Roofus Storm Desk · Northwest Pennsylvania
Quarter, Half Dollar or Golf Ball: What Each Hail Size Can Do to a Roof.
This year the National Weather Service logged hail from quarter size to golf ball size across Mercer, Venango and Crawford County. Size matters, but it isn't the whole story. Here is what each size can do, and what you can check from the yard.
Published October 28, 2026 by Bret Ruth, TableTurn Digital. General information only. It does not diagnose a specific home or determine insurance coverage.
The 2026 hail, by size
| Size | Looks like | Reports | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00 in | Quarter | 7 | Greenville, Sheakleyville, Sandy Lake, New Lebanon, Cranberry and Franklin (April 15), Cochranton (Sept 2) |
| 1.25 in | Half dollar | 3 | West of Greenville and Stoneboro (April 15), east of Meadville (Sept 2) |
| 1.50 in | Ping pong ball | 3 | Fredonia and two reports near Cranberry (April 15) |
| 1.75 in | Golf ball | 3 | Orangeville, southwest of Polk, and south of Cranberry, where some stones were near 2 inches (April 15) |
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports. See the full maps for April 15 and September 2. Hail also falls between reports where nobody filed one.
Watch: Roofus Storm Desk
A 33 second recap of every 2026 hail report. Watch on YouTube.
Quarter size (1 inch)
This is roughly where hail can start to hurt asphalt shingles, especially older roofs whose granules are already thinning. Damage at this size is often subtle: scattered spots where granules are knocked loose. It is also big enough to leave small dents in aluminum gutters, downspouts and roof vents, which is why those are good clues from the ground.
Half dollar and ping pong ball (1.25 to 1.5 inches)
At this size, hail can bruise shingles, which means the mat under the granules gets crushed even if the surface looks fine at first. Bruises don't always leak right away. They tend to show up after a winter of freezing and thawing. Dents in gutters, window screens, siding and soft metal flashing become easier to spot.
Golf ball (1.75 inches and up)
Golf ball hail can crack shingles, break brittle ones, dent metal roofing and crack vinyl siding. If you live near Orangeville, Polk, or south of Cranberry and nobody has looked at your roof since April 15, put it on your list.
Size isn't the whole story
- Wind drives hail sideways, so one side of the house can take most of the damage.
- Roof age matters. A newer roof may shrug off hail that damages a 15 year old one.
- Material matters. Shingles, metal, vinyl siding and aluminum gutters all react differently.
What to check from the yard
- Dents in gutters, downspouts or roof vents
- Dark granules collected at the bottom of the downspouts
- Dings on cars, sheds or grills that were outside during the storm
Take photos, and please don't climb onto the roof. For examples, see what hail damage can look like on a roof.
Why now
Hail damage is much easier to photograph before snow covers the roof. Many insurance policies also have time limits for reporting damage, so check yours. We document the damage. Your insurance company decides what your policy covers.
Were you on the path?
I've partnered directly with The Exterior Company (TEC), which handles roofing, siding and gutters under one roof. A free exterior inspection gives you photos of everything we find and a plain explanation. Or call (814) 209-8304.
Book a free exterior inspectionFree to homeowners. No obligation. Not an insurance company or public adjuster.
More roofing guides
April 15, 2026 hail storm map · September 2 storm map · Before the first snow checklist
Roofus is a fictional AI character created by TableTurn Digital for general homeowner education.