Hail Reports in Columbia, South Carolina — Last 90 Days
NOAA Storm Prediction Center logged 3 hail reports within 25 miles of Columbia across 1 storm day, most recently on September 6, 2026. Source: SPC Local Storm Reports (preliminary, may be revised).
Data as of October 24, 2026 (last successful NOAA check). The newest report in the feed is from Oct 23, 2026. The 90-day log is SPC preliminary data. The county history (2017 to June 2026) is the NOAA Storm Events archive, 2014–June 2026; it has no storms after it ends.
- 2.00 inlargest hail near the city, last 90 days (golf ball size)
- 13days with hail 1 in or larger in the county, 2014–June 2026
- 140days with 58+ mph thunderstorm wind, 2014–June 2026
- #133 of 209among the cities we cover, by hail days of 1 in or more
Has hail hit my Columbia roof since it was installed?
County-level hail reports for Columbia from the NOAA archive this page uses; a county report is not proof of damage at your Columbia address.
When does hail hit Columbia?
NOAA NCEI Storm Events, county level, 2014–June 2026
If insurance covers it, what do I pay in Columbia?
Only if the claim is approved. The ACV math is a straight-line example over a 25-year life; insurers writing Columbia policies use their own schedules, so check your policy.
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A local contractor will reach out as soon as they review your request.
Hail near Columbia in the last 90 days
- 2.00 inLargest hail in 90 days (golf-ball size)
- 1Hail day near Columbia
- 3SPC reports
- September 6, 2026Most recent event
Around Columbia, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center logged 3 hail reports within 25 miles between September 6 and September 6, 2026, spread over 1 storm day. That day brought stones of 1″ or more, and 0 of the 3 Columbia reports with coordinates fell within 10 miles of the city center. In a typical year Columbia sees about 3 hail-producing storms.
Columbia's storm-climate context
Columbia sits in the South Carolina Midlands and serves as a funnel point for moisture from both the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, producing intense thunderstorm seasons from April through September. The city was soaked by 1,000-year flooding rains in October 2015 that delivered 24 inches in 48 hours, revealing widespread roof and flashing vulnerabilities across aging neighborhoods.
Fort Jackson's presence creates consistent housing turnover and robust demand for affordable shingle replacement, with many contractors maintaining military-friendly pricing and VA appraisal experience. South Carolina's warm climate accelerates algae staining on asphalt shingles, making algae-resistant shingle warranties a key selling point for local contractors.
How close the hail came
Columbia's nearest hail report, one of 3, came 16.3 miles from the city center on September 6, 2026 (2.00″ at 5 W Lexington). The worst Columbia day was September 6, 2026: 3 reports, largest 2.00″. Stones of 1″ or more came on 1 of the 1 Columbia-area hail day.
| Distance from city center | Reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|
| Within 5 miles | 0 | — |
| Within 10 miles | 0 | — |
| Within 25 miles | 3 | 2.00″ |
Distances are straight-line from the city center to each SPC report point; reports without coordinates are left out of the table.
Hail events near Columbia by date
September 6, 2026 3 reports, hail up to 2.00″ (golf-ball size)
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2147 | 2.00″ | 5 W Lexington, Lexington County | 16.3 mi |
| 2151 | 2.00″ | 5 W Lexington, Lexington County | 16.3 mi |
| 2201 | 1.25″ | 6 NE Gilbert, Lexington County | 17.5 mi |
The Columbia tables above list 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 log does not mean no hail: small or unreported events happen. The closest report in this window landed 16.3 miles from Columbia's center.
View the 3 Columbia-area reports on a map
On the Columbia 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 Columbia's reports
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring Columbia's 3 area reports (filed in Lexington County) against that scale: 2 Columbia reports reached the significant 2″+ tier — stones that crack shingles and break skylights outright, not just bruise them, plus 1 in the severe 1″–2″ band. At these sizes, damage on a Columbia roof is rarely visible from the ground, and homeowners policies typically cover it when it is documented promptly.
Hail history in Columbia: the long picture
County-level NOAA records for the county behind Columbia, 2014–June 2026. Each figure shows its source. Storms after the archive ends are not in these numbers. Ranks count from 1, the highest.
Columbia against the 209 cities we cover
- #133of 209Days with hail 1 in or larger in Columbia: middle
- #122of 209Days with hail 1.75 in or larger (golf ball) in Columbia: middle
- #3of 209Days with 58+ mph thunderstorm wind in Columbia: top quarter
- #103of 209Tornadoes in Columbia: middle
- #171of 209Reported storm property damage in Columbia: bottom quarter
- #102of 209Share of homes built before 1980 in Columbia: middle
Hail events by year
| 2017 | 8 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 10 |
Years with no record show as 0. In its busiest full year (2024) Columbia's county logged 10 events; the whole span, 2017 to 2024, holds 38.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county level, 2017–2024Hail history at a glance
- 38Hail events in the county, since 2017 (NOAA)
- 1.75 inLargest hailstone on record
- Feb 23, 2024Last recorded event in the archive
For Columbia's county, NOAA records a most severe stone of 1.75″ and 38 hail events since 2017, close to 4 every year. Set against that baseline, the 1 hail day near Columbia in the 90-day window above runs above the long-term average rate. Check your own Columbia address on the hail risk lookup.
