A hail size chart is only useful if you know what to do with it: pea and marble size (under 3/4 inch) rarely damage a roof, quarter size (1 inch) is the point where the National Weather Service calls a storm severe and functional roof damage becomes plausible, and anything golf ball size (1.75 inches) or larger is where most DFW roofing professionals recommend an inspection regardless of how the shingles look from the ground. Here's the full chart, lined up against what each size typically does to an asphalt shingle roof in Dallas–Fort Worth.
Hail size chart: diameter, comparison, and what it does to a roof
| NWS size name | Diameter | Compares to | Typical effect on an asphalt shingle roof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pea | 1/4 in | A pea | Essentially cosmetic; unlikely to affect shingles |
| Marble / mothball | 1/2 in | A marble | Rarely damages shingles; can nick paint or soft trim |
| Penny | 3/4 in | A penny | Minor granule loss possible on older, brittle shingles |
| Nickel | 7/8 in | A nickel | Granule loss and light bruising on aging roofs |
| Quarter | 1 in | A quarter | NWS severe-storm threshold; bruising and cracking become plausible |
| Half dollar | 1 1/4 in | A half dollar | Bruising, cracked shingles, dented soft metal (gutters, flashing, vents) |
| Ping-pong ball | 1 1/2 in | A ping-pong ball | Functional shingle damage more likely, especially on 3-tab roofs |
| Golf ball | 1 3/4 in | A golf ball | Widely used industry threshold for likely functional roof damage |
| Hen egg | 2 in | A chicken egg | Cracked or split shingles, damaged skylights and vents |
| Tennis ball | 2 1/2 in | A tennis ball | Significant shingle damage, dented gutters and siding |
| Baseball | 2 3/4 in | A baseball | Major damage across most exterior surfaces, including roofs |
| Softball | 4 1/2 in | A softball | Catastrophic — punctures, structural risk to roof decking and skylights |
This is the National Weather Service's standard comparison scale, and it's the same language you'll see in local storm reports and on your insurance adjuster's paperwork. But the diameter only tells you what's possible — your actual roof's age, material, and slope determine what a given size does to it.
Why does the same size hail damage one roof and not another?
Two houses hit by the same storm can end up with very different outcomes. A roof's age matters more than most homeowners expect: asphalt shingles lose flexibility and granule coating as they age, so a 15-year-old roof can bruise or crack under hail that a 3-year-old roof shrugs off. Slope and orientation matter too — a steeper roof sheds hail impact at more of an angle, while a low-slope section takes a more direct hit. Material matters as well: standard 3-tab shingles bruise more easily than architectural (dimensional) shingles or Class 4 impact-resistant shingles, which are rated specifically to withstand larger hail.
That's the practical reason a hail size chart is a starting point, not a verdict. "Golf ball size hail hit my zip code" and "golf ball size hail damaged my roof" are two different facts, and only one of them supports an insurance claim.
What DFW hail events looked like at each size
Dallas–Fort Worth sits inside what meteorologists call Hail Alley, and the region has a long track record of storms that moved well past the golf-ball threshold. The May 1995 Mayfest storm dropped hail described as golf ball to baseball size across Fort Worth, with softball-size stones reported at some locations — one of the most damaging hailstorms in US history. In June 2012, a hailstorm produced baseball-size stones that shattered skylights and damaged roofs across the Dallas area, including at NorthPark Center. More recently, large-hail outbreaks in June 2023 again put golf ball to baseball-size hail across parts of the Metroplex. Storms at that scale are exactly the ones where "check your roof" isn't optional — they're well past the threshold where functional damage is likely.
Should you get on the roof to check for hail damage yourself?
No. Even after a storm that clearly produced large hail, the roof itself is a job for a professional — a damaged roof deck or loosened shingles can be unstable, and hail bruising is often subtle enough that an untrained eye misses it even up close. From the ground, you can safely check gutters, downspouts, window screens, siding, and your AC condenser for dents — visible damage there is a reasonable signal that the same storm likely affected your shingles, even if you can't see it. That's the same ground-level check we walk through in more detail on our storm damage inspection page.
What should you actually do with this chart?
Use it to calibrate urgency, not to self-diagnose. If NWS storm reports or local news confirm quarter-size or larger hail hit your area, that's worth a professional look even if your roof looks fine from the driveway — especially if your roof is more than 10 years old. If you're already seeing dented gutters, damaged screens, or granules collecting in your downspouts, that's independent evidence worth documenting regardless of the reported hail size for your exact address. And if you're heading into an insurance conversation, pair the storm's reported hail size with your own photos and, ideally, an independent inspection — insurers look at documented property damage, not just the size chart. For the claim side of that process, our insurance documentation guide walks through what adjusters actually look for.
We help Dallas–Fort Worth homeowners figure out what a storm actually did to their specific roof and connect them with vetted local specialists for a proper inspection. We're not a contractor and we don't negotiate insurance claims — we help you get accurate information before you make either of those calls. If a storm in your area produced quarter-size hail or larger, our hail damage in Dallas guide is a good next stop for what to check and how to document it.