How big was the hail on September 16, 2023?

The maximum estimated stone size anywhere in the country that day was 1.00 inches, over Olathe, KS. Sizes vary street to street inside a single swath, so a city's figure is the largest radar estimated anywhere within about 5 miles of it.

Where does this hail data come from?

NOAA MRMS radar, specifically the Maximum Estimated Size of Hail product, ingested directly from the public NOAA archive. It runs about a quarter of an inch against ground truth, which makes it good for deciding where to look and not a substitute for an inspection.

Does this mean roofs were damaged?

Radar measures stone size, not damage. Whether a particular roof was damaged depends on stone size, wind direction, roof age and material — only an inspection settles it. These figures tell you where it is worth looking.

How do I see the actual swath on a map?

A HailMate plan puts a whole state on a real interactive map, with this swath and three years of others already on it. From $79/mo, and the canvassing tools come with it.

United States · September 16, 2023

Hail map — September 16, 2023

Name: US hail map — September 16, 2023
Creator: HailMate

NOAA radar detected hail of an inch or more over 3 cities across 1 state on September 16, 2023. The largest stones — 1.00″, quarter size — fell over Olathe, KS.

Hail swath map for Olathe, KS on September 16, 2023 showing 1.00 inch hail. — Largest rendered swath of the day: Olathe, KS — 1.00″ hail. Each city below has its own map for this storm.

States hit: 1
Cities hit: 3
Largest stone: 1.00″; quarter size
Impact rating: 3/10; from stone size

Sizes come from NOAA MRMS radar (MESH), which runs about ±0.25″ against ground truth. It is canvass-targeting quality, not claim evidence.

Roofing contractors

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HailMate's canvassing map: hail swaths colour-banded by stone size, from yellow through red to purple, laid over a satellite view of a Texas territory, with hail swath and territory controls.

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Three years of hail swaths, filterable by stone size
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Homeowners

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This page covers your area as a whole. Check your own address to see every storm on record for your roof — the date and the stone size for each one — and we'll email you the full report to keep.

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Free, and no account needed to look it up. If hail did hit, you can ask for a free inspection from a vetted local roofer.

States hit on September 16, 2023

Every state where NOAA radar put an inch or more of hail over a city that day, biggest stone first.

Kansas3 cities · 1.00″

Hardest hit on September 16, 2023

Olathe, KS1.00″ · quarter Manhattan, KS1.00″ · quarter Lenexa, KS1.00″ · quarter

What people on the ground measured in the US on September 16, 2023

15 reports filed with the National Weather Service — 11 from trained spotters or officials. These are measured stones, not radar estimates, so they are the closest thing to proof that hail actually reached the ground.

2.50″ hen egg size Emergency Mngr
4 WNW Ozawkie, KS5:03 PM CDTJefferson County
Post Storm info from EM. Time estimated from radar.
2.50″ hen egg size Law Enforcement
3 WSW Ozawkie, KS5:08 PM CDTJefferson County
Significant damage caused to vehicles and windows relayed by the EM. Delayed report, time estimated radar.
2.00″ hen egg size Emergency Mngr
3 W Ozawkie, KS5:08 PM CDTJefferson County
1.75″ golf ball size Trained Spotter
Plymouth, NE2:35 PM CDTJefferson County
Corrected magnitude to properly reflect size of golf ball sized hail. Quarter to golf ball sized hail.
1.75″ golf ball size Trained Spotter
5 ENE Bern, KS2:50 PM CDTNemaha County
1.75″ golf ball size Law Enforcement
2 W Ozawkie, KS5:09 PM CDTJefferson County
K-92 Highway and Valley View Drive.
1.50″ half dollar size Emergency Mngr
3 W Denison, KS4:38 PM CDTJackson County
Photos shared. Radar estimated time.
1.50″ half dollar size Trained Spotter
2 NE Wheaton, KS7:20 PM CDTPottawatomie County
Most were around quarter size.
1.25″ half dollar size Trained Spotter
Plymouth, NE2:35 PM CDTJefferson County
Quarter to golf ball sized hail.
1.25″ half dollar size Trained Spotter
6 N Hanover, KS3:38 PM CDTWashington County
1.00″ quarter size Trained Spotter
Sabetha, KS3:15 PM CDTNemaha County
Hail covering the ground.
1.00″ quarter size Trained Spotter
Diller, NE3:32 PM CDTJefferson County
1.00″ quarter size Public
6 N Holton, KS4:25 PM CDTJackson County
1.00″ quarter size Trained Spotter
5 E Olsburg, KS5:05 PM CDTPottawatomie County
1.00″ quarter size Public
1 SSE Lackmans, KS5:35 PM CDTJohnson County

Showing the 15 largest of 47 hail reports filed that day.

Reports come from the National Weather Service Local Storm Report feed, ingested every 15 minutes. A report records where the observer was, not the full extent of the swath — treat it as evidence about the storm, not about any one roof.

Other hail days

August 19, 202620 cities · 2.00″August 18, 20266 cities · 1.50″August 17, 20266 cities · 1.00″August 16, 202610 cities · 1.50″August 15, 20268 cities · 1.50″August 14, 202611 cities · 2.00″August 13, 202616 cities · 2.00″August 12, 202610 cities · 1.50″August 11, 202633 cities · 2.00″August 10, 202623 cities · 1.50″August 9, 202649 cities · 1.50″August 8, 20265 cities · 1.50″

Every state with hail on record →

FAQ

US hail on September 16, 2023

NOAA radar put hail of an inch or more over 3 cities across 1 state on September 16, 2023. The largest stones — 1.00 inches, quarter size — were over Olathe, KS. Every state hit is listed on this page, and every city under it.

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