August 18, 2026: NOAA's SPC logged 5 hail reports around Lawrence, from Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties, between 06:02 and 06:19 UTC. The largest stone measured 1.75 in. at 3 NNW Piper, Wyandotte County. The closest report fell 21.0 miles from the Lawrence city center (3 ENE Jarbalo).
The first Lawrence report is stamped 06:02 UTC: 1.00-inch hail at 3 ENE Jarbalo (21.0 mi northeast). The last is 06:19 UTC: 1.75-inch hail at Piper (23.6 mi east-northeast).
The farthest report from the center is 1 NE Piper (24.9 mi east-northeast): 1.50-inch hail, 3.9 miles beyond the nearest one.
Sizes on Aug 18 run from 1.00 in. at 3 ENE Jarbalo to 1.75 in. at 3 NNW Piper around 06:16 UTC.
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 | 5 | 1.75″ |
Reported hail, report by report
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:16 | 1.75″ | 3 NNW Piper, Wyandotte County | 23.9 mi |
| 06:19 | 1.75″ | Piper, Wyandotte County | 23.6 mi |
| 06:06 | 1.50″ | 1 NE Piper, Wyandotte County | 24.9 mi |
| 06:15 | 1.50″ | 2 NNW Piper, Wyandotte County | 23.5 mi |
| 06:02 | 1.00″ | 3 ENE Jarbalo, Leavenworth County | 21.0 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 1.75 in. hail on August 18, 2026 means for a Lawrence roof
| Size class | Reports | Share | Largest report in class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | 3 | 60% | 1 NE Piper, 06:06 UTC |
| 1.75 to 2.49 in | 2 | 40% | 3 NNW Piper, 06:16 UTC |
5 of the 5 sized Lawrence reports reached 1 in. The 1.75 in. stone at 3 NNW Piper, Wyandotte County falls in the 1.75 to 2.49 in class; on August 18, 2026 that is golf ball to hen egg territory for Lawrence.
How the storm moved through the area
| County | Reports | Largest hail | Closest to city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyandotte | 4 | 1.75″ | 23.5 mi |
| Leavenworth | 1 | 1.00″ | 21.0 mi |
What spotters wrote
1.75″, 3 NNW Piper at 06:16 UTC: Photo shared on social media of measured hail around golf ball sized. Time estimated from radar.
1.75″, Piper at 06:19 UTC: Picture shared via social media depicts several hail stones measured to be 1.75 inched. Time estimated via radar.
1.50″, 1 NE Piper at 06:06 UTC: hail covered the ground... largest stones near ping pong ball sized... report via slack... time estimate via radar.
1.50″, 2 NNW Piper at 06:15 UTC: Picture shared via social media shows wind shield damage from large hail.
1.00″, 3 ENE Jarbalo at 06:02 UTC: Emergency manager reported quarter sized hail. Time estimated from radar.
How this day compares with other hail days
Lawrence has 4 hail days in our NOAA log; by largest hailstone, August 18, 2026 ranks #1 of them. Logged days closest in time to August 18, 2026:
- October 13: 1 report, largest 1.50″
- September 15: 3 reports, largest 1.75″
- September 6: 3 reports, largest 1.00″
The same storm in nearby cities
August 18: 6 cities in 3 states drew SPC hail reports. Topeka, KS lies closest to Lawrence, 24 miles west-northwest, with 1 report, largest 1.00 in. Biggest stone outside Lawrence within 220 miles: 1.75 in. at Manhattan, KS, 73 miles west-northwest.
| City | Distance | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | 24 mi west-northwest | 1 | 1.00″ |
| Manhattan, KS | 73 mi west-northwest | 4 | 1.75″ |
2 nearest to Lawrence, within 220 miles; each link opens that city’s list for August 18, 2026.
Where the claim clocks stand for the Lawrence storm
Lawrence: that storm was 68 days ago. Rows marked passed are not cut-off dates on their own; the only legal limits are the ones tagged statute. For Lawrence the photo window, the inspection and the target filing date (Tue, Aug 25) are already behind us.
