Hail in McKinley County, NM
McKinley 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 McKinley County since 2025, the largest 2.5″ (tennis ball) on October 21, 2026. The most recent confirmed hail was October 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 McKinley County, NM
McKinley County lies in northwestern New Mexico, high desert and mesa country on the Colorado Plateau around Gallup. Hail is uncommon in this dry, elevated setting, and the rare stones generally fall from warm-season afternoon storms when monsoon moisture is lifted over the higher ground. The Albuquerque (KABX) radar sits roughly 86 miles to the east, distant enough that it reads storm tops better than detail close to the ground over the county.
The hail record for McKinley County, NM
McKinley County is the kind of place where homeowners tend to know a roofer by name.
This year has run hot: 15 confirmed events in 2026 already, ahead of the recent pace.
October is the peak, but the broader risk stretches across spring and into early summer.
Common questions
How often does it hail in McKinley County?
NOAA radar has confirmed 17 severe hail events (1 inch or larger) in the McKinley County area since 2025.
When is hail season in McKinley County?
McKinley County sees hail from spring into early summer, most often in October.
What's the largest hail recorded in McKinley County?
Radar confirmed 2.5-inch hail, about tennis ball size, on October 21, 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 McKinley 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 McKinley County, 15 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 McKinley County, NM
What this means for your home
If you were just hit
With recent hail in McKinley 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 McKinley 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.
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.