Indianapolis hail storm history
Marion County·NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database·~75-day publication lag
Indianapolis and Marion County sit at the convergence of spring storm systems tracking northeast from the Great Plains and squall lines developing across the Midwest, making this region a frequent hail corridor during severe weather season. The city's central Indiana location places it directly in the path of atmospheric conditions that regularly produce hail-producing thunderstorms from March through July, with the highest concentration occurring in spring months.
Check if your roof was damaged by recent hail
Hail in the Indianapolis area peaks during April, May, and June, when warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cold fronts moving through the region. March and July represent secondary risk months, though the underlying atmospheric setup—instability, wind shear, and moisture availability—remains favorable for organized thunderstorm development. The Indianapolis metro area's position relative to Ohio Valley moisture sources and Great Plains storm tracks means that hail events can occur with little warning once conditions align.
Annual frequency — last 10 years
When hail hits — monthly pattern
Avg events per month · all years · NOAA data
All recorded hail events
Of 118 recorded events, 22 (19%) reached 1.5" or larger — the threshold for likely functional damage on standard asphalt shingles.
Hail was mostly around three-eighths of an inch in diameter at CoCoRaHS site IN-MG-11 and lasted 10 …
Large volume of hail.
Numerous pea to nickel hailstones included quarter to half dollar-sized hail along the west and nort…
One-inch hail along Indiana Route 135.
Hail as large as hen eggs east of Brownsburg.
Thunderstorm hail as large as ping pongs along a path to east-northeast through southern and eastern…
Photograph of 3.4 inch hailstone with tape measure next to the stone.
Hail of varying sizes up to 1 inch near the intersection of Raymond Street and Franklin Road.
The hail fell at the interchange of Interstate 70 and State Road 267.
This report was received via mPING.
Hail started as pea to nickel size then diminished to pea size over a five to ten minute period. The…
This report originated from the county emergency manager.
Hail was covering the ground with some stones up to one inch in diameter.
Most of the hail observed in this location was a half inch, with some as large as a penny.
Lots of pea to dime sized hail observed just east of the Highway 267 and Highway 36 intersection.
Hail was covering the ground.
This event was observed at mile marker 53 on Interstate 70 near the Little Point exit.
Quarter size hail was observed on the south side of Indianapolis near Highway 31 and Thompson Road.
The largest stones were quarter size.
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information Storm Events Database. Publication lag is approximately 75 days — current-year events may be incomplete.
NOAA Storm Events Database ↗