2026 Guide

Best Hail Damage
Assessment Tools

Five tools homeowners can use to check their hail history and assess storm damage risk. We reviewed each one for data quality, ease of use, and cost.

At a Glance

Only one tool combines all major hail data sources into a free, instant, address-level risk score.

Top Pick
1

HailScore

Free hail risk scores for any US address

Free
2

HailTrace

Storm maps and canvassing tools for contractors

Paid subscription
3

Interactive Hail Maps (weather.gov)

Official NWS hail event mapping

Free
4

NOAA Storm Events Database

Government archive of significant weather events

Free
5

SPC Storm Reports

Daily ground-verified severe weather reports

Free

Feature Comparison

FeatureHailScoreHailTraceInteractiveNOAASPC
Free for homeowners
Address-level scoring
No signup required
NOAA radar data
SPC ground reports
FEMA declarations
Homeowner-friendly UI
Mobile optimized
Contractor tools
Real-time alerts

Detailed Reviews

1

HailScore

Top Pick

Free · For homeowners · Visit site

HailScore is the only tool that gives homeowners a free, instant hail risk score for any US address. It analyzes 4.5 million NOAA NEXRAD radar records from 2015 to 2025, cross-referenced with FEMA disaster declarations, SPC ground-verified hail reports, and six additional data sources. Enter your address, get a score from 0 to 100, and see every storm event near your property. No signup, no subscription, no strings attached.

Strengths

100% free for homeowners, forever
4.5M+ NOAA NEXRAD radar hail records
Address-level scoring (0-100 scale)
9 integrated data sources including FEMA and SPC
No account or signup required
All 50 US states covered
10 years of storm history (2015-2025)

Limitations

Does not include contractor canvassing tools
Radar data resolution is area-based (not individual shingle inspection)
2

HailTrace

Best for Contractors

Paid subscription · For roofing contractors · Visit site

HailTrace provides hail, wind, and tornado maps created by a team of meteorologists who track storms in real time. It is designed for roofing contractors and storm restoration companies, offering features like lead list generation, canvassing route planning, and opportunity pipelines. Multiple subscription tiers are available, from basic map access to full enterprise canvassing platforms.

Strengths

Meteorologist-mapped storm paths for precision
Real-time storm notifications
Canvassing and lead generation features
Native mobile apps for iOS and Android
Integration with contractor CRM tools

Limitations

Requires paid subscription for full data access
Built for contractors, not homeowners
Area-level maps rather than address-specific scores
Free tier has limited map access
3

Interactive Hail Maps (weather.gov)

Government Source

Free · For general public · Visit site

The National Weather Service provides interactive maps showing recent severe weather events, including hail reports. These maps display where hail has been reported and the estimated size, sourced from both radar detections and ground-level reports. The interface is functional but not designed for quick property-specific lookups.

Strengths

Official government data source
Free and publicly accessible
Covers the entire United States
Includes both radar and ground-truth reports

Limitations

Not designed for address-specific lookups
Interface is technical and hard to navigate for homeowners
No scoring system or risk assessment
Historical data requires manual searching across multiple tools
4

NOAA Storm Events Database

Research Grade

Free · For researchers, advanced users · Visit site

The NOAA Storm Events Database is the official US government archive of significant weather events, including hailstorms. It catalogs events by county and date, with details on hail size, property damage, injuries, and fatalities. The data is comprehensive but presented in raw tabular format, making it difficult for homeowners to extract relevant information about their specific property.

Strengths

Most comprehensive official storm archive in the US
Free and publicly accessible
Detailed event narratives and damage reports
Searchable by state, county, and date range

Limitations

County-level granularity (not address-specific)
Raw data format is difficult for non-researchers
No scoring, risk assessment, or visualization for homeowners
Requires significant time to manually search and interpret
5

SPC Storm Reports

Gold Standard Data

Free · For weather enthusiasts, researchers · Visit site

The Storm Prediction Center publishes daily logs of severe weather reports submitted by trained spotters, law enforcement, and the public. These include ground-verified hail size measurements, which are valuable for confirming radar detections. SPC reports are considered the gold standard for verifying that hail actually reached the ground at a specific size.

Strengths

Ground-truth hail size verification
Real-time daily reporting
Trusted by meteorologists and insurers
Free and publicly accessible

Limitations

Point-based reports, not coverage maps
Relies on spotters being present (coverage gaps exist)
No historical search interface for specific addresses
No scoring or risk assessment for homeowners

Why HailScore Is the Best Choice for Homeowners

Every tool on this list provides legitimate value. The NWS, NOAA, and SPC databases are the foundation of storm data in the United States. HailTrace does excellent work for the contractor community.

But none of them are designed to give a homeowner a quick, clear answer to the question: "Has hail hit my home?"

HailScore is the only tool that combines all major hail data sources into a single, free, address-level risk score. It pulls from 4.5 million NOAA NEXRAD radar records, cross-references FEMA disaster declarations and SPC ground-verified reports, and layers in environmental data like elevation, wind exposure, and tree canopy coverage.

The result is a 0-to-100 score that any homeowner can understand in seconds. No subscription. No signup. No technical expertise required.

4.5M+
Radar Hail Records
50
States Covered
10 Yrs
Storm History
$0
Cost to Homeowners

Check Your Address

Free. Instant. No signup required. See what storms have hit your roof.

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