- The Lawrence clock starts at your proof of loss, not on Aug 18: 15 working days. Statute text
- For Lawrence this period is 5 years from a different start point, so no date is shown. Statute text
Lawrence: insurer clocks counted from a claim filed Tue, Aug 25; working-day clocks skip weekends. Claim deadlines for Lawrence, KS. Hail claim guide for Kansas. Not legal advice; your own reporting deadline comes from your policy.
August 18 against the Douglas County August record
Lawrence's August 18 log shows 1.75 in. hail. The record August in Douglas County since 2014 is 2016, with 5 reports and a largest stone of 1.75 in.
Hail history near Lawrence: not the first
Lawrence’s county has logged 38 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 Lawrence, KS
What the sizes reported on August 18, 2026 can do to a roof
| Size class in Lawrence's reports | Looks like | Reports | What that size can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | quarter to ping-pong ball | 3 | Shingles can bruise and shed granules, often unseen from the ground. |
| 1.75 to 2.49 in | golf ball to hen egg | 2 | Can fracture older shingles and dent vents, flashing and gutters. |
Size classes follow the SPC report diameters; the damage wording is general, not a finding about any one roof.
2026 in the Douglas County hail record
NOAA's county table already holds 5 hail reports for Douglas County in 2026 through June 2026, with a largest stone of 1.75 in. That is more than 2 of the 6 full years before it. The busiest full year in the table is 2018 with 9 reports.
| Year | NOAA hail reports, Douglas County | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 6 | 2.50″ |
| 2018 | 9 | 1.50″ |
| 2019 | 8 | 1.00″ |
| 2021 | 1 | 1.00″ |
| 2022 | 1 | 1.25″ |
| 2023 | 8 | 1.25″ |
| 2026 (through June 2026) | 5 | 1.75″ |
This date among 2026's matched hail days
In 2026 the feed holds 4 matched hail days for Lawrence. Ranked by largest stone, then report count, August 18, 2026 is #1 of them.
| Date | City | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 18 | Lawrence | 5 | 1.75″ |
| Sep 15 | Lawrence | 3 | 1.75″ |
| Oct 13 | Lawrence | 1 | 1.50″ |
| Sep 6 | Lawrence | 3 | 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 August 18, 2026
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Lawrence or to the 3 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Tue, Aug 18, through Tue, Aug 25.
Questions about this storm
Lawrence, August 18, 2026: how big was the hail?
At 3 NNW Piper, Wyandotte County, the largest SPC report was 1.75 in.
Lawrence, August 18, 2026: how close did the hail fall?
The nearest report sat 21.0 miles from the city center and the farthest 24.9 miles. Within 10 miles: 0 of 5 reports.
Lawrence, August 18, 2026: how long did the hail last?
Reports are stamped from 06:02 to 06:19 UTC, a window of 17 minutes. Late reports can still be added for about a day.
Lawrence, August 18, 2026: was this the worst hail day on record?
Lawrence has 4 logged hail days; August 18, 2026 ranks #1 for Lawrence, at 1.75 in. The best other day reached 1.75 in.
Lawrence, August 18, 2026: what dates apply to a Kansas insurer?
A claim filed on Tue, Aug 25 puts Lawrence's insurer on the clock: acknowledgment by Tue, Sep 8; decision 15 working days after proof of loss. That is Kansas law, applied to Lawrence. Information, not legal advice; Lawrence 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 Lawrence on August 18, 2026?
The feed shows hail reports that day in Topeka, KS (24 miles west-northwest, 1 report, up to 1.00 in.); Manhattan, KS (73 miles west-northwest, 4 reports, up to 1.75 in.).
What did the feed log near Lawrence in the week after August 18, 2026?
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Lawrence or to the 3 other covered cities within 100 miles on any of the 7 days after Tue, Aug 18, through Tue, Aug 25.
Was 2026 a busy hail year in Douglas County?
NOAA's county table already holds 5 hail reports for Douglas County in 2026 through June 2026, with a largest stone of 1.75 in. That is more than 2 of the 6 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
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