Hail Reports in Manhattan, Kansas — Last 90 Days

Hail is a recurring, budgetable risk in Manhattan — roughly 8 hail-producing storms in a typical year. The 90-day log below shows where the most recent activity landed relative to town, so you can judge whether your street was in a hail path.

Manhattan's Storm-Climate Context

Manhattan sits squarely in Tornado Alley, giving roofs here a serious threat profile. An EF4 tornado struck on June 11, 2008, causing 20 million dollars in damage to Kansas State University's campus alone; an earlier tornado on June 8, 1966 injured at least 65 residents. Temperatures swing from a record low of -35 F on February 12, 1899 to a record high of 116 F on August 13, 1936, driving extreme freeze-thaw cycling that cracks sealants and works shingles loose. Annual snowfall averages 17.6 inches, adding seasonal snow load, while 35.77 inches of annual precipitation -- concentrated May through August -- accelerates granule loss and flashing fatigue. With frequent hail days, impact-rated shingles are a sound investment.

Manhattan's 2020 census population was 54,100. Kansas State University is the dominant employer with roughly 24,000 students on campus, and Fort Riley military base adds thousands of civilian jobs nearby. That combination of a large university campus with aging institutional roofs and steady military-adjacent residential construction keeps contractor demand consistent. The school district ranks among the city's largest employers, adding another layer of public-facility roofing work to the market.

Hail Events Near Manhattan by Date

August 18, 2026 — 4 reports, hail up to 1.75″ (golf-ball size)

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 18.7 miles from Manhattan's center.

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 Manhattan's Reports

The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring the 4 Manhattan-area reports (filed in Dickinson, Geary Counties) against that scale: 4 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

1. Stay off the roof and read your yard instead. Granule piles at the downspouts, dings in gutters and window screens, shredded leaves — after the August 18, 2026 activity near Manhattan, those ground-level proxies tell you whether the roof took a hit.
2. Build the paper trail before anyone touches anything. Dated photos of the damage, a hailstone next to a coin if one is still around, and this NOAA log tying the loss to a specific Manhattan storm day are what the adjuster will ask for.
3. Expect door-knockers — and slow down. In a hail market like Manhattan, out-of-town crews canvass neighborhoods within days of an event. Do not sign a contract or an Assignment of Benefits on the doorstep; get a written inspection scope from a roofer you chose first.
4. File on your policy's clock, not the salesman's. Sudden storm damage is generally covered for Kansas homeowners, and your filing window comes from the policy itself. File promptly while the dates above are fresh, but on your terms.
5. Have your contractor at the adjuster meeting. A written scope keeps the estimate honest. Step-by-step: the roof insurance claim guide.

Hail History in Manhattan — the 10-Year Picture

NOAA's 10-year archive shows 64 hail events in Manhattan's county — roughly 6 per year — with hail up to 3.50″. For comparison, the last 90 days alone brought 1 hail day within 25 miles of Manhattan (this page's window). Manhattan averages roughly 8 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 Manhattan roofer if a recent event tips you into a replacement. Check your own address on the hail risk lookup.

Manhattan's county logged fewer hail events than the Kansas median (78 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.

Manhattan's County, Year by Year (NOAA Archive)

NOAA Storm Events archive, Manhattan'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 (19) and the largest stone (3.50″). Roofs installed before that season have already survived the local worst case — or absorbed damage that was never inspected.

Hail in Manhattan — Questions Homeowners Ask

Check Your Own ZIP in Manhattan

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 — Manhattan ZIP codes include 66502, 66503, 66504, 66505, 66506.

Manhattan Neighborhoods — Hail Exposure Varies by Area

Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in Downtown Manhattan, South Campus, Eastside Park, University Heights or Westside, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Manhattan's center is listed for each report.

More Resources

Roofing contractors in Manhattan · Storm damage repair in Manhattan · Insurance claim guide · Hail insurance claims in Kansas · Roof replacement costs in Manhattan · Emergency roof repair