What Happened
Around 6:15 PM on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, a long track thunderstorm crossed from Ohio into Mercer County and kept going east into Venango County until about 7:45 PM. The National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh logged 14 hail reports along its path. Most were quarter to half dollar size. Three were golf ball size, and one report south of Cranberry described stones close to 2 inches and damage to numerous cars.
Hail that size can bruise shingles, knock off the protective granules and dent gutters, vents and siding. That kind of damage is easy to miss from the yard, and it often doesn't leak until a winter of freezing and thawing works on it.
Every Official Hail Report
These are the hail reports from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center log for April 15, 2026, with times converted to Eastern time. Hail also fell between these points where nobody filed a report, so if you live near the shaded path, assume your home was in it.
| Time | Location | County | Hail size |
|---|
| 6:14 PM | 2 mi NE of Orangeville | Mercer | 1.75 in, golf ball |
| 6:14 PM | 3 mi W of Greenville | Mercer | 1.25 in, half dollar |
| 6:22 PM | Greenville | Mercer | 1.00 in, quarter |
| 6:30 PM | 3 mi NE of Fredonia | Mercer | 1.50 in, ping pong ball |
| 6:34 PM | 3 mi S of Sheakleyville | Mercer | 1.00 in, quarter |
| 6:36 PM | 4 mi NW of Stoneboro | Mercer | 1.25 in, half dollar |
| 6:38 PM | 2 mi NW of Sandy Lake | Mercer | 1.00 in, quarter |
| 6:42 PM | 2 mi W of New Lebanon | Mercer | 1.00 in, quarter |
| 6:45 PM | 3 mi SW of Polk | Venango | 1.75 in, golf ball |
| 7:06 PM | 1 mi S of Cranberry | Venango | 1.50 in, ping pong ball |
| 7:10 PM | 3 mi ESE of Cranberry | Venango | 1.00 in, quarter |
| 7:10 PM | 1 mi WNW of Cranberry | Venango | 1.50 in, ping pong ball |
| 7:15 PM | 5 mi SSW of Cranberry | Venango | 1.75 in, some near 2 in |
| 7:45 PM | 1 mi SW of Franklin | Venango | 1.00 in, quarter |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports, April 15, 2026. Reports come from trained spotters, the public and mPING. Report times are sometimes estimated from radar.
Communities in the Storm's Path
Cranberry and Seneca
Four reports, including the biggest hail of the night. Rockland and Kennerdell homes south of Cranberry were near the 2 inch report.
Polk and Franklin
Golf ball hail southwest of Polk, and quarter size hail on the southwest side of Franklin.
Sandy Lake, Stoneboro and New Lebanon
Three hail reports plus trees and wires down in Stoneboro and Sandy Lake Township.
Greenville, Fredonia and Sheakleyville
Golf ball hail near Orangeville, ping pong ball hail near Fredonia and trees down in West Salem Township.
Signs Your Home Took Hail
You don't need to climb anything. From the ground, look for:
- Dents in gutters, downspouts, window wraps or the metal vents on the roof
- Dark granules collected at the ends of downspouts or inside the gutters
- Cracked or chipped vinyl siding on the side that faced the storm, usually west
- Dings on a car, grill, shed or mailbox that was outside that evening
- New ceiling stains or damp spots in the attic after a heavy rain
If you see any of these, the roof probably took hits too. See what hail damage looks like for example pictures.
Why Get It Checked Before Winter
Snow will cover your roof for weeks at a time, and damage that can't be seen can't be photographed. Bruised shingles also take on water during freeze and thaw cycles, and a small problem in October can be a ceiling leak in February.
About insurance: Many policies have time limits for reporting storm damage, so check yours. We document what we find. Your insurance company decides what your policy covers. We are not an insurance company or a public adjuster.
Who Does the Inspection
I'm Bret Ruth. I live and work in Franklin, right on this storm's path. I've partnered directly with The Exterior Company (TEC), which works with homeowners and insurance companies on storm damage every day and handles roofing, siding and gutters under one roof.
A free exterior inspection gives you photos of everything we find and a plain explanation. If there's damage, we help you understand each step of the insurance process and you decide whether to file. If there's nothing wrong, we tell you that.
Common Questions
It's been months. Is it too late?
Hail damage doesn't go away on its own, and it's much easier to photograph now than under snow. Many policies have time limits for reporting damage, so check yours. We document what's there. Your insurance company decides coverage.
My roof looks fine from the ground. Could it still be damaged?
Yes. Hail bruises shingles and strips granules in ways you can't see from the yard. Dented gutters or a dinged car from the same storm are good signs the roof took hits too.
Is the inspection really free?
Yes. No cost and no obligation. You get photos of everything we find and a plain explanation either way.
Should I climb up and look myself?
Please don't. Fall roofs are slick with leaves and frost, and walking on hail damaged shingles can make it worse. Look from the ground and let us handle the rest.
More reading: Found storm damage? What happens next · Before the first snow checklist · Storm damage roof repair