these sizes damage is often hard to see from the ground, so whether it's a claimable loss depends on shingle type, age, and an inspection.
Is hail getting worse in Breathitt County?
Nationally, the research on long-term hail trends is mixed. Better radar coverage since the 1990s makes real increases hard to separate from improved detection. In Breathitt County, 2 confirmed events have been recorded in 2026 so far, but the tracked record is still short, so it isn't evidence of a lasting trend.
Did it hail in Breathitt County in 2026?
Yes, 2 confirmed hail events so far in 2026, most recently August 22, 2026.
Recent confirmed hail near Breathitt County, KY
What this means for your home
Damage can be invisible from the ground
At Breathitt County's typical sizes, hail often bruises shingles and loosens granules without obvious holes, shortening roof life in ways that are easy to miss until the next storm or an inspection.
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.
Keep a 'before' record
Photos of your roof and exterior in good condition make new hail damage much easier to prove later. A few shots now, before the next storm, can save an argument with an adjuster over what's old wear and what's storm damage.
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.
Claims have deadlines
Policies set a deadline for hail-damage claims, and state law may also apply. Windows range from months to several years depending on your state and policy. Knowing the exact date hail hit your address helps you file on time.
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.
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.