Golf ball-sized hail detected near Canon City, CO on August 16, 2026
Hail was detected at a radar-indicated point within the Canon City monitoring area. Actual impact can vary by neighborhood, so nearby homes should use this as a signal to check roofs, gutters, siding, and vehicles.
Damage assessment
The radar-confirmed strike was located approximately 14 miles northeast of downtown Canon City, with one report logged across Fremont County that day. At 2.5 inches, hail this size routinely causes functional damage to architectural asphalt shingles — not just cosmetic bruising, but granule loss and underlying mat fractures that shorten roof life and can void manufacturer warranties. Shingles older than 10–15 years are at higher risk of immediate perforation or cracking. No county reports exceeded this event's magnitude on the same day.
On a home at the county median value of $275,300, a 2% wind-and-hail deductible works out to roughly $5,506. Typical repair costs for a 2,000 square-foot roof run $7,130, with a range of $5,833 to $8,426 depending on pitch, access, and material condition. Get a professional inspection before making any insurance decisions.
At these numbers, the typical repair cost exceeds a standard 2% deductible. Contact your insurer — damage at this level is likely worth filing before you pay out of pocket.
This storm may have damaged your roof — get a free Canon City inspection
Canon City repair cost reference
Historical context
This event ranks first among 12 recorded hail events of 1 inch or greater in the past 10 years — the largest previously on record was a 2-inch event on June 12, 2023. August is historically quiet for Fremont County; no events in this month have been recorded in the past decade. Worth noting: NOAA reporting density is lower in this region, so the actual frequency of damaging hail is likely higher than the record shows.
Storm system
This was not an isolated event. The same system produced hail across a wide swath of Colorado and southern Wyoming, including 3.5-inch hail in El Paso County and 2-inch hail in Pueblo County the same day.
Contractor guidance
Local contractor data shows current backlogs of 1–2 weeks, and storm chaser risk is assessed as low for the Canon City area — most post-storm capacity comes from contractors based in Colorado Springs or Pueblo, which can extend that window after a significant event. Colorado Senate Bill 38 (C.R.S. §§ 6-22-101 to 6-22-105) requires a written contract on residential roofing jobs over $1,000 and prohibits deductible waivers — a contractor offering to cover your deductible is breaking the law, and so are you if you accept. Before signing anything, confirm the contractor carries current general liability and workers' compensation insurance and has a verifiable business address.
Permits & building code
At 2.5 inches, full replacement is more likely than spot repair on standard architectural shingles — insurers and adjusters typically treat this size as threshold-to-replacement territory. The contractor pulls the permit in Canon City; expect permit costs of $100–$250 and a required inspection before the job is closed out. Class 4 impact-resistant shingles qualify for a 10–20% discount with most Colorado insurers.
- 1Photograph your roof, gutters, downspouts, and any exterior surfaces showing dents or damage — date-stamp everything before anything is disturbed.
- 2Contact your insurer to report possible damage and ask about your specific claim process and deadlines.
- 3Schedule a professional roof inspection by a licensed, insured contractor with a verifiable local business address.
- 4Request proof of general liability and workers' compensation insurance from any contractor before allowing them on your property.
- 5Keep a written record of all contractor visits, estimates, and communications with your insurance company.
This storm may have damaged your roof — get a free Canon City inspection
Hail size and location are based on NOAA NEXRAD radar data (SWDI); a full NWS ground-truth write-up is pending.