It’s Shaping Up To Be One Hail of a Season: Best Roofs for Severe Hailstorms
- Metal Roofing Alliance
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The right roof helps you batten down the hatches against costly hail damage
Key Points
It’s been an above average spring and early summer for hailstorms in the U.S. and Canada, in a wider range of regions getting pounded
Roofs are the first line of defense for homeowners to protect against heavy hailstorm damage, which can lead to expensive repairs and replacements
Quality metal roofs are rated among the best roofs for severe hailstorms and withstanding hail damage, based on national standard impact rating tests
Above average hailstorm activity in the U.S. and Canada is hitting millions of homes hard this year…and in some unlikely areas.
Leading the pack as of early May 2026, Illinois has experienced 500 percent more hailstorm activity than usual, punctuated by a record-shattering 6.1 inch hailstone reported in March. The Midwest and the South also have been pummeled by hail this year, with Missouri, Texas, Indiana and Wisconsin taking a serious pounding. Nearly 4,000 spring hailstorms have been reported in the U.S. to date and Canada isn’t far behind. Alberta remains the epicenter of Canadian hail activity where insured losses have exceeded $5.5 billion over the past five years, with Calgary recognized as the country's hailstorm capital.
By some estimations, a whopping 43.5 million U.S. properties are at moderate or greater risk from being battered from hail damage and experts say the likelihood is increasing in more areas due to a changing climate. That surprises most homeowners who believe the most damaging of all weather events are hurricanes and tornadoes.
“Hail is increasingly recognized as a major catastrophe loss driver and the fact is, the most vulnerable part of your home is your roof,” said Renee Ramey of the Metal Roofing Alliance.
A better class of hail protection
To protect your home against hail damage, experts say it’s important to understand that - much like wind lift and ignition ratings - a roof also can be rated for impact resistance for how it will perform in a severe hailstorm.
The UL2218 Impact Rating test is considered the national standard for measuring a roof’s ability to withstand hail damage. Specifically, this is the UL2218 Impact Rating test conducted by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), a not-for-profit organization that independently tests and certifies roofing products. During the test, steel balls of various sizes are dropped on the roofing product from varying heights. Based on the results, roofing products are certified as Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, or Class 4.
A Class 4 rating is the highest possible rating and indicates that the roof can withstand hail impact. Many quality metal roof systems achieve Class 4 hail ratings, making them a superior choice and tests show that when properly installed, metal roofing can withstand blows and remain intact even when subjected to the heaviest of hailstorms. Metal rarely punctures or cracks, allowing it to maintain its structural integrity and prevent leaks much better than asphalt or tile. Textured metal roof design patterns also may help disguise small dings and the minor cosmetic imperfections resulting from hard-hitting impacts.
Unfortunately, asphalt roofs which are the most common type of roofing material in both the U.S. and Canada, are simply not well suited to survive severe hailstorms which can cause them to crack, dislodge or break, resulting in the need for premature replacement and increasing the potential for costly interior damage. The impact damage from hail can cause failure that is sometimes hard to see on an asphalt roof with the naked eye, until your roof begins to leak.
For more information, learn why one homeowner in a hailstorm prone area chose a metal roof to protect his home: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqcpc72vDlk
