Knoxville 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.
Knoxville's Storm-Climate Context
Knoxville sits in the Tennessee Valley between the Appalachian and Cumberland ridges, which funnel severe weather through certain corridors while sheltering others. The area receives moderate hail exposure, with April 2011's tornado outbreak impacting the broader metro; the city averages about 4 significant hail days per year and is vulnerable to ice storms in January and February that load roofs and collapse gutters.
University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory anchor Knoxville's economy, supporting a stable residential market with strong demand for quality roof replacements. Tennessee's lack of mandatory contractor licensing has historically invited unlicensed operators, making contractor vetting especially important for Knoxville homeowners.
Hail Events Near Knoxville by Date
August 17, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size) Largest in 90 days
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2120 | 1.00″ | 1 W Maryville, Blount County | 15.2 mi |
July 3, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size) Largest in 90 days
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2340 | 1.00″ | 2 WNW Clinton, Anderson County | 17.3 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 15.2 miles from Knoxville'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 Knoxville's Reports
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring the 2 Knoxville-area reports (filed in Anderson, Blount Counties) 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 Knoxville that most homeowners never think to check — look for granules collecting at downspouts, dented gutters or screens, and battered plants after the August 17, 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 Knoxville — the 10-Year Picture
NOAA's 10-year archive shows 26 hail events in Knoxville's county — roughly 3 per year — with hail up to 1.75″. For comparison, the last 90 days alone brought 2 hail days within 25 miles of Knoxville (this page's window). Knoxville averages roughly 4 hail-producing storms per year. In a market with repeat hail, impact-resistant Class 4 shingles often pay for themselves through insurer premium discounts — worth discussing with a Knoxville roofer if a recent event tips you into a replacement. Check your own address on the hail risk lookup.
Knoxville's county sits right at the Tennessee median of 26 hail events per county over 10 years — average exposure for the state, meaning the risk is real but not outsized compared with neighboring markets.
Knoxville's County, Year by Year (NOAA Archive)
| Year | Recorded hail events | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 largest stone | 3 | 1.75″ |
| 2023 busiest | 8 | 1.00″ |
| 2021 | 1 | 1.00″ |
| 2020 | 1 | 1.00″ |
| 2019 | 1 | 1.00″ |
| 2018 | 2 | 1.00″ |
| 2017 | 5 | 1.75″ |
| 2016 | 5 | 1.75″ |
NOAA Storm Events archive, Knoxville's county. Years with no row logged no hail events.
The county's busiest hail year in the archive was 2023 (8 recorded events), while the largest stone on record — 1.75″ — fell in 2024. If your roof predates 2023 and has never had a documented inspection, assume it has taken at least one unexamined hit.
Hail in Knoxville — Questions Homeowners Ask
Check Your Own ZIP in Knoxville
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 — Knoxville ZIP codes include 37902, 37909, 37912, 37919, 37922.
Knoxville Neighborhoods — Hail Exposure Varies by Area
Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in Bearden, Sequoyah Hills, Halls, Powell, West Knoxville or Old Sevier, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Knoxville's center is listed for each report.
More Resources
Roofing contractors in Knoxville · Storm damage repair in Knoxville · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs in Knoxville · Emergency roof repair