Evansville is not hail alley, but it is not exempt either — the area averages about 4 hail-producing storms a year. When a cell does track over the county, the reports below tell you the date, the stone size, and how close it came.
Evansville's Storm-Climate Context
Evansville averages 45.3 inches of annual precipitation and 11.8 inches of seasonal snowfall, with winter totals ranging from as little as 0.5 inches in 2011-12 to 37.9 inches in 1969-70 -- a freeze-thaw variability that stresses roof decks and membrane seals year after year. The recorded high is 111 F on July 28, 1930, and the recorded low is -23 F on February 2, 1951. The city's 201-day average freeze-free period means roughly five months of freeze risk each year, creating repeated expansion-contraction cycles in flashing and underlayment. The Ohio River Flood of 1937 inundated 500 city blocks and remains a reminder of extreme weather exposure in this Ohio River valley location.
Evansville recorded 117,298 residents at the 2020 census, making it the third-largest city in Indiana. The local economy anchors around corporate headquarters including Atlas Van Lines, Shoe Carnival, and OneMain Financial, alongside manufacturing and healthcare. Bristol-Myers Squibb and AT&T operate significant regional facilities. A large chemical and industrial manufacturing base drives steady demand for commercial and industrial roofing alongside the city's substantial residential housing stock.
Hail Events Near Evansville by Date
August 12, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size)
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Evansville |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2137 | 1.00″ | 3 NNW Melody Hill, Vanderburgh County | 6.2 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 6.2 miles from Evansville'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 Evansville's Reports
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring the 1 Evansville-area report (filed in Vanderburgh 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 Evansville that most homeowners never think to check — look for granules collecting at downspouts, dented gutters or screens, and battered plants after the August 12, 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 Evansville — the 10-Year Picture
The county behind Evansville has logged 16 hail events over the last decade — a pace of roughly 2 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 run above the long-term average rate. Evansville averages 4 hail-producing storms per year — check hail risk lookup for your address.
Evansville's county logged fewer hail events than the Indiana median (22 per county over 10 years), placing it on the lower end of the state's hail exposure spectrum — though individual storm cells can still produce damaging hail regardless of the long-term average.
Evansville's County, Year by Year (NOAA Archive)
| Year | Recorded hail events | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 | 1.00″ |
| 2023 | 1 | 0.75″ |
| 2022 | 2 | 1.50″ |
| 2021 | 1 | 1.00″ |
| 2020 | 1 | 1.00″ |
| 2019 | 2 | 1.00″ |
| 2018 busiest largest stone | 3 | 2.00″ |
| 2017 | 2 | 2.00″ |
| 2016 | 2 | 1.00″ |
NOAA Storm Events archive, Evansville's county. Years with no row logged no hail events.
2018 was the county's standout hail year on both counts: the most recorded events (3) 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 Evansville — Questions Homeowners Ask
Check Your Own ZIP in Evansville
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 — Evansville ZIP codes include 47712, 47709, 47715, 47714, 47738.
Evansville Neighborhoods — Hail Exposure Varies by Area
Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in Downtown Evansville, Forest Ridge Estates, Evansville Heights, North Heights or Old Southside, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Evansville's center is listed for each report.
More Resources
Roofing contractors in Evansville · Storm damage repair in Evansville · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs in Evansville · Emergency roof repair