How big was the hail, and how often does it get that big here?

Sizes and Cape Fear reports

The object names and diameters come from the Storm Prediction Center's hail size table. The right-hand column counts NOAA Storm Events reports in the three counties from 2006 through 2025.

Reports are where someone measured and reported hail. Many storms go unreported, and one storm can produce several reports.

What each size tends to mean for a coastal house

• Under an inch: usually marks soft aluminum such as gutters, screen frames and vent caps. Shingles in good condition usually survive, but older ones baked by coastal sun may lose granules.
• About an inch: shingle bruises become more likely, especially on slopes facing the storm. Dents in painted metal roofing may appear.
• 1 1/2 to 2 inches: cracked shingles, broken skylight domes, dented siding and vehicles. This is the range where full roof claims become common.

Hail is only part of the story here. Wind with the same storm can lift shingles too; see wind damage on a coastal roof.

When hail falls on the coast

May and June each had 49 of the 168 reports, and April had 25. Hail is rare from November through February. The busiest single day was May 10, 2011, with nine reports.

Measuring and reporting a stone

Measure the widest stone across its longest side right away, and photograph it next to a ruler or coin. Freeze a few in a bag if you can't measure them right then. You can send a report to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, which covers all three counties, through its website or social media. Your own dated photos matter for a claim even if no official report was filed near you.