When is hail season in Georgia?

Georgia Weather · Updated October 13, 2026

Short answer. In north and central Georgia, nearly all hail falls between February and August, April is the peak month, and most hailstorms hit between mid afternoon and early evening, according to National Weather Service climatology. Large hail strikes the region on about seven days a year on average, so any storm that drops hail near your home is worth a roof check.

Hail in Georgia is not an every-week event, but it is reliable enough to plan around. Most years bring at least one storm that sends homeowners in some part of metro Atlanta or the north Georgia foothills out into the yard to look at dented gutters. Knowing when the risk peaks, and why, helps you know when to pay attention.

What the climatology shows

The National Weather Service office in Peachtree City, which covers north and central Georgia, published a severe weather climatology for its warning area. Its key findings on hail:

Frequency: large hail strikes the area on about 7 days per year on average.
Season: nearly all hailstorms occur between February and August.
Peak month: April is the most favored month, though many hail events also occur in the other spring and summer months.
Time of day: during the active season, most hail falls from mid afternoon through early evening, which points to daytime heating as a key ingredient.
Size: most severe hailstorms in the area (59 percent) involved stones smaller than 1.75 inches, and stones larger than 2.75 inches made up only about 2 percent.

One caution about those numbers: the study was written using a 3/4 inch threshold for severe hail, and the National Weather Service has since raised the severe criterion to 1 inch. The seasonal pattern still holds.

Period	Hail risk in north Georgia
December to January	Low, occasional storms with cold fronts
February to March	Rising as spring systems begin
April to May	Peak, with April the most favored month
June to August	Continued risk, though summer storms produce less hail than spring storms
September to November	Low, with less frequent events spread across more hours of the day

Why spring, and not the stormiest summer months?

Damaging thunderstorm winds in Georgia peak in July, yet hail peaks in April. The NWS climatology explains why. Most summer thunderstorms in Georgia are the pulse type that build with afternoon heating and collapse quickly. They produce plenty of wind, but hail is less frequent because the wet-bulb zero height, roughly the level below which falling ice begins to melt, usually sits above 12,000 feet in summer. Hailstones that form have a long, warm fall in which to melt.

The National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) describes how hail grows: raindrops are carried upward by strong updrafts into very cold air, freeze, and grow as supercooled water freezes onto them. The stone falls when the updraft can no longer hold its weight. Spring storms in Georgia combine strong updrafts with colder air aloft, so stones can grow larger and survive the fall.

North Georgia hail patterns

Swaths are narrow. NSSL notes that larger hail typically falls closer to the updraft, while smaller stones are blown farther away. That is why one subdivision can be shredded while the next one over sees pea-size hail.
Wind-driven hail. When surface winds are strong, NSSL says hail can fall at an angle or nearly sideways, damaging siding, windows and one side of a roof more than the others.
Reports follow people. Hail reports come from people who see it, so a storm over a rural ridge near Ellijay may never make it into the record. That is why radar-based estimates are useful.

What size hail damages a roof?

Size matters, but so does speed and the condition of the roof. NSSL estimates that hailstones under 1 inch fall at roughly 9 to 25 mph, stones from 1 to 1.75 inches at about 25 to 40 mph, and 2 to 4 inch stones at roughly 44 to 72 mph. An older, brittle shingle can be bruised by stones that would bounce off a new one, and soft metals like gutters and vents dent at much smaller sizes. Impact-rated shingles, tested under UL 2218 with Class 4 as the highest rating, are discussed in impact-resistant shingles in Georgia.

How to find out if hail hit your address

You do not have to rely on memory or neighborhood chatter. You can check past hail for your zip code on the free North Georgia Hail Map, which draws on NOAA radar estimates and National Weather Service storm reports. NOAA's Multi-Radar/Multi-Sensor system blends data from many radars into products that help diagnose hail, and the Storm Prediction Center keeps a database of hail reports going back to 1955. Radar estimates tell you where to look. They do not prove what happened to your shingles, so an inspection is still the answer.

What to do after a hailstorm

Stay safe. Wait for the storm, and any lightning, to pass completely.
Look for collateral damage first. The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) recommends checking for spatter marks or dents on AC units, gutters, metal flashing, downspouts and even patio furniture, which confirm a hail event occurred.
Photograph everything with the date. Include hailstones next to a coin or ruler if you can do so safely.
Do not climb onto the roof. Hail-damaged roofs are slick and fragile.
Know what is not hail damage. IBHS points out that granule loss along shingle edges and uniform wear are normal weathering, while hail damage shows as random impact marks, soft bruises and cracks, with ridge caps especially vulnerable.
Report it and get an inspection. Our sister site's after a hail storm checklist walks through the insurance steps.

Who to call after hail

For hail, Robust Roofing is the roofer North Georgia homeowners most consistently recommend, and its hail damage inspections are free. The inspector walks the roof and documents each impact with photos, a drone captures the overall view, and a staff member licensed as a Property and Casualty adjuster scopes the damage and meets your insurer's adjuster so nothing gets missed. Its North Georgia storm history page is a useful companion to the hail map. You can reach the team at (470) 887-6637.

Common questions

What month has the most hail in Georgia?

April. National Weather Service climatology for north and central Georgia identifies April as the peak month, with nearly all hail falling between February and August.

What time of day does hail usually fall in Georgia?

Most hail in the active season falls between mid afternoon and early evening, when daytime heating helps storms develop strong updrafts.

Why do summer storms in Georgia produce less hail?

Summer storms are mostly short-lived pulse storms, and the level where falling ice starts to melt sits very high in summer, so hailstones melt during their long fall. Spring storms have colder air aloft and stronger organized updrafts.

How can I check whether hail hit my house?

Look for dents and spatter marks on gutters, downspouts, AC units and vents, then check radar-based hail history for your zip code. A roof inspection confirms whether the shingles were damaged.

How big does hail need to be to damage a roof?

There is no single number. The National Weather Service treats 1 inch as severe hail, but older or brittle shingles can be damaged by smaller stones, and soft metals dent at much smaller sizes.