What is the peak month for hail in Colorado?

June is historically the most active and damaging month along Colorado's Front Range. Peak hail activity runs from mid-May through mid-July, and large-hail supercells remain common into July.

Storm Prep8 min read

Colorado Hail Season: When It Starts, Peaks, and Ends [2026 Data]

Colorado hail season runs April–September, peak mid-May to mid-July — June is worst. Check your address's 2026 hail history free. NOAA data, no signup.

Written by Alex Chicilo, Founder of HailScore·May 20, 2026

Hail season in Colorado runs from April through September, with peak activity from mid-May through mid-July. June is historically the most damaging month along the Front Range. Isolated hailstorms can occur as early as March and as late as October.

Month	Hail Activity
January–March	Rare; occasional early-season storms
April	Season opens — first Front Range storms
May	Activity ramps sharply; major storms begin
June	Peak — historically the most active month
July	Peak continues; large-hail supercells common
August	Still active; frequency tapers late month
September	Season winds down; occasional late storms
October–December	Rare; season effectively over

Live · NOAA MRMS radar

Colorado's 2026 Hail Season So Far

hail days statewide

8.85″

largest hail detected

August

most recent active month

10May21June22July17August

Hail days are distinct Mountain-Time dates with new MESH readings of 1″ or larger; MRMS publishes a trailing 24-hour maximum, so a date that only repeated the previous day is not counted twice. Data current as of August 20, 2026, updated within hours of each storm. See the full live breakdown by county and month →

Colorado consistently ranks as one of the most hail-prone states in the country. Understanding when and where hail strikes helps you inspect after storms and talk to your insurer with dates in hand — not guesswork. Here is what Front Range homeowners should know for the 2026 hail season.

When does hail season start in Colorado?

Colorado's hail season generally runs from April through September, with the most intense activity occurring between mid-May and mid-July. During these peak months, warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico collides with cold fronts descending from the Rockies, creating the severe thunderstorms that produce damaging hailstones.

June is historically the most active month. In some years, Colorado has experienced multiple significant hail events in a single week during the peak window. However, hail can occur as early as March and as late as October if conditions align.

When does hail season end in Colorado?

Hail season in Colorado typically ends in September, with activity tapering through late August and early September as moisture and heating patterns shift. By October, significant hail is rare on the Front Range — though isolated late-season storms still happen some years.

Practical takeaway for homeowners:

Peak risk window: mid-May through mid-July (plan inspections and roof checks before/during this stretch).

Season winds down: August into September — still worth watching severe-day forecasts.

Effectively over: October through March for most Front Range addresses (rare exceptions).

If a storm just hit in August or September, treat it like peak season: free address check, ground-level look, optional professional inspection if nearby hail was 1"+. Statewide live counts: Colorado hail statistics.

Hail season in Denver vs Colorado Springs

Homeowners often search when is hail season in Denver or hail season Colorado Springs separately — the calendar window is the same statewide (April–September, peak May–July), but storm paths differ by corridor. Use city pages for local event counts, then the free address tool for your street:

Denver hail damage · Aurora · Lakewood

Colorado Springs hail damage

Arvada · Westminster · Thornton

How to check hail history by address

Which Areas Get Hit the Hardest?

Hail is not evenly distributed across the state. The Front Range corridor — stretching from Fort Collins through Denver and south to Colorado Springs — absorbs the majority of damaging hail events. This is partly due to geography: the rapid elevation change along the Front Range creates ideal conditions for severe convective storms.

High-Risk Zones

Denver metro area — The most populated area in the state also sees some of the highest frequency of hail events. Suburbs like Lakewood, Aurora, Thornton, and Westminster are regularly impacted.

Colorado Springs — The second largest city sits squarely in the hail corridor and has experienced several catastrophic hail events in recent years.

Greeley and the northern Front Range — Weld County regularly tops the list for total hail reports each year.

Eastern Plains — While less populated, towns like Limon, Burlington, and Yuma see very large hail from supercell thunderstorms that form along the Palmer Divide and track eastward.

How Big Does Hail Get in Colorado?

Colorado sees the full range of hail sizes. A typical hail-producing storm may drop stones ranging from pea size (about a quarter inch) to golf ball size (1.75 inches). However, Colorado regularly produces storms with hail exceeding two inches in diameter, and events with baseball-sized hail (2.75 inches) are reported multiple times each year along the Front Range.

The largest hailstone ever recorded in Colorado measured over four inches in diameter. While stones that large are rare, any hail one inch or larger can cause significant roof damage, particularly on older or more vulnerable roofing materials.

How Many Hail Events Happen Each Year?

Colorado averages roughly 300 to 400 significant hail events per year across the state, though this number varies considerably. Some years see concentrated bursts of activity while others are relatively quiet. HailScore tracks nearly 300,000 historical storm events nationwide, with a significant concentration in Colorado's Front Range region.

For the current count, see our live Colorado hail statistics — how many hail days the state has had so far this season, the largest stone detected, worst-hit counties, and a month-by-month breakdown, all updated within hours of each storm.

What matters most for homeowners is not the statewide total but the number of events that occurred near your specific address. A home in central Denver may have been within range of a dozen or more hail events over the past decade, while a home just 20 miles away could have experienced far fewer.

How to Prepare Before Hail Season

Taking steps now — before the first storms arrive — can save thousands of dollars and weeks of headaches later.

Inspect Your Roof

If your roof is more than five years old or you know it has been through previous hail events, schedule a professional inspection before the season starts. Existing damage that goes unrepaired makes your roof far more vulnerable to the next storm.

Document Your Property

Take photos of your roof, siding, gutters, windows, and any outdoor fixtures before hail season begins. Time-stamped documentation makes it much easier to prove storm damage when filing an insurance claim.

Review Your Insurance Policy

Understand your coverage before you need it. Check whether your policy uses Replacement Cost Value (RCV) or Actual Cash Value (ACV), what your wind and hail deductible is, and whether there is a filing deadline after a storm event.

Trim Trees and Secure Loose Items

Overhanging branches can break during a storm and cause additional roof damage. Secure patio furniture, grills, and other outdoor items that could become projectiles in high winds.

What to Do After a Hailstorm

After a storm passes through your area, take these steps promptly:

Check for visible damage from the ground. Look for dented gutters, cracked siding, and damaged window screens.

Document everything with photos and video before making any repairs.

Check your free HailScore to see hail exposure near your address — score plus storm ledger, with live MRMS for recent days. Not a damage diagnosis.

Contact a licensed roofing contractor for a professional inspection if large hail was nearby. Many offer free inspections.

Talk to your insurer if you find damage. Claim deadlines and coverage rules vary by carrier and policy — confirm yours with your insurer or the Colorado Division of Insurance.

Signs of Hail Damage on Your Roof

Hail damage is not always visible from the ground. On asphalt shingles, look for circular dark spots where granules have been knocked loose, soft spots that feel like a bruise when pressed, and cracked or missing shingles. On metal roofs, look for dents and dings. On gutters and downspouts, look for dents and dimples that match the pattern of hail impact.

Check Your Storm History

The best way to understand your hail risk is to look at actual historical data for your address. HailScore analyzes 10 years of NOAA storm reports to calculate a personalized risk score for your home, factoring in storm frequency, hail size, recency, and proximity.

Check your HailScore for free — enter your address and see every hailstorm that has hit near your home in the last decade. No signup required.

Need the history as a document? The Official Hail History Report is a one-off PDF listing the NOAA Storm Events and NEXRAD radar records within 1 mile of your address over the past 10 years, each with its government source ID — useful for your records or an adjuster conversation. It documents exposure, not damage.