Hail in Riley County, KS
Hail is a regular fact of life in Riley County, not a rare event. NOAA radar has confirmed 18 hail events of 1 inch or larger in Riley County since 2025, the largest 2.3″ (golf ball) on April 27, 2026. The most recent confirmed hail was June 11, 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 Riley County, KS
Riley County sits in the Flint Hills of northeast Kansas, where rolling tallgrass prairie rises west of the Kansas River valley around Manhattan. Hail here arrives often but tends toward the smaller end, pea to marble and occasionally larger, when spring storms ride along frontal boundaries pushing across the plains. The Topeka (KTWX) radar keeps watch from about 34 miles to the southeast, close enough to read low-level structure over the county clearly.
The hail record for Riley County, KS
With 18 confirmed events on record since 2025, Riley County ranks among the country's more active spots for hail.
This year has run hot: 15 confirmed events in 2026 already, ahead of the recent pace.
Riley County's hail isn't confined to one stretch of the calendar; it recurs from spring into summer, heaviest in April.
Common questions
How often does it hail in Riley County?
NOAA radar has confirmed 18 severe hail events (1 inch or larger) in the Riley County area since 2025.
When is hail season in Riley County?
Riley County sees hail from spring into early summer, most often in April.
What's the largest hail recorded in Riley County?
Radar confirmed 2.3-inch hail, about golf ball size, on April 27, 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 Riley 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 Riley 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.
Will it hail again in Riley County this year?
Riley 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 Riley County in 2026?
Yes, 15 confirmed hail events so far in 2026, most recently June 11, 2026.
Recent confirmed hail near Riley County, KS
What this means for your home
Damage can be invisible from the ground
At Riley 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.