Key numbers
103 verified hail storms with stones of 1.5 inches or larger reached El Paso County, which includes Colorado Springs, 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 |
| 318 | NOAA's Storm Events Database logged 318 hail reports in Colorado in 2017, including 34 of 2 inches or larger. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 2017 |
| $1356.4 million | NOAA lists 'Severe Storms and Hail (June 1984)' (1984-06-13 to 1984-06-17) among billion-dollar disasters affecting Colorado, at $1356.4 million CPI-adjusted ($446.2 million unadjusted). Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), 1984 |
| $169 million | The June 13, 2018 Fountain-Colorado Springs hailstorm caused an estimated $169 million in insured losses from about 26,000 claims, Colorado's 12th most expensive hailstorm, per RMIIA. Source: Insurance Journal (reporting RMIIA), 2018 |
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.
A roof in Elbert is permitted by the Elbert County Building Department, which covers unincorporated Elbert County. The county requires a permit for every roof replacement and any repair over one square (100 sq ft), offers a photo or in-person mid-roof inspection (photos need the owner’s written consent), recommends getting HOA approval before any permitted work, and will verify a contractor’s Elbert County license on request. Permits are designed to the 2018 International Codes, and the county’s design table lists an ice barrier underlayment as required.
The Elbert County permit, step by step
- Check the roofer’s license. Call the Building Department (720-595-3619) or email it to verify the license, or ask for its list of licensed local contractors. After a hailstorm, door-to-door crews are common, and the county says not all are licensed here.
- Get HOA approval first, if your property has an HOA. The county recommends it before any work starts.
- Pull the permit. Required for replacements and repairs over 100 square feet.
- Mid-roof inspection. Choose photo (with your written consent) or in-person.
- Final inspection once the roof is done.
What the county’s design criteria mean for your roof
| Design item | Elbert County’s table |
|---|---|
| Codes | 2018 International Codes |
| Ultimate design wind speed | 115 mph |
| Ice barrier underlayment | Required |
| Ground snow load | Set by address using the ASCE hazard tool |
| Weathering | Severe |
The county’s re-roof handout also asks for attic ventilation that meets IRC section R806 on every re-roof, drip edge that covers the gap between the sheathing and the fascia, and kick-out flashing at the ends of side walls.
Hail on the Elbert County plains
On July 4, 2010, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center logged hail across the county: 2.75-inch stones 8 miles east-southeast of Kiowa and south of Matheson, 2-inch hail near Kiowa, and 1.5-inch hail near Elizabeth. On August 6, 2018, it logged 1.75-inch hail east-northeast of Cedar Point. Wide-open ground leaves roofs exposed to hail and wind from every direction, so impact-rated shingles and well-fastened metal are worth pricing. See Class 4 shingles and steel roofing.
Elbert and its neighbors
Elbert is in the National Weather Service’s Denver/Boulder forecast area, and the NWS forecast point for Elbert is 6,798 feet. Nearby pages: Elbert County overview, Elizabeth, roof repair in Elbert, and to the south, Black Forest. See every town on the service area list.
We are veteran-owned, family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, and have 650+ Google reviews. Call (719) 488-2800 or schedule a free roof inspection; we reply the same business day.
Sources: Elbert County, "Did a Hailstorm Leave you with Roof Damage?" (June 24, 2026); Elbert County Building Department, Permits; Elbert County, Climatic and Geographic Design Criteria; Single Family Residential Re-roofing guide (Colorado Chapter ICC, 12/01/22), linked by Elbert County; National Weather Service, Elbert point forecast; NOAA Storm Prediction Center storm reports for July 4, 2010 and August 6, 2018 (preliminary).
