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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80863 | Woodland Park | 25 | 2 in. |
| 80814 | Midland | 19 | 1.75 in. |
| 80813 | Cripple Creek | 8 | 1.75 in. |
| 80816 | Florissant | 6 | 1.25 in. |
| 80860 | Victor | 2 | 1.5 in. |
Who permits your roof in Teller County depends on where the house sits. Unincorporated Teller County, including Divide, is permitted and inspected by the Teller County Building Department. The City of Woodland Park gets its building services from the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD). According to the county, Cripple Creek and Victor each run their own building departments. The rules differ: the county inspects the ice and water shield on every structure, while PPRBD requires an ice barrier on homes above 7,000 feet and checks elevation on the permit receipt.
Teller County at a glance
| Area | Building department | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Divide and other unincorporated areas | Teller County Building Department | Ice and water shield inspection on all structures; a separate permit for each structure |
| Woodland Park | PPRBD, for the City of Woodland Park | Full tear-off before new asphalt; ice barrier above 7,000 ft |
| Green Mountain Falls | PPRBD lists Green Mountain Falls among its jurisdictions | Same PPRBD rules as Colorado Springs |
| Cripple Creek, Victor | Their own building departments | Call the town before you hire anyone |
What every mountain roof here has in common
Teller County homes sit far higher than Colorado Springs. National Weather Service forecast points put Woodland Park at 8,527 feet and Divide at 9,163 feet. At that height a roof deals with three things the plains see less of:
- Long snow cover and ice at the eaves. That is why both departments care about the membrane at the roof edge.
- Hail from fast mountain storms. On July 4, 2010, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center logged 1.75-inch hail near Woodland Park, 1.5-inch hail 8 miles north of Cripple Creek and 1.25-inch hail 11 miles south of Florissant.
- Trees close to the house. Needles fill gutters and valleys, and a wooded lot is a good reason to choose a roof covering with a Class A fire rating. See our wildfire home hardening guide, plus the guides to ember-resistant vents and WUI siding and decks.
Hiring a roofer in Teller County
- License. In the unincorporated county, the Board of Review issues contractor licenses. In Woodland Park, the roofer needs a PPRBD license.
- Permit in the contractor’s name. On a Teller County job, the contractor is the permit holder and must give inspectors safe access to the roof.
- Outbuildings. A garage, barn or cabin roofed on the same job is a separate permit in the county.
- Storm offers. Read our guide to spotting a legitimate roofer before signing anything after a hailstorm.
Getting started
We serve Teller County from our Colorado Springs office at 115 N Union Blvd. Start with a free inspection, or read about roof repair and roof replacement. Other counties we serve are on the service area list, including El Paso County.
Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor, with 650+ Google reviews. Call (719) 488-2800; we answer the same business day.
Sources: Teller County Building Division; Teller County, Re-Roof Application (Rev 8/2024); City of Woodland Park, Planning & Building Department; PPRBD, jurisdictions served; PPRBD Reroofing Guidelines (rev. 03/05/2024); National Weather Service point forecasts for Woodland Park and Divide; NOAA Storm Prediction Center, storm reports for July 4, 2010 (preliminary).
