Terre Haute 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.
Terre Haute's Storm-Climate Context
Terre Haute occupies the Wabash River valley in west-central Indiana under a humid continental climate with wide seasonal swings that stress every roofing component. The city's recorded high of 109 F and low of -20 F span a wide range, driving severe freeze-thaw cycling that opens seams and lifts flashing. Indiana winters deliver significant snow load, and spring brings tornado risk: a major tornado struck the city on March 23, 1913, in what was then one of Indiana's deadliest tornado events. Hail-producing supercell storms move through the region regularly in spring and summer, eroding asphalt granules and cracking aged shingles, while summer heat accelerates UV degradation.
Terre Haute's 2020 census population was 58,389, down from 60,785 in 2010. The economy is anchored by Indiana State University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, and the Federal Correctional Complex, alongside GE Aviation manufacturing facilities and Advics automotive systems. A $25 million downtown convention center completed in 2021 and a casino that opened in March 2024 signal active reinvestment. The university and institutional base provides stable employment and sustained demand for both residential roofing and commercial re-roofing as older building stock is brought up to modern standards.
Hail Events Near Terre Haute by Date
August 11, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.50″ (ping-pong-ball size)
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Terre Haute |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2321 | 1.50″ | 2 WSW Prairie Creek, Vigo County | 13.9 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 13.9 miles from Terre Haute's center.
View these 1 report 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 Terre Haute's Reports
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring the 1 Terre Haute-area report (filed in Vigo County) against that scale: 1 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 Terre Haute that most homeowners never think to check — look for granules collecting at downspouts, dented gutters or screens, and battered plants after the August 11, 2026 report 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 Terre Haute — the 10-Year Picture
NOAA's 10-year archive shows 22 hail events in Terre Haute's county — roughly 2 per year — with hail up to 1.75″. For comparison, the last 90 days alone brought 1 hail day within 25 miles of Terre Haute (this page's window). Terre Haute averages roughly 4 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 Terre Haute roofer if a recent event tips you into a replacement. Check your own address on the hail risk lookup.
Terre Haute's county sits right at the Indiana median of 22 hail events per county over 10 years — average exposure for the state, meaning the risk is real but not outsized compared with neighboring markets.
Terre Haute's County, Year by Year (NOAA Archive)
| Year | Recorded hail events | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | 1.50″ |
| 2023 largest stone | 2 | 1.75″ |
| 2020 | 5 | 1.25″ |
| 2019 | 1 | 1.00″ |
| 2017 | 3 | 1.00″ |
| 2016 busiest | 6 | 1.75″ |
NOAA Storm Events archive, Terre Haute's county. Years with no row logged no hail events.
The county's busiest hail year in the archive was 2016 (6 recorded events), while the largest stone on record — 1.75″ — fell in 2023. If your roof predates 2016 and has never had a documented inspection, assume it has taken at least one unexamined hit.
Hail in Terre Haute — Questions Homeowners Ask
Check Your Own ZIP in Terre Haute
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 — Terre Haute ZIP codes include 47801, 47803, 47804, 47825, 47869.
Terre Haute Neighborhoods — Hail Exposure Varies by Area
Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in University Park, Wabash Heights, Westville, New Harmony or Hawthorne, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Terre Haute's center is listed for each report.
More Resources
Roofing contractors in Terre Haute · Storm damage repair in Terre Haute · Insurance claim guide · Roof replacement costs in Terre Haute · Emergency roof repair