Hail in Hand County, SD
Hand County is one of the more hail-prone places in the country. NOAA radar has confirmed 17 hail events of 1 inch or larger in Hand County since 2025, the largest 2.1″ (golf ball) on July 2, 2026. The most recent confirmed hail was July 2, 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 Hand County, SD
Hand County occupies the open plains of central South Dakota, gently rolling grassland and cropland east of the Missouri River. Summer storms drawing Gulf moisture northward and firing along fronts can turn severe, with stones reaching quarter to golf ball size. The Aberdeen (KABR) radar keeps watch from about 69 miles to the northeast, distant enough that it leans toward reading storm tops.
The hail record for Hand County, SD
Hand County sits squarely in the country's busy zone for hail.
This year has run hot: 12 confirmed events in 2026 already, ahead of the recent pace.
June does most of the damage here; Hand County is comparatively quiet the rest of the year.
Common questions
How often does it hail in Hand County?
NOAA radar has confirmed 17 severe hail events (1 inch or larger) in the Hand County area since 2025.
When is hail season in Hand County?
Hail in Hand County is concentrated in June, within a season that runs spring into early summer.
What's the largest hail recorded in Hand County?
Radar confirmed 2.1-inch hail, about golf ball size, on July 2, 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.
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.
Is hail getting worse in Hand 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 Hand County, 12 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.
Hail just hit, what should I do?
Safely photograph any hail and note the time, then confirm what radar recorded at your address before calling your insurer. Most policies require prompt notice after a hail event, and deadlines vary by policy and state, so don't wait to document it.
Recent confirmed hail near Hand County, SD
What this means for your home
If you were just hit
With recent hail in Hand 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.
Damage can be invisible from the ground
At Hand 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.
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.
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.
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.