Hail in Washington County, KS
Washington County has a history of giant, destructive hail. NOAA radar has confirmed 38 hail events of 1 inch or larger in Washington County since 2026, the largest 4.1″ (grapefruit) on June 13, 2026. The most recent confirmed hail was July 9, 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 Washington County, KS
Washington County sits in north-central Kansas along the Nebraska line, a stretch of rolling cropland and prairie that falls squarely within the central Plains hail corridor. Supercells riding the dryline and warm fronts in spring and early summer regularly drop sizable hail here, sometimes up to golf ball size or larger, when surging Gulf moisture meets dry air off the High Plains. The Topeka (KTWX) radar watches the area from roughly 71 miles to the southeast, far enough that it reads storm tops more reliably than the lowest levels near the ground.
The hail record for Washington County, KS
At 4.1″, the largest hail on record here is in the range that can strip shingles and dent siding across whole blocks at once.
Washington County sits squarely in the country's busy zone for hail.
There's no single dangerous week in Washington County. Hail spreads across spring and early summer, peaking in May.
Common questions
How often does it hail in Washington County?
NOAA radar has confirmed 38 severe hail events (1 inch or larger) in the Washington County area since 2026.
When is hail season in Washington County?
Washington County sees hail from spring into early summer, most often in May.
What's the largest hail recorded in Washington County?
Radar confirmed 4.1-inch hail, about grapefruit size, on June 13, 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.
Has Washington County had hail big enough to total a roof?
4.1″ hail is in the range where damage can be severe enough to warrant a full roof replacement on standard asphalt shingles. Whether a roof is actually totaled depends on its material and age, how intense the storm was at your specific address, and your insurer's inspection. Hail size alone doesn't decide it.
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.
Should I file a hail claim or pay out of pocket?
It depends on the damage versus your deductible. At the 4.1″ sizes seen here, damage often exceeds a typical deductible, which can make a claim worthwhile, but get a repair estimate first to compare, and keep in mind that filing can affect future premiums.
Recent confirmed hail near Washington County, KS
What this means for your home
Don't overlook vehicle damage
Hail at the 4.1″ sizes Washington County has seen also dents vehicles, cracks glass, and chips paint. Document car damage alongside your roof before any repairs. Both can be part of the same claim.
If you were just hit
With recent hail in Washington 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.
Read anything before you sign it
Some contractors ask storm-hit homeowners to sign an "assignment of benefits," which can hand control of your insurance claim to them. Read it closely. You can document and file a claim yourself without giving that up.
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.
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.