Columbia's county logged fewer hail events than the South Carolina median (41 per county since 2017), below the state's typical pace.
Three ways a storm reaches a roof
Hail
Columbia's county days with at least one report at that size. Largest stone: 2.75 in.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, 2014–June 2026Thunderstorm wind
140 Columbia's county days with 58+ mph
58 mph is the NWS severe threshold. Strongest gust on record in Columbia's county: 100 mph on Apr 15, 2018.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, 2014–June 2026Tornadoes
8 in Columbia's county
Strongest tornado in Columbia's county: EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, 2014–June 2026Peak storm month
June
In Columbia's county, 123 of 461 hail, wind and tornado reports (27%) fell in June.
Source: NOAA Storm Events, 2014–June 2026Older homes
51.9% of Columbia homes built before 1980
About 31,000 of Columbia's 60,568 housing units (share times units, rounded). Median year built: 1978. Housing units, not roofs: many Columbia homes have been re-roofed since.
Source: Census ACS (Columbia city), 2019–2023Year-by-year table with the largest stone
| Year | Recorded hail events | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 busiest | 10 | 0.50″ |
| 2023 | 2 | 1.00″ |
| 2022 | 6 | 1.00″ |
| 2021 | 2 | 0.25″ |
| 2020 | 4 | 1.00″ |
| 2019 | 2 | 0.88″ |
| 2018 | 4 | 1.00″ |
| 2017 largest stone | 8 | 1.75″ |
NOAA Storm Events archive, Columbia's county. Years missing from the table have no record in the archive. * 2026 covers only January to June: NOAA's file ends there, so it is not counted as the worst year or in the yearly average.
In the archive for Columbia's county, 2024 was the busiest hail year (10 recorded events); the largest stone on record, 1.75″, fell in 2017. A Columbia roof older than 2017 with no documented inspection has probably taken at least one unexamined hit.
In a market with repeat hail, impact-resistant Class 4 shingles often pay for themselves through insurer premium discounts — worth discussing with a Columbia roofer if a recent event tips you into a replacement.
Richland County fact sheet for Columbia homeowners
Housing age, federal disaster declarations and your state's claim deadlines in one place. All three come from public records, county level.
How old are the roofs? Homes in Richland County by decade built
| pre-1940 | 4.3% |
|---|---|
| 1940s | 3.8% |
| 1950s | 8.1% |
| 1960s | 8.9% |
| 1970s | 13.7% |
| 1980s | 12.8% |
| 1990s | 14.6% |
| 2000s | 18.6% |
| 2010s | 13.7% |
| 2020+ | 1.3% |
185,196 homes, median built in 1989. 39.0% date from before 1980 and 15.1% from 2010 on; 60.4% are owner-occupied. The most common decade is the 2000s.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey · data as of ACS 5-yearWhat to do if your roof was in the hail path
- Walk the ground, not the roof. 16.3 miles from the Columbia city center (5 W Lexington, September 6, 2026) is where the nearest report fell in the last 90 days. Look at your Columbia downspouts for granules and at gutters, vents and screens for dents.
- Photograph and date everything before repairs. For Columbia the worst day is September 6, 2026 with 3 reports and a top stone of 2.00 in. Dated photos, a coin beside a hailstone and this NOAA log tie your loss to one storm day.
- Get a free inspection instead of guessing. The single hail day near Columbia reached 1 inch or more. Nobody on a Columbia lawn can see bruised shingles or lost granules, so a written scope from a roofer is the test for a claim.
- File on the policy's clock. Last hail day near Columbia: 49 days ago. Check the policy for your reporting window and file soon, while the log dates are fresh.
- Bring the written scope to the adjuster. Hand over the scope in writing: an adjuster working a Columbia claim then has the contractor's numbers. Step-by-step: the roof insurance claim guide.
Hail in Columbia — questions homeowners ask
When did hail last hit Columbia, SC?
How large was the hail near Columbia?
Does homeowners insurance cover hail damage in Columbia?
How often does hail hit the Columbia area?
How close did hail get to Columbia in the last 90 days?
Check your own ZIP in Columbia
The county figures above average over everything inside the county line. For a score tied to your Columbia address, run your ZIP through the hail risk lookup — Columbia ZIP codes include 29201, 29203, 29204, 29205, 29209.
Columbia neighborhoods — hail exposure varies by area
Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in Five Points, Shandon, Forest Acres, Cayce, Irmo or Eau Claire, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Columbia's center is listed for each report.
Hail alerts for Columbia: join the list
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More resources
- Roofing contractors in Columbia
- Storm damage repair in Columbia
- Roof repair in Columbia
- Roof inspection in Columbia
- Insurance claim guide
- Roof replacement costs in Columbia
- Emergency roof repair
- All recent hail reports
- Hail risk lookup
Sources: NOAA Storm Prediction Center Local Storm Reports (last 90 days, preliminary) and the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county of the city, 2014–June 2026); U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (housing). The Storm Events archive used here ends in 2024, so storms between that date and the start of the 90-day log are not shown. How we collect data. Are you a roofer in Columbia? See how requests reach contractors.
How to cite this page
Free to quote with credit, under CC BY 4.0, no permission needed. The numbers are NOAA Storm Prediction Center preliminary reports: unverified, and not confirmed damage to any roof. This is not an official NOAA or NWS product.