Hail Size Chart
From marble to grapefruit.
Every hail size in inches and centimeters, the object it is reported as, and what it typically damages on a home. Pick a size to see it to scale.
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- Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center
- Reviewed Nov 2, 2026
4.4 cm · reported as golf ball
Bruises and fractures asphalt shingles and dents gutters, fascia, AC units, and vehicles.
| Relative size | Size | Reported as | Typical damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.50 in1.3 cm | Marble or mothballRarely damages roofs. Can shred plants and leave marks on soft metals. | Rarely damages roofs. Can shred plants and leave marks on soft metals. | |
| 0.75 in1.9 cm | PennyBelow the severe threshold. Can dent soft aluminum, screens, and AC fins. | Below the severe threshold. Can dent soft aluminum, screens, and AC fins. | |
| 0.88 in2.2 cm | NickelBelow the severe threshold. Cosmetic marks on gutters, downspouts, and screens. | Below the severe threshold. Cosmetic marks on gutters, downspouts, and screens. | |
| Severe hail: 1 inch and larger (National Weather Service) | |||
| 1.00 in2.5 cm | QuarterThe severe threshold. Can knock granules off aging asphalt shingles and dent gutters and AC fins. | The severe threshold. Can knock granules off aging asphalt shingles and dent gutters and AC fins. | |
| 1.25 in3.2 cm | Half dollarDamage to older roofs, vinyl siding, window screens, and painted metal. | Damage to older roofs, vinyl siding, window screens, and painted metal. | |
| 1.50 in3.8 cm | Walnut or ping pong ballMeaningful damage on most residential roofs, gutters, and siding. | Meaningful damage on most residential roofs, gutters, and siding. | |
| 1.75 in4.4 cm | Golf ballBruises and fractures asphalt shingles and dents gutters, fascia, AC units, and vehicles. | Bruises and fractures asphalt shingles and dents gutters, fascia, AC units, and vehicles. | |
| 2.00 in5.1 cm | Hen eggWidespread roof, siding, and vehicle damage. Can crack skylights and some tile. | Widespread roof, siding, and vehicle damage. Can crack skylights and some tile. | |
| 2.50 in6.3 cm | Tennis ballSevere roof and siding damage. Breaks windows and dents vehicles heavily. | Severe roof and siding damage. Breaks windows and dents vehicles heavily. | |
| 2.75 in7.0 cm | BaseballNear-certain roof damage. Can puncture shingles and decking and break windows. | Near-certain roof damage. Can puncture shingles and decking and break windows. | |
| 3.00 in7.6 cm | Tea cupDestructive. Punctures roofs and siding. | Destructive. Punctures roofs and siding. | |
| 4.00 in10.2 cm | SoftballDestructive. Can penetrate roofs and cause injury. | Destructive. Can penetrate roofs and cause injury. | |
| 4.50 in11.4 cm | GrapefruitDestructive. Among the largest hail reported. | Destructive. Among the largest hail reported. | |
How hail size is measured
Hail is measured across its longest dimension. Weather spotters report the measured diameter, or compare a stone to a common object when they cannot measure it, which is why reports use names like quarter, golf ball, and baseball. The Storm Prediction Center encourages measuring rather than estimating, because object comparisons tend to overstate size.
What hail size means for a claim
For a public adjuster or roofer, hail size is the first filter. Events of 1 inch and larger are worth inspecting, especially on roofs older than 10 years. Events of 1.75 inches and up usually leave visible damage on gutters, downspouts, AC fins, and siding, which helps document the date of loss. Radar-estimated hail size at a specific address can differ from spotter reports nearby, so pair the size with a weather report for that address and date. To see which neighborhoods a storm hit, and at what size, Storm Explorer maps every hail event of 1 inch or larger.
Proving the damage is from this storm
Carriers often argue that hail damage is old or that the roof was already worn. Two records answer that. Historical aerial imagery shows the roof's condition before the storm, and an AI inspection documents the damage after it, photo by photo. With the storm date and hail size from a weather report, the claim file covers before, during, and after. To estimate what the policy pays once depreciation is applied, use the ACV and RCV depreciation calculator.
Inside the platform
Take it further in Drodat
This free tool covers one step. These Drodat features handle the rest of the claim.
- Storm ExplorerFind every hail event of 1 inch or larger in your state by date and hail size, map the storm footprint, and export every impacted address.
- Historical Weather DataPull the hail, wind, and tornado history for one address and export a verifiable date-of-loss weather report for the claim file.
- Historical Aerial ImageryCompare years of historical aerial imagery with post-storm photos to show the roof was sound before the hail hit.
- AI InspectionsSpeak the inspection on the roof and get a structured, room-by-room report with every hail photo attached.
- Roof MeasurementsGet roof dimension, slope, and material reports for the estimate without leaving the claim.
Every feature above is in one platform. Try Drodat free for 14 days.
Start free trialFrequently asked questions
The National Weather Service classifies a thunderstorm as severe when it produces hail at least 1 inch in diameter, about the size of a quarter, or wind gusts of 58 mph or more, or a tornado.
Golf ball hail is 1.75 inches (about 4.4 cm) in diameter.
Baseball hail is 2.75 inches (about 7.0 cm) in diameter. Softball hail is 4 inches and grapefruit hail is 4.5 inches.
Hail of 1 inch and larger can damage asphalt shingles, and older roofs can be damaged by smaller stones. From about 1.75 inches (golf ball), most residential roofs, gutters, siding, and AC units show damage. Roof age, material, wind speed, and the angle of impact all change the outcome, so an inspection is the only way to confirm it.
Yes. Ping pong ball hail is 1.5 inches, half an inch larger than quarter hail at 1 inch.
Drodat Storm Explorer lists every hail event of 1 inch or larger by state and date, with the hail size and the storm footprint on a map. For a single property, Drodat retrieves that address’s historical weather events and produces a date-of-loss weather report.
Sizes and objects follow the NOAA Storm Prediction Center hail size conversion table. The severe threshold is the National Weather Service definition. Damage notes are general guidance, not a damage determination.
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