August 18, 2026: NOAA's SPC logged 4 hail reports around Manhattan, from Dickinson and Geary counties, between 02:10 and 02:18 UTC. Nearest to Manhattan was a report 18.7 miles out (1 SW Junction City). The largest stone measured 1.75 in. at 6 SW Milford, Dickinson County.
The first Manhattan report is stamped 02:10 UTC: 1.50-inch hail at 7 NNE Chapman (23.5 mi west-southwest). The last is 02:18 UTC: 1.25-inch hail at 1 SW Junction City (18.7 mi southwest).
The farthest report from the center is 7 NNE Chapman (23.5 mi west-southwest): 1.50-inch hail, 4.8 miles beyond the nearest one.
Sizes on Aug 18 run from 1.25 in. at 1 SW Junction City to 1.75 in. at 6 SW Milford around 02:12 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 | 4 | 1.75″ |
Reported hail, report by report
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02:12 | 1.75″ | 6 SW Milford, Dickinson County | 22.6 mi |
| 02:10 | 1.50″ | 7 NNE Chapman, Dickinson County | 23.5 mi |
| 02:16 | 1.50″ | 7 NNE Chapman, Dickinson County | 23.5 mi |
| 02:18 | 1.25″ | 1 SW Junction City, Geary County | 18.7 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 Manhattan roof
| Size class | Reports | Share | Largest report in class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | 3 | 75% | 7 NNE Chapman, 02:10 UTC |
| 1.75 to 2.49 in | 1 | 25% | 6 SW Milford, 02:12 UTC |
4 of the 4 sized Manhattan reports reached 1 in. The 1.75 in. stone at 6 SW Milford, Dickinson County falls in the 1.75 to 2.49 in class; on August 18, 2026 that is golf ball to hen egg territory for Manhattan.
How the storm moved through the area
| County | Reports | Largest hail | Closest to city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dickinson | 3 | 1.75″ | 22.6 mi |
| Geary | 1 | 1.25″ | 18.7 mi |
What spotters wrote
1.50″, 7 NNE Chapman at 02:10 UTC: Corrects previous hail report from 7 NNE Chapman.
How this day compares with other hail days
Manhattan has 3 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:
- September 19: 1 report, largest 1.00″
- September 12: 2 reports, largest 1.75″
The same storm in nearby cities
August 18: 6 cities in 3 states drew SPC hail reports. Topeka, KS lies closest to Manhattan, 49 miles east, with 1 report, largest 1.00 in. Biggest stone outside Manhattan within 220 miles: 1.75 in. at Lawrence, KS, 73 miles east-southeast.
| City | Distance | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | 49 mi east | 1 | 1.00″ |
| Lawrence, KS | 73 mi east-southeast | 5 | 1.75″ |
2 nearest to Manhattan, within 220 miles; each link opens that city’s list for August 18, 2026.
Where the claim clocks stand for the Manhattan storm
Manhattan: 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 Manhattan the photo window, the inspection and the target filing date (Tue, Aug 25) are already behind us.
- The Manhattan clock starts at your proof of loss, not on Aug 18: 15 working days. Statute text
- For Manhattan this period is 5 years from a different start point, so no date is shown. Statute text
Manhattan: insurer clocks counted from a claim filed Tue, Aug 25; working-day clocks skip weekends. Claim deadlines for Manhattan, KS. Hail claim guide for Kansas. Not legal advice; your own reporting deadline comes from your policy.
August 18 against the Riley County August record
Manhattan's August 18 log shows 1.75 in. hail. The record August in Riley County since 2014 is 2019, with 6 reports and a largest stone of 2.00 in.
Hail history near Manhattan: not the first
Manhattan’s county has logged 64 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 Manhattan, KS
What the sizes reported on August 18, 2026 can do to a roof
| Size class in Manhattan'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 | 1 | 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 Riley County hail record
NOAA's county table already holds 2 hail reports for Riley County in 2026 through June 2026, with a largest stone of 1.00 in. That is more than 1 of the 9 full years before it. The busiest full year in the table is 2024 with 19 reports.
| Year | NOAA hail reports, Riley County | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 9 | 2.75″ |
| 2018 | 2 | 1.75″ |
| 2019 | 8 | 2.00″ |
| 2020 | 5 | 1.75″ |
| 2021 | 1 | 1.75″ |
| 2022 | 4 | 1.25″ |
| 2023 | 6 | 1.00″ |
| 2024 | 19 | 3.50″ |
| 2025 | 8 | 2.50″ |
| 2026 (through June 2026) | 2 | 1.00″ |
This date among 2026's matched hail days
In 2026 the feed holds 3 matched hail days for Manhattan. Ranked by largest stone, then report count, August 18, 2026 is #1 of them.
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 Manhattan 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
Manhattan, August 18, 2026: how big was the hail?
At 6 SW Milford, Dickinson County, the largest SPC report was 1.75 in.
Manhattan, August 18, 2026: how close did the hail fall?
The nearest report sat 18.7 miles from the city center and the farthest 23.5 miles. Within 10 miles: 0 of 4 reports.
Manhattan, August 18, 2026: how long did the hail last?
Reports are stamped from 02:10 to 02:18 UTC, a window of 8 minutes. Late reports can still be added for about a day.
Manhattan, August 18, 2026: was this the worst hail day on record?
Manhattan has 3 logged hail days; August 18, 2026 ranks #1 for Manhattan, at 1.75 in. The best other day reached 1.75 in.
Manhattan, August 18, 2026: what dates apply to a Kansas insurer?
A claim filed on Tue, Aug 25 puts Manhattan's insurer on the clock: acknowledgment by Tue, Sep 8; decision 15 working days after proof of loss. That is Kansas law, applied to Manhattan. Information, not legal advice; Manhattan 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 Manhattan on August 18, 2026?
The feed shows hail reports that day in Topeka, KS (49 miles east, 1 report, up to 1.00 in.); Lawrence, KS (73 miles east-southeast, 5 reports, up to 1.75 in.).
What did the feed log near Manhattan in the week after August 18, 2026?
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Manhattan 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 Riley County?
NOAA's county table already holds 2 hail reports for Riley County in 2026 through June 2026, with a largest stone of 1.00 in. That is more than 1 of the 9 full years before it. The busiest full year in the table is 2024 with 19 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
All recent local hail · Roofing contractors · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs here · Emergency roof repair