Hail in Broadwater County, MT
Hail turns up in Broadwater County on a regular basis. NOAA radar has confirmed 7 hail events of 1 inch or larger in Broadwater County since 2025, the largest 1.8″ (golf ball) on July 16, 2026. The most recent confirmed hail was July 18, 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 Broadwater County, MT
Broadwater County sits in the mountain valleys of west-central Montana, where the Missouri River widens into Canyon Ferry Lake beneath surrounding ranges. Hail is uncommon in this high, dry terrain, though a summer afternoon storm can occasionally drop marble-size stones. The Great Falls radar (KTFX) stands about 78 miles to the north, and the intervening high ground means it sees storm tops more readily than detail near the valley floor.
The hail record for Broadwater County, MT
Hail is a recurring threat in Broadwater County, with 7 confirmed events on record since 2025.
This year has run hot: 4 confirmed events in 2026 already, ahead of the recent pace.
July does most of the damage here; Broadwater County is comparatively quiet the rest of the year.
Common questions
How often does it hail in Broadwater County?
NOAA radar has confirmed 7 severe hail events (1 inch or larger) in the Broadwater County area since 2025.
When is hail season in Broadwater County?
Hail in Broadwater County is concentrated in July, within a season that runs spring into early summer.
What's the largest hail recorded in Broadwater County?
Radar confirmed 1.8-inch hail, about golf ball size, on July 16, 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.
Is hail getting worse in Broadwater 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 Broadwater County, 4 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.
Will it hail again in Broadwater County this year?
Broadwater County's record already includes more than one confirmed event in a single season. That's what the data shows so far, not a prediction for any given season.
Did it hail in Broadwater County in 2026?
Yes, 4 confirmed hail events so far in 2026, most recently July 18, 2026.
Recent confirmed hail near Broadwater County, MT
What this means for your home
Damage can be invisible from the ground
At Broadwater 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.
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.
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.
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.
Replacement cost vs. actual cash value
An RCV policy pays to replace your roof at today's prices; an ACV policy subtracts depreciation for the roof's age, which can mean a much smaller check on an older roof. Knowing which you carry shapes what a hail claim is actually worth.
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.