Hail days are uncommon around Boise, 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.
Boise's Storm-Climate Context
Boise's semi-arid high desert climate produces mild storm activity, but the Treasure Valley receives occasional late-spring hail that catches newer residents off guard. The more persistent roofing challenge is heavy snow loads in exceptional winters — the Boise Foothills can receive 2-4 feet of snow — combined with algae and lichen growth on north-facing roof planes fed by the Boise River valley's morning fog.
Boise's rapid population growth from the California migration wave has created a contractor shortage, driving labor costs up significantly since 2020. Metal roofing has gained market share here because homeowners from high-cost coastal markets bring familiarity with premium materials.
Hail Events Near Boise by Date
July 23, 2026 — 2 reports, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size)
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Boise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0250 | 1.00″ | 3 SE Boise, Ada County | 2.9 mi |
| 0300 | 1.00″ | 4 SE Boise, Ada County | 3.8 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 2.9 miles from Boise's center.
View these 2 reports 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 Boise's Reports
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring the 2 Boise-area reports (filed in Ada County) against that scale: 2 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 Boise that most homeowners never think to check — look for granules collecting at downspouts, dented gutters or screens, and battered plants after the July 23, 2026 reports 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 Boise — the 10-Year Picture
The county behind Boise has logged 6 hail events over the last decade — a pace of roughly 1 per year — with the most severe stone measured at 1.25″. Against that 10-year baseline, the 1 hail day in this 90-day window run above the long-term average rate. Boise averages 2 hail-producing storms per year — check hail risk lookup for your address.
Boise's county sits right at the Idaho median of 6 hail events per county over 10 years — average exposure for the state, meaning the risk is real but not outsized compared with neighboring markets.
Boise's County, Year by Year (NOAA Archive)
| Year | Recorded hail events | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 busiest | 3 | 1.00″ |
| 2022 largest stone | 2 | 1.25″ |
| 2016 | 1 | 1.00″ |
NOAA Storm Events archive, Boise's county. Years with no row logged no hail events.
The county's busiest hail year in the archive was 2024 (3 recorded events), while the largest stone on record — 1.25″ — fell in 2022. If your roof predates 2022 and has never had a documented inspection, assume it has taken at least one unexamined hit.
Hail in Boise — Questions Homeowners Ask
Check Your Own ZIP in Boise
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 — Boise ZIP codes include 83702, 83704, 83705, 83709, 83712.
Boise Neighborhoods — Hail Exposure Varies by Area
Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in North End, Bench, East End, Harris Ranch, Southeast Boise or Collister, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Boise's center is listed for each report.
More Resources
Roofing contractors in Boise · Storm damage repair in Boise · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs in Boise · Emergency roof repair