Hail Reports in Manhattan, Kansas — Last 90 Days

Hail near Manhattan in the last 90 days

• 1.75 inLargest hail in 90 days (golf-ball size)
• 3Hail days near Manhattan
• 7SPC reports
• September 19, 2026Most recent event

Around Manhattan, the NOAA Storm Prediction Center logged 7 hail reports within 25 miles between August 18 and September 19, 2026, spread over 3 storm days. Every one of those days brought stones of 1″ or more, and 0 of the 7 Manhattan reports with coordinates fell within 10 miles of the city center. In a typical year Manhattan sees about 8 hail-producing storms, which is why insurers price separate wind-and-hail deductibles in this market.

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.

How close the hail came

Of the 7 Manhattan reports, the closest landed 14.5 miles from the city center on September 12, 2026 (1.00″ at 1 NE Grandview Plaza). August 18, 2026 was the heaviest day around Manhattan, with 4 reports and a top stone of 1.75″. Stones of 1″ or more came on 3 of the 3 Manhattan-area hail days.

Distances are straight-line from the city center to each SPC report point; reports without coordinates are left out of the table.

Hail events near Manhattan by date

The Manhattan tables above list 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 log does not mean no hail: small or unreported events happen. The closest report in this window landed 14.5 miles from Manhattan's center.

On the Manhattan 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 Manhattan's reports

Hail history in Manhattan: the long picture

County-level NOAA records for the county behind Manhattan, 2014–June 2026. Each figure shows its source. Storms after the archive ends are not in these numbers. Ranks count from 1, the highest.

Manhattan against the 209 cities we cover

• #42of 209Days with hail 1 in or larger in Manhattan: top quarter
• #33of 209Days with hail 1.75 in or larger (golf ball) in Manhattan: top quarter
• #114of 209Days with 58+ mph thunderstorm wind in Manhattan: middle
• #103of 209Tornadoes in Manhattan: middle
• #75of 209Reported storm property damage in Manhattan: middle
• #129of 209Share of homes built before 1980 in Manhattan: middle

NOAA's archive for the county behind Manhattan lists 64 hail events since 2017, about 7 a year in Manhattan's county. Its most severe stone measured 3.50″. Set against that baseline, the 3 hail days near Manhattan in the 90-day window above run above the long-term average rate. Check your own Manhattan address on the hail risk lookup.

Manhattan's county logged fewer hail events than the Kansas median (90 per county since 2017), below the state's typical pace.

Three ways a storm reaches a roof

2024 was the standout hail year in Manhattan's county on both counts: the most recorded events (19) and the largest stone (3.50″).

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.

Riley County fact sheet for Manhattan homeowners

Housing age, federal disaster declarations and your state's claim deadlines in one place. All three come from public records, county level.

What to do if your roof was in the hail path

1. Stay off the roof and read the yard instead. 14.5 miles from the Manhattan city center (1 NE Grandview Plaza, September 12, 2026) is where the nearest report fell in the last 90 days. Look at your Manhattan downspouts for granules and at gutters, vents and screens for dents.
2. Photograph and date everything before repairs. For Manhattan the worst day is August 18, 2026 with 4 reports and a top stone of 1.75 in. Dated photos, a coin beside a hailstone and this NOAA log tie your loss to one storm day.
3. Expect door-knockers; do not rush. With 3 of the 3 hail days at 1 inch or more around Manhattan, canvassers arrive fast. A contract or Assignment of Benefits signed at a Manhattan door is a risk; a written scope from your own roofer is not.
4. Watch two deadlines: the policy's and the insurer's. 36 days ago: that is how long since the newest hail day near Manhattan. Your window to report a Manhattan loss sits in the policy; the insurer's answer clocks are state law, linked below.
5. Bring the written scope to the adjuster. A Manhattan estimate stays honest when the adjuster receives your contractor's written scope. Step-by-step: the roof insurance claim guide.

Insurer clocks for Manhattan homeowners: rule text, quotes and links on the Kansas claim-deadlines page (checked 2026-10-09). Not legal advice.

Hail in Manhattan — questions homeowners ask

Check your own ZIP in Manhattan

The county figures above average over everything inside the county line. For a score tied to your Manhattan 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
• Roof repair in Manhattan
• Roof inspection in Manhattan
• Insurance claim guide
• Hail insurance claims in Kansas
• Roof replacement costs in Manhattan
• Emergency roof repair
• All recent hail reports
• Hail risk lookup

Sources: NOAA Storm Prediction Center Local Storm Reports (last 90 days, preliminary) and the NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county of the city, 2014–June 2026); U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (housing). The Storm Events archive used here ends in 2026, so storms between that date and the start of the 90-day log are not shown. How we collect data. Are you a roofer in Manhattan? See how requests reach contractors.