Kokomo 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.
Kokomo's Storm-Climate Context
Kokomo carries one of Indiana's more severe storm records. An F4 tornado on April 11, 1965, cut an 800-yard-wide path killing 25 people in the surrounding area, and an EF3 on August 24, 2016, damaged 1,000 homes with 80 destroyed -- both events generating major re-roofing surges. Record temperatures span a wide swing, from a high of 110 F to a low of -26 F, accelerating shingle aging through thermal cycling. Average annual snowfall of 34.1 inches is among the highest in Indiana, creating real snow-load risk and frequent ice-dam conditions on the area's flat-pitched residential roofs. March 1965 flooding from Wildcat Creek further underscores the multi-peril exposure here.
Kokomo's 2020 population was 59,604. The city remains a concentrated automotive manufacturing hub: the Kokomo Transmission Plant employs 3,583, Indiana Transmission Plants I and II together employ 2,439, and the Kokomo Casting Plant employs 1,281. BorgWarner, Haynes International, and the StarPlus Energy joint venture add further industrial base. This dense manufacturing employment sustains high homeownership rates and steady demand for both residential re-roofing and large industrial roof maintenance contracts.
Hail Events Near Kokomo by Date
August 26, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size) Largest in 90 days
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Kokomo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2135 | 1.00″ | Russiaville, Howard County | 8.5 mi |
August 13, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size) Largest in 90 days
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Kokomo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0356 | 1.00″ | 1 NE Rigdon, Grant County | 20.3 mi |
August 11, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size) Largest in 90 days
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Kokomo |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1557 | 1.00″ | 2 NNW Marion, Grant County | 24.7 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 8.5 miles from Kokomo's center.
View these 3 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 Kokomo's Reports
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring the 3 Kokomo-area reports (filed in Grant, Howard Counties) against that scale: 3 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 Kokomo that most homeowners never think to check — look for granules collecting at downspouts, dented gutters or screens, and battered plants after the August 26, 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 Kokomo — the 10-Year Picture
The county behind Kokomo has logged 6 hail events over the last decade — a pace of roughly 1 per year — with the most severe stone measured at 2.85″. Against that 10-year baseline, the 3 hail days in this 90-day window run above the long-term average rate. Kokomo averages 4 hail-producing storms per year — check hail risk lookup for your address.
Kokomo'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.
Kokomo's County, Year by Year (NOAA Archive)
| Year | Recorded hail events | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 busiest largest stone | 2 | 2.85″ |
| 2020 | 2 | 1.00″ |
| 2019 | 1 | 0.88″ |
| 2017 | 1 | 1.25″ |
NOAA Storm Events archive, Kokomo's county. Years with no row logged no hail events.
2024 was the county's standout hail year on both counts: the most recorded events (2) and the largest stone (2.85″). Roofs installed before that season have already survived the local worst case — or absorbed damage that was never inspected.
Hail in Kokomo — Questions Homeowners Ask
Check Your Own ZIP in Kokomo
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 — Kokomo ZIP codes include 46901, 46902, 46903, 46904, 46905.
Kokomo Neighborhoods — Hail Exposure Varies by Area
Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in Eastside, Southwest District, Downtown Kokomo, Harrison Township or Westville, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Kokomo's center is listed for each report.
More Resources
Roofing contractors in Kokomo · Storm damage repair in Kokomo · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs in Kokomo · Emergency roof repair