Hail days are uncommon around Ann Arbor, which is exactly why the ones that do occur get missed: nobody is expecting roof damage. Each entry below is a NOAA-logged report from the last 90 days within 25 miles of town — worth a ground-level check if a date lines up with a storm you remember.
Ann Arbor's Storm-Climate Context
Ann Arbor endures a full four-season Michigan climate that tests roofs year-round. Average seasonal snowfall of 58 inches imposes significant snow load and repeated freeze-thaw cycling that stresses flashing, gutters, and shingle adhesive strips. The record low of -23 F on February 11, 1885 illustrates how deep cold can make shingles brittle and crack sealants, while the record high of 105 F on July 24, 1934 signals intense UV summers that accelerate granule loss. Lake-effect moisture surges through late fall and early winter, adding ice dam risk to low-pitch roofs. Hail days through storm season are a secondary but real concern for asphalt shingles and gutters.
Ann Arbor's 2020 census population was 123,851. The University of Michigan anchors the economy with roughly 30,000 employees, including about 12,000 in its medical center, sustaining strong residential and institutional building stock. A dense concentration of high-tech firms including Duo Security, ProQuest, and KLA Corporation keeps professional-class homeownership high and supports steady demand for premium roofing work on well-maintained owner-occupied homes throughout the city.
Hail Events Near Ann Arbor by Date
July 27, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size)
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Ann Arbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0458 | 1.00″ | Manchester, Washtenaw County | 17.7 mi |
Preliminary Local Storm Reports from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Sizes are reported hailstone diameters; times are UTC. Reports can be added or corrected for about a day after each event. A quiet page section ≠ no hail — smaller or unreported events happen. The closest report in this window landed 17.7 miles from Ann Arbor's center.
View these 1 report on a map
Circle positions are the NOAA SPC report coordinates; tap a circle for the date and hail size.
Hail size: < 1″ 1–1.75″ ≥ 2″ not recorded
How Severe Was It? The NWS Yardstick, Applied to Ann Arbor's Reports
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring the 1 Ann Arbor-area report (filed in Washtenaw County) against that scale: 1 of them met the severe 1″+ criterion — the size at which asphalt shingles start taking granule loss and bruising that shows up as leaks a season later. Damage at these sizes is rarely visible from the ground but is typically covered by homeowners insurance when documented promptly.
What to Do If Your Roof Was in the Hail Path
- Do a ground-level walk-around. Hail is rare enough around Ann Arbor that most homeowners never think to check — look for granules collecting at downspouts, dented gutters or screens, and battered plants after the July 27, 2026 report above. Stay off the roof itself.
- Photograph anything suspicious with dates. Even minor-looking marks matter later: this NOAA log plus dated photos connect the damage to a covered storm event instead of "gradual wear", which insurers exclude.
- Book a free inspection rather than guessing. Bruised shingles and granule loss are invisible from the ground; a written scope from a local roofer settles whether there is a claim at all.
- Only involve the insurer once you know the scope. If the inspection finds nothing, you have lost nothing; if it finds damage, file within your policy's window while the event date is easy to prove.
- Bring the written scope to the adjuster. Full walkthrough in the roof insurance claim guide.
Hail History in Ann Arbor — the 10-Year Picture
The county behind Ann Arbor has logged 46 hail events over the last decade — a pace of roughly 5 per year — with the most severe stone measured at 2.00″. Against that 10-year baseline, the 1 hail day in this 90-day window track close to the long-term average rate. Ann Arbor averages 3 hail-producing storms per year — check hail risk lookup for your address.
Compared to the Michigan county median of 10 hail events over 10 years, Ann Arbor's county runs 4.6× above average — an exposure level that pushes local insurers toward higher wind-and-hail premium tiers and makes impact-resistant shingles a cost-effective upgrade.
Ann Arbor's County, Year by Year (NOAA Archive)
| Year | Recorded hail events | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 1.00″ |
| 2023 busiest largest stone | 16 | 2.00″ |
| 2021 | 3 | 1.00″ |
| 2020 | 4 | 1.50″ |
| 2019 | 4 | 1.50″ |
| 2018 | 4 | 1.00″ |
| 2017 | 8 | 1.25″ |
| 2016 | 5 | 1.00″ |
NOAA Storm Events archive, Ann Arbor's county. Years with no row logged no hail events.
2023 was the county's standout hail year on both counts: the most recorded events (16) and the largest stone (2.00″). Roofs installed before that season have already survived the local worst case — or absorbed damage that was never inspected.
Hail in Ann Arbor — Questions Homeowners Ask
Check Your Own ZIP in Ann Arbor
The county-level history above averages over the whole area. For a score tied to your address, run your ZIP through the hail risk lookup — Ann Arbor ZIP codes include 48104, 48103, 48109, 48105, 48106.
Ann Arbor Neighborhoods — Hail Exposure Varies by Area
Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in Downtown Ann Arbor, Siena Heights, Westside, The District at逛街广场 or Northfield, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Ann Arbor's center is listed for each report.
More Resources
Roofing contractors in Ann Arbor · Storm damage repair in Ann Arbor · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs in Ann Arbor · Emergency roof repair