Topeka area, August 18, 2026: spotters filed 1 hail report in Jackson County, at 04:30 UTC. Hail peaked at 1.00 in. at 5 WNW Mayetta, Jackson County. Nearest to Topeka was a report 23.4 miles out (5 WNW Mayetta).
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 | 1 | 1.00″ |
Reported hail, report by report
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from city center |
|---|---|---|---|
| 04:30 | 1.00″ | 5 WNW Mayetta, Jackson County | 23.4 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 1.00 in. hail on August 18, 2026 means for a Topeka roof
1 of the 1 sized Topeka reports reached 1 in. The 1.00 in. stone at 5 WNW Mayetta, Jackson County falls in the 1.00 to 1.74 in class; on August 18, 2026 that is quarter to ping-pong ball territory for Topeka.
How this day compares with other hail days
Topeka has 3 hail days in our NOAA log; by largest hailstone, August 18, 2026 ranks #3 of them. Logged days closest in time to August 18, 2026:
- October 13: 5 reports, largest 1.75″
- August 14: 1 report, largest 1.25″
The same storm in nearby cities
August 18: 6 cities in 3 states drew SPC hail reports. Lawrence, KS lies closest to Topeka, 24 miles east-southeast, with 5 reports, largest 1.75 in. 2 cities lie within 220 miles of Topeka with hail reports on August 18.
| City | Distance | Reports | Largest hail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | 24 mi east-southeast | 5 | 1.75″ |
| Manhattan, KS | 49 mi west | 4 | 1.75″ |
2 nearest to Topeka, within 220 miles; each link opens that city’s list for August 18, 2026.
Where the claim clocks stand for the Topeka storm
Topeka: 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 Topeka the photo window, the inspection and the target filing date (Tue, Aug 25) are already behind us.
- After you file proof of loss for the Aug 18 storm, the insurer has 15 working days. Statute text
- Topeka: no date, because the 5 years start at another point. Statute text
Topeka: insurer clocks counted from a claim filed Tue, Aug 25; working-day clocks skip weekends. Claim deadlines for Topeka, KS. Hail claim guide for Kansas. Not legal advice; your own reporting deadline comes from your policy.
August 18 against the Shawnee County August record
Topeka's August 18 log shows 1.00 in. hail. The record August in Shawnee County since 2014 is 2019, with 11 reports and a largest stone of 1.75 in.
Hail history near Topeka: not the first
Topeka’s county has logged 95 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 Topeka, KS
What the sizes reported on August 18, 2026 can do to a roof
| Size class in Topeka's reports | Looks like | Reports | What that size can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 to 1.74 in | quarter to ping-pong ball | 1 | Shingles can bruise and shed granules, often unseen from the ground. |
Size classes follow the SPC report diameters; the damage wording is general, not a finding about any one roof.
2026 in the Shawnee County hail record
NOAA's county table already holds 13 hail reports for Shawnee County in 2026 through June 2026, with a largest stone of 1.75 in. That is more than 6 of the 9 full years before it. The busiest full year in the table is 2019 with 23 reports.
| Year | NOAA hail reports, Shawnee County | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 16 | 2.00″ |
| 2018 | 4 | 1.75″ |
| 2019 | 23 | 2.00″ |
| 2020 | 21 | 2.00″ |
| 2021 | 3 | 1.50″ |
| 2022 | 2 | 1.00″ |
| 2023 | 8 | 1.50″ |
| 2024 | 2 | 1.75″ |
| 2025 | 3 | 1.25″ |
| 2026 (through June 2026) | 13 | 1.75″ |
This date among 2026's matched hail days
In 2026 the feed holds 3 matched hail days for Topeka. Ranked by largest stone, then report count, August 18, 2026 is #3 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 Topeka 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
Topeka, August 18, 2026: how big was the hail?
At 5 WNW Mayetta, Jackson County, the largest SPC report was 1.00 in.
Topeka, August 18, 2026: how close did the hail fall?
The nearest report sat 23.4 miles from the city center.
Topeka, August 18, 2026: was this the worst hail day on record?
Topeka has 3 logged hail days; August 18, 2026 ranks #3 for Topeka, at 1.00 in. The best other day reached 1.75 in.
Topeka, August 18, 2026: what dates apply to a Kansas insurer?
A claim filed on Tue, Aug 25 puts Topeka's insurer on the clock: acknowledgment by Tue, Sep 8; decision 15 working days after proof of loss. That is Kansas law, applied to Topeka. Information, not legal advice; Topeka 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 Topeka on August 18, 2026?
The feed shows hail reports that day in Lawrence, KS (24 miles east-southeast, 5 reports, up to 1.75 in.); Manhattan, KS (49 miles west, 4 reports, up to 1.75 in.).
What did the feed log near Topeka in the week after August 18, 2026?
The SPC feed matched no hail report to Topeka 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 Shawnee County?
NOAA's county table already holds 13 hail reports for Shawnee County in 2026 through June 2026, with a largest stone of 1.75 in. That is more than 6 of the 9 full years before it. The busiest full year in the table is 2019 with 23 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