Key numbers
103 verified hail storms with stones of 1.5 inches or larger reached El Paso County from 2000 to 2025 in the storm records we keep; the largest measured 4.5 inches (softball size) on July 13, 2011 (NOAA NCEI).
| Hail storms by decade, 2000 to 2025 | 2000s: 35, 2010s: 44, 2020s: 24 Source: Storm library: El Paso County hail history |
|---|---|
| Largest hail | 4.5 in. (softball), July 13, 2011 Source: NOAA NCEI |
| Costliest hail storm | $352.8 million insured losses (2016 dollars), July 28, 2016 Source: RMIIA |
| About 35.8% | About 35.8% of El Paso County's housing units (108,538 of 303,482) were built in 1979 or earlier, the Census bin closest to the 1978 federal lead-paint ban. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 |
A storm counts when the library lists El Paso County among the areas it hit. Each hail size is the storm's largest report, which may have fallen in a neighboring county, and insured losses cover every area the storm hit.
Hail history by ZIP (NOAA reports since 1996; linked ZIPs have a full page, method)
| ZIP | Area | 1 in.+ reports | Largest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80808 | Ellicott | 126 | 4 in. |
| 80831 | Colorado Springs | 121 | 2.75 in. |
| 80908 | Black Forest | 73 | 3 in. |
| 80906 | Colorado Springs | 55 | 2.75 in. |
| 80817 | Fountain | 51 | 3 in. |
| 80918 | Colorado Springs | 51 | 2.5 in. |
| 80911 | Security-Widefield | 46 | 4 in. |
| 80919 | Colorado Springs | 42 | 2 in. |
| 80917 | Colorado Springs | 41 | 2.5 in. |
| 80132 | Monument | 36 | 2.5 in. |
| 80864 | Unincorporated El Paso County | 36 | 2.25 in. |
| 80909 | Colorado Springs | 36 | 2 in. |
| 80915 | Cimarron Hills | 34 | 2 in. |
| 80921 | Colorado Springs | 33 | 2.5 in. |
| 80907 | Colorado Springs | 29 | 2.5 in. |
| 80916 | Colorado Springs | 29 | 3 in. |
| 80924 | Colorado Springs | 28 | 1.5 in. |
| 80920 | Colorado Springs | 27 | 3 in. |
| 80928 | Fountain | 27 | 4 in. |
| 80922 | Colorado Springs | 25 | 2 in. |
| 80903 | Colorado Springs | 22 | 1.75 in. |
| 80904 | Colorado Springs | 22 | 1.5 in. |
| 80840 | Air Force Academy | 21 | 2 in. |
| 80910 | Colorado Springs | 18 | 1.75 in. |
| 80829 | Manitou Springs | 17 | 1.75 in. |
| 80833 | Unincorporated El Paso County | 16 | 2.75 in. |
| 80923 | Colorado Springs | 16 | 1.75 in. |
| 80930 | Unincorporated El Paso County | 13 | 3 in. |
| 80929 | Colorado Springs | 12 | 1.75 in. |
| 80905 | Colorado Springs | 11 | 1.75 in. |
| 80913 | Fort Carson | 9 | 1.75 in. |
| 80925 | Colorado Springs | 7 | 1.5 in. |
| 80951 | Colorado Springs | 6 | 2 in. |
| 80133 | Palmer Lake | 4 | 1.25 in. |
| 80809 | Cascade-Chipita Park | 4 | 2.75 in. |
| 80902 | Fort Carson | 4 | 2 in. |
| 80926 | Colorado Springs | 4 | 1.25 in. |
| 80927 | Colorado Springs | 4 | 2.5 in. |
| 80938 | Colorado Springs | 3 | 1.75 in. |
| 80819 | Cascade-Chipita Park | 1 | 1.75 in. |
Local building code: Colorado Springs (PPRBD) roof code data: IRC edition, reroof permits, ice barrier
In El Paso County, almost every roof is permitted by one office: the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD). El Paso County lists PPRBD as the building department for unincorporated El Paso County, the cities of Colorado Springs, Fountain and Manitou Springs, and the towns of Calhan, Green Mountain Falls, Monument and Palmer Lake. That means the core reroof rules are the same from Black Forest to Stratmoor: a permit for any repair or replacement over 100 square feet, a full tear-off before new asphalt shingles, and an ice barrier above 7,000 feet. What changes from town to town is everything around those rules: HOA and historic review, the new wildfire map, and the weather each part of the county gets.
The reroof rules that apply county-wide
PPRBD’s reroof guidelines (revised March 5, 2024) set the baseline:
- Permit over 100 square feet. Any repair or replacement over 100 sq ft needs a permit, whether a licensed contractor or the homeowner does the work. Only an owner working on their own primary residence may do it without a license.
- No layering asphalt. All existing layers come off before new asphalt shingles go on.
- Ice barrier above 7,000 feet. The elevation is printed on the permit receipt. Above 7,000 ft, an ice barrier must run from the eave to at least 24 inches inside the exterior wall.
- Drip edge at eaves and rakes, and no asphalt shingles below a 2:12 pitch.
- Plank decking with gaps over 1/4 inch must be re-decked, overlaid, or filled.
- Snow and wind. PPRBD’s design criteria (updated June 30, 2026) use a 30 psf flat-roof snow load below 7,000 ft and 40 psf at or above it, and a 130 mph design wind speed for homes.
Where the rules diverge
| Area | What adds to the PPRBD permit |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated county (Black Forest, Falcon, Woodmoor, Cimarron Hills, Stratmoor) | Wildfire map and Appendix E for applications from July 1, 2026; HOA covenants in some communities |
| Manitou Springs | Historic Preservation Commission review of visible exterior changes in the historic sub-districts |
| Palmer Lake | Town application before PPRBD approvals |
| Green Mountain Falls | Town spans El Paso and Teller counties; PPRBD still permits |
| Fountain and Calhan | PPRBD rules; the difference is the hail and wind exposure |
Town guides
- North and Tri-Lakes: Woodmoor, Palmer Lake, Monument, and metal roofs in Black Forest, where wildfire drives the material choice.
- East: Falcon metal roofing, Cimarron Hills metal roofing, Peyton, and Calhan.
- South: Stratmoor, Security-Widefield, and Fountain.
- West: Manitou Springs and Green Mountain Falls.
For the full code background, read Colorado Springs roofing codes.
The wildfire map for unincorporated areas
El Paso County has adopted the state’s 2025 Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Code map for its unincorporated areas. Applications submitted on or after July 1, 2026 must meet Appendix E of the Land Development Code, and a new roof counts. Inside a fire district, the fire district reviews compliance; outside one, Planning and Community Development asks for an owner affidavit. Repairs under 25 percent of the exterior are exempt.
Book an El Paso County inspection
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, and an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews. Our office is at 115 N Union Blvd in Colorado Springs, and we reply the same business day. Call (719) 488-2800 or book a free roof inspection. After a storm, start with storm damage repair.
Sources: El Paso County, Pikes Peak Regional Building Department; PPRBD, Reroofing Guidelines (rev. 03/05/2024); PPRBD, Basic Design Information (updated 06/30/2026); PPRBD, Hail and Disaster Information; El Paso County Planning and Community Development, Wildfire Resiliency Requirements quick tips.
