September 21, 2026: NOAA's SPC logged 2 hail reports around Gadsden, all in Marshall County, between 21:30 and 21:35 UTC. Nearest to Gadsden was a report 21.5 miles out (Albertville). The largest stone measured 1.00 in. at Albertville, Marshall County.
Where the hail fell
- under 0.75 in
- 0.75 to 0.99
- 1.00 to 1.74
- 1.75 to 2.49
- 2.50 and up
How many reports fell close to the city
| Distance from city center | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|
| Within 5 miles | 0 | — |
| Within 10 miles | 0 | — |
| Within 25 miles | 2 | 1.00″ |
Reported hail, report by report
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21:30 | 1.00″ | Albertville, Marshall County | 21.5 mi |
| 21:35 | 1.00″ | Albertville, Marshall County | 22.1 mi |
The rows above come from preliminary Local Storm Reports of the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Sizes are reported hailstone diameters; times are UTC. Reports can be added or corrected for about a day after the event. Where a report carries no distance, it is measured in a straight line from its coordinates to the city center.
What 1.00 in. hail on September 21, 2026 means for a Gadsden roof
2 of the 2 sized Gadsden reports reached 1 in. The 1.00 in. stone at Albertville, Marshall County falls in the 1.00 to 1.74 in class; on September 21, 2026 that is quarter to ping-pong ball territory for Gadsden.
What spotters wrote
1.00″, Albertville at 21:30 UTC: EMA reported quarter sized hail in Albertville.
1.00″, Albertville at 21:35 UTC: Picture of quarter sized hail in Albertville.
How this day compares with other hail days
Gadsden has 2 hail days in our NOAA log; by largest hailstone, September 21, 2026 ranks #2 of them. Logged days closest in time to September 21, 2026:
- July 1: 1 report, largest 1.75″
The same storm in nearby cities
September 21: 3 cities in 2 states drew SPC hail reports. Huntsville, AL lies closest to Gadsden, 60 miles north-northwest, with 1 report, largest 1.00 in. 2 cities lie within 220 miles of Gadsden with hail reports on September 21.
| City | Distance | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville, AL | 60 mi north-northwest | 1 | 1.00″ |
| Chattanooga, TN | 83 mi north-northeast | 1 | 1.00″ |
2 nearest to Gadsden, within 220 miles; each link opens that city’s list for September 21, 2026.
Where the claim clocks stand for the Gadsden storm
Gadsden: that storm was 34 days ago. Rows marked passed are not cut-off dates on their own; the only legal limits are the ones tagged statute. For Gadsden the photo window, the inspection and the target filing date (Mon, Sep 28) are already behind us.
- 30 days run from the proof of loss you file, not from Sep 21. Statute text
Gadsden: insurer clocks counted from a claim filed Mon, Sep 28; working-day clocks skip weekends. Claim deadlines for Gadsden, AL. Not legal advice; your own reporting deadline comes from your policy.
Hail history near Gadsden: not the first
Gadsden’s county has logged 29 hail events since 2017; if this one leads to a replacement, ask about Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, which some insurers discount. Check your own address on the hail risk lookup.
See all roofing contractors in Gadsden, AL
What the sizes reported on September 21, 2026 can do to a roof
| Size class in Gadsden's reports | Looks like | Reports | What that size can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | quarter to ping-pong ball | 2 | Shingles can bruise and shed granules, often unseen from the ground. |
Size classes follow the SPC report diameters; the damage wording is general, not a finding about any one roof.
2026 in the Etowah County hail record
NOAA's county table already holds 1 hail reports for Etowah County in 2026 through June 2026, with a largest stone of 0.88 in. That is more than 0 of the 8 full years before it. The busiest full year in the table is 2018 with 9 reports.
| Year | NOAA hail reports, Etowah County | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 8 | 1.75″ |
| 2018 | 9 | 2.00″ |
| 2019 | 1 | 0.75″ |
| 2020 | 1 | 1.75″ |
| 2021 | 2 | 1.00″ |
| 2022 | 1 | 1.50″ |
| 2024 | 1 | 0.75″ |
| 2025 | 5 | 1.75″ |
| 2026 (through June 2026) | 1 | 0.88″ |
This date among 2026's matched hail days
In 2026 the feed holds 2 matched hail days for Gadsden. Ranked by largest stone, then report count, September 21, 2026 is #2 of them.
| Date | City | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1 | Gadsden | 1 | 1.75″ |
| Sep 21 | Gadsden | 2 | 1.00″ |
Ranked by largest stone, then by report count. Only dates the SPC feed matched to a covered city are counted.
The week after September 21, 2026
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Gadsden or to the 6 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Mon, Sep 21, through Mon, Sep 28.
Questions about this storm
Gadsden, September 21, 2026: how big was the hail?
At Albertville, Marshall County, the largest SPC report was 1.00 in.
Gadsden, September 21, 2026: how close did the hail fall?
The nearest report sat 21.5 miles from the city center and the farthest 22.1 miles. Within 10 miles: 0 of 2 reports.
Gadsden, September 21, 2026: how long did the hail last?
Reports are stamped from 21:30 to 21:35 UTC, a window of 5 minutes. Late reports can still be added for about a day.
Gadsden, September 21, 2026: was this the worst hail day on record?
Gadsden has 2 logged hail days; September 21, 2026 ranks #2 for Gadsden, at 1.00 in. The best other day reached 1.75 in.
Gadsden, September 21, 2026: what dates apply to a Alabama insurer?
A claim filed on Mon, Sep 28 puts Gadsden's insurer on the clock: acknowledgment by Tue, Oct 13; decision 30 days after proof of loss. That is Alabama law, applied to Gadsden. Information, not legal advice; Gadsden homeowners find their own reporting deadline in the policy.
Do I need an inspection if my roof looks fine?
Often, yes. Hail bruises and granule loss are hard to see from the ground. A dated inspection scope is what ties damage to this storm rather than to ordinary wear.
Did the same storm hit towns near Gadsden on September 21, 2026?
The feed shows hail reports that day in Huntsville, AL (60 miles north-northwest, 1 report, up to 1.00 in.); Chattanooga, TN (83 miles north-northeast, 1 report, up to 1.00 in.).
What did the feed log near Gadsden in the week after September 21, 2026?
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Gadsden or to the 6 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Mon, Sep 21, through Mon, Sep 28.
Was 2026 a busy hail year in Etowah County?
NOAA's county table already holds 1 hail reports for Etowah County in 2026 through June 2026, with a largest stone of 0.88 in. That is more than 0 of the 8 full years before it. The busiest full year in the table is 2018 with 9 reports.
About these numbers
Every figure on this page comes from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center Local Storm Reports file, matched to reports within 25 miles of the city center. Reports are preliminary: they come from trained spotters, emergency managers, the public and mPING app submissions, and sizes are often estimated against a coin or ball. We do not adjust them. A roofer tagged Verified holds a license or registration we confirmed in a public registry. That tag says nothing about coverage, so ask whoever you pick for a current certificate of insurance before signing.
More Resources
All recent local hail · Roofing contractors · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs here · Emergency roof